In light of the humanitarian crisis taking place in occupied Palestinian territories, renowned talent incubator Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) has decided to cancel its fifth edition. Initially scheduled to take place on Oct. 25 in Doha before being postponed, organizers have instead consensually decided to call off the event “out of solidarity and respect” for the people of Gaza.
“Fashion Trust Arabia has always been dedicated to fostering young designers from the MENA Region. We firmly believe in the transformative power of art and creativity to transcend boundaries and unify communities,” organizers said in a released statement.
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“However, in light of the ongoing and deeply distressing humanitarian crisis in Palestine we have taken the decision to cancel our fifth annual Awards Ceremony, which was set to take place last month, and all our upcoming activities. We have made this decision out of solidarity and respect,” the statement read.
The highly esteemed non-profit organization, which provides financial support, guidance, and mentorship to emerging designers from across the Arab world, will be pausing all ongoing and upcoming activities,, in recognition of the urgent need for an immediate cease-fire, and will instead use its platform to the rich history of Palestinian culture and fashion in collaboration with its diverse network of designers in the coming weeks.
The 2023 Fashion Trust Arabia Awards ceremony joins a long list of events around the world that have also taken the decision to cancel or modify their plans since Israel’s bombardment of Gaza began on Oct. 7.
In the past month, notable events that have either been postponed or simply ruled out include The El Gouna Film Festival, The Cairo International Film Festival, and the Carthage Film Festival. We Design Beirut as well as the ceremony of MTV’s Europe Music Awards 2023 have also been canceled.
