Personal Info
- Country of residence: Palestine
Information
Maryam Wasm Jabbour Touqan (born in
Abilene in 1982), is a Palestinian lawyer, singer with a number of musical
releases, and political activist who participated in a number of peace
initiatives between Arabs and Israelis.
Growing up and education
She was born in the town of I'billin
in the Galilee. She graduated from Mar Elias High School in her village,
I'billin, in 2000. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Law from the University
of Haifa, after which she received a certificate and a license to practice law.
She specialized in damages and human rights. Multiple in the Faculty of Music
at the university, and was a member of the Arab choir of the university led by
d. Tayseer Haddad.
her artistic career
She started singing at the age of
four, and joined the school choir, then the church choir, in which she
performed Byzantine hymns. She joined the Hebrew Karawan Choir and played some
solo roles in it. In 2003, she participated in the “Arafizion” program with a
special song for her, which is the song “Maqhana”, written by Samih Al-Qasim
and composed by Nabih Awad.
In 2004, while she was a student at
the Faculty of Law at the University of Haifa, she was chosen to participate
and sing in the international music project “Youth” for peace, which produced a
multi-disc, sponsored by the European Union.
In 2007, she participated in the
Israeli TV program “The Birth of a Star.” She was a Palestinian Arab who
participated in a talent show on Israeli television, and completed its final
stages.
With her band, "Al-Ruba'i
Touqan", she presented various performances of well-known songs and songs
composed by the band's members, and she presented songs in several languages,
in a style that combines eastern and western music.
The band held workshops and musical
educational courses, and collaborated with artists such as George Zamfir, Alba
Ramallo and others, in performances in country and international theaters such
as the Opera House in the Italian city of Trieste, and participated in Arab and
international festivals, including the Jerash Festival and the Riomondi
Festival.
Albums and plays
In 2008, she released her first
album, The Eve of Christmas, which was supervised by musician Moein Daniel.
In the year 2012, Mariam Toukan, in
cooperation with the Karawan Association and Maestro Nabih Awwad, presented the
lyrical theatrical work “The Darkness of Nissan”, inspired by the Al-Rahbanah
plays, and Maryam played the main role, the play written and directed by Elias
Matar.
In 2013, Maryam participated in a
major role in the theatrical work, A Needle and a Fine Thread for Al-Manara
Association, a distinguished work that brought together Maryam and people with
disabilities who acted, a unique work that captivated the audience.
Mariam has several solo songs,
including “Asrar|,” “Haddna Sawa,” “Mawal,” and “Ehsas Jdeed,” which are in
Arabic and Spanish.
In 2014, she participated in the
song "Mothers' Prayer", by Israeli singer Yael Dekelbaum
Album "We Are the Youth
Generation", in collaboration with rapper Sameh Zaqout, in solidarity with
Arab youth and the Arab Spring in Syria and Egypt.
She is working on releasing her
fourth album at the end of 2020
political activities
Toukan worked with the Women Wage
Peace organization, which was formed during the 2014 war, and Arab and Israeli activists
participated in it. Together, they sang the song “Mothers’ Prayer” by the
Israeli Yael Dekelbaum, and presented it again in October 2016 in a march that
included 4,000 Arab women. An Israeli gathering north of the Dead Sea.
She participated and cooperated with
local and international feminist organizations in organizing and leading peace
marches and conferences in different countries, including Spain (Cordoba,
Seville and Cadiz), Brazil (Curitiba), Italy (Bergamo), Germany (Berlin),
Switzerland (Berne, Zurich, Geneva and Kreuzlingen), and France. (Nîmes and
Toulouse).
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Achievements and Awards
- Years in active
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