The Palestinian and broader community in Victoria come together annually at Fed Square to commemorate Palestine National Day, marking the anniversary of the 1988 Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine—authored by the poet Mahmoud Darwish and read by Yasser Arafat.
Melbourne's Palestine National Day has become the largest annual Palestinian cultural celebration in Australia and one of the most significant Palestinian National Day events outside Palestine. What began as a community gathering has evolved into a powerful expression of identity, culture, and resilience—uniting thousands of people from diverse backgrounds in a celebration of Palestine's heritage, music, art, food, and enduring struggle for freedom and justice.
The 2025 commemoration carries deeper meaning and renewed momentum, following Australia's official recognition of the State of Palestine in 21 September 2025. This step echoes the Palestinian people's rightful aspiration for self-determination and peace. Yet, this recognition takes place amid ongoing challenges of occupation, displacement, and humanitarian suffering, underscoring the enduring resilience of the Palestinian people in their quest for justice and dignity.
Against the backdrop of what the UN commission stated in their findings in 2025—an active genocide in Gaza—amplifying Palestinian culture becomes urgent work. The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories framed Palestine as the litmus test of our generation. In this context, design that makes Palestinian culture visible challenges widespread misconceptions and has the potential to shift political discourse.
What began as solving practical digital problems for this event became a research journey into Palestinian tatreez traditions, specifically examining how the 8-pointed star pattern has been systematically appropriated in Western contexts. This work explores how traditional Palestinian textile patterns can inform contemporary design thinking without simply reproducing historical motifs—honouring tatreez construction principles and history while creating an identity suitable for today's digital-first world.