Palestine Solidarity Performances Leave a Mark at Kerala School Kalolsavam 2026
Students use music, theatre and mimicry to highlight themes of resistance, humanitarian suffering and compassion at Asia’s largest school arts festival.
Acts of cultural solidarity with Palestine drew widespread appreciation at the 64th Kerala School Kalolsavam 2026, as students used art to reflect on resistance, displacement and humanitarian suffering. The five-day festival, regarded as Asia’s largest school-level arts event, saw several prize-winning performances that referenced the ongoing crisis in Palestine.
This year’s Kalolsavam featured multiple creative expressions centred on Palestine. These included mimicry performances portraying the destruction in Gaza, an Arabic monologue focusing on humanitarian relief efforts and civilian suffering, and a stage play titled Bhasha, which explored the experiences of refugees, displacement and empathy.
One of the most talked-about performances came from Minha, a Plus Two student of KHMHSS Alathiyur. She secured an A grade in Mappilappattu after performing a song themed around Palestine—an uncommon and bold choice at a competition where students generally avoid politically sensitive subjects.
The song was written by her teacher, Maliyekkal Abu Kenza (also known as Faisal Kanmanam), during the peak of Israel’s military assault on Gaza, with music composed by Muhsin Kurikkal. Despite being cautioned that the theme could affect her evaluation, Minha chose to proceed. She later described the performance as both a prayer and an expression of solidarity.
Her decision was met with admiration from both judges and the audience. The panel awarded her an A grade, while the hall responded with attentive silence followed by loud applause. Minha is no stranger to success at Kalolsavam events, having earlier secured A grades in Ghazal at the district level and in Mappilappattu in 2023. She has also participated in Oppana performances and is trained in Carnatic music under Mohanan Sir of Tanur.
Kerala’s Revenue Minister K. Rajan also praised the Arabic group song performance by students of Chennamangallur HSS. He shared a video of the students, who wore keffiyehs during their performance, receiving an award from him at the event.
Kerala has a long history of cultural and political solidarity with Palestine, with artists, students and civil society groups often framing the issue in terms of justice, human rights and anti-colonial resistance. The inclusion of such themes at a school-level cultural festival highlights how strongly the issue resonates with younger generations.
As the curtains came down on the five-day festival, Kannur emerged as the overall winners of the Kerala School Kalolsavam 2026.
