Craig Literary

We Are Not Numbers (WANN) is a youth-led Palestinian nonprofit project. It tells the stories behind the numbers of Palestinians in the news and advocates for their human rights. When the world talks about Palestinians living under occupation and in refugee camps, it is usually in terms of politics and numbers – specifically, how many killed, injured, homeless and/or dependent on aid. But numbers are impersonal and often numbing. What they don't convey are the daily personal struggles and triumphs, the tears and the laughter, and the aspirations that are so universal that if it weren't for the context, they would immediately resonate with virtually everyone.

The mission of WANN is to create a new generation of Palestinian writers and thinkers who can bring together a profound change to the Palestinian cause to get their voices heard. WANN provides the world with direct access to the Palestinian narrative without any restrictions and without foreign intermediaries speaking on behalf of the Palestinians.

The idea for WANN was conceived in 2014 by the American journalist Pam Bailey and was brought to fruition in early 2015 in collaboration with Ahmed Alnaouq from Gaza, and with Dr. Ramy Abdu, chair of the board of directors for the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med Monitor). Since 2014, more than 1,300 personal narratives and poems have been written by young Palestinians, most living in the besieged Gaza Strip, in which they chronicle the human impact of occupation and blockade. This treasure trove of stories, mentored by professional English writers from around the world, gives a rare insight into both what has changed over those years -- and, perhaps most telling -- what has not.