The 3rd Annual Palestinian Film Festival will be held this weekend at SMU. The presentation of about a dozen films showing Palestinian life and culture will begin tonight in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom.

United for Peace and Justice, a local organization dedicated to creating peace in the Middle East, is organizing the event with the sponsorship of SMU’s Muslim Students Association.

“We just want to create greater awareness about the struggle of the Palestinian people and the brutal occupation they have lived through for over 50 years,” said Ali Sinnokrot, director and treasurer of United for Peace and Justice.

Following each film, speakers, including SMU’s Rick Halperin, will hold short question and answer sessions. Activists who visited Palestine will also give eyewitness accounts of their experiences.

Sinnokrot said that unlike many other groups, Palestinians don’t have the media or other resources to express their difficulties. With the recent surge of terrorist activities in Palestine, he said there is an added need for people to be aware of the situation.

“Anytime there is a problem, whether it be social or political, you should not look at just the outcomes of the problem but the reason there is trouble,” Sinnokrot said.

A banquet will be held Saturday night, featuring Palestinian entertainment and speaker Daniel McGowan. McGowan founded Deir Yassin Remembered, an international organization working to build a truth and reconciliation center at Deir Yassin in Palestine.

Deema Alasaad, a senior finance major at SMU, is performing Dabkeh, Palestinian folk dancing, at the event with the Salam Dabkha Troop.

“Palestinian culture is like 20 different cultures in one,” Alasaad said.”I love it because it has rich history and culture.”

A full schedule, trailers for the films and more information about the organization are available at www.united4pnj.org.