Diana El Hadidi

Diana today, studying English Arts and translation at the Islamic university in Gaza.

Well, hello there! I am Diana El Hadidi.

I'm half Russian on my mother's side and half Palestinian from my father's side; therefore, I am a native Arabic-Russian speaker. I learned the English language and became fluent for two primary reasons.

Firstly, I am already proficient in both Arabic and Russian without any difficulty so I am fully aware of the myriad benefits that come with knowing multiple languages, including its positive impact on expanding one's cultural horizons, knowledge base, and quick thinking. This has fueled my desire to learn even more languages.

Additionally, English is a part of our curriculum, starting from kindergarten and continuing throughout high school.Since I was in middle school, I have been trying various methods to learn the English language. These include attending Amidest and Accent centers, joining the English Club at the Qattan Foundation, and participating in one of the most interesting and distinctive activities of my life, the Hands Up project.

In this project, we conducted online sessions with Mr. Nick Bilbrough after school hours. During these sessions, he shared stories and funny situations with us.

Additionally, I took part in a playwriting and acting competition at the Palestinian schools level. I will never forget the moment when we won; as a reward, the Hands Up Project took us on a trip to Palestinian cities that are under Zionist control.

Now, after finishing school, I have decided, without hesitation, to study English Arts with a minor in Translation. My dream is to become a well-known international translator, bridging languages and cultures, all the while championing the Palestinian cause. I believe in my dream because language is both my passion and my cultural knowlege.

Diana and friends performing their play ‘Window onto the outside’ (2017)

Diana in 2018, being interviewed about Hands up by “A News”

Diana, in a Hands up session in 2018, showing that she never gives up.