Het Portret of Ghayath Almadhoun

In this episode of Het Portret, we meet Syrian-Palestinian-Swedish poet Ghayath Almadhoun. Born in a Syrian refugee camp, Ghayath began writing poetry as a teenager, like many other teenagers around the world. Now, his work explores the complex realities of war, exile and identity.

Ghayath’s poetry is direct, filled with dark humor and touches the core of the Palestinian experience. He describes the dehumanisation of Palestinians throughout history, stressing how denying them to tell their story contributes to a lack of empathy and action from the rest of the world.

"We are 16 million, and we are never allowed to tell our story."

Ghayath’s family was first displaced from their hometown, al-Majdal Asqalan in Palestine, to the Khan Younis refugee camp when his father was only 6 months old. When his father turned 18, he was arrested by the Israeli army and taken to the Sinai Desert, separating him from his family, including his mother, who remained in Palestine. His father and grandmother were unable to speak to each other for years due to the telecommunications blockade between Palestine and Syria, where his father ended up. When Ghayath arrived in Sweden, he finally managed to connect them by using two mobile phones so they could speak to each other. However, by the time he obtained a Swedish passport and was finally able to visit Palestine, his grandmother had already passed away.

In the podcast, he also talks about the rich history of Arabic language and literature, and his connection with the Netherlands, where his direct style —infused with dark, absurd humor— resonates strongly.

Ghayath’s hope remains steadfast: a future where Palestine is free, and all people enjoy equal rights. To hear his full story, tune in to Het Portret, a podcast hosted by Annick van Rinsum .