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Phoenix of Gaza XR is an interactive VR experience, capturing the untold stories of Gaza’s people and its transformation. Dive deep into the lives of those who endured and rebuilt. It’s more than VR — it’s a testament to resilience.
The Great Omari Mosque
Abu Zuhair Pastries Shop
how it works
Experience Gaza Together
Our multi-person VR setups allow you to explore Gaza’s stories alongside others — perfect for educational groups, live events, and shared experiences. Witness the powerful impact of Gaza’s transformation and connect with others as you navigate this immersive journey.
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Step into Gaza's vibrant past and war-torn present with our guided virtual reality experience.
Interviews
Interviews
EVENTS
Rediscover Gaza:
The Phoenix XR Tours
The Phoenix XR Tours
February 26-28, 2025
Tufts University
Begin your journey by uncovering the layered history of Gaza. Dive into immersive multimedia presentations that blend storytelling with technology, offering a profound understanding of the region's past and cultural significance.
February 24-25, 2025
UMass Amherst
Experience The Phoenix of Gaza XR, an immersive virtual reality exhibit that brings Palestinian culture and daily life in Gaza to audiences through 360-degree videos and images. The exhibit showcases traditional weddings, dabke, artisanal crafts, and more. A keynote panel on February 25 will explore the role of digital media in witnessing Gaza’s realities. Don't miss this unique opportunity to engage with history, culture, and technology.
February 17–21, 2025
MIT & Harvard
Hosted by MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and co-sponsored by Harvard Divinity School’s Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative, this VR exhibit transported viewers beyond the blockade into Gaza’s vibrant culture and daily life, preserving its history through immersive 360-degree footage.
December 5–6, 2024
Princeton University
Princeton University hosted the "Phoenix of Gaza VR Exhibit + Symposium," an immersive virtual reality experience and series of discussions exploring Gaza's rich cultural heritage and the resilience of its people. The event aimed to connect everyday acts of resistance with longer-term world-building and freedom dreaming.
December 3–6, 2024
Yale University
Yale students, faculty, staff, and the wider New Haven community were welcomed to “The Phoenix of Gaza XR,” a lecture and virtual reality exhibit that offered an immersive window into pre- and post-destruction Gaza.
September 26, 2024
Salt Lake Community College
As part of SLCC's Big Questions Forum themed "Contested Spaces: Surviving and Thriving in the 21st Century," the event featured "The Phoenix of Gaza XR," an immersive virtual reality experience offering a 360-degree documentation of Gaza. The project aimed to present narratives beyond the destruction, highlighting daily life and the complexities faced by Gaza's people.
September 19-21, 2024
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands hosted The Phoenix of Gaza, an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience that offered attendees a powerful glimpse into the daily lives and resilience of the people of Gaza. Through cutting-edge VR technology, participants explored iconic sites such as the Great Omari Mosque, bustling marketplaces, and other significant locations while learning about the challenges faced by Gaza's residents under ongoing genocide.
February 12-13, 2024
California State University, San Bernardino
The Gaza XR team, in collaboration with CSUSB's Communication Department, MSAC, PAM Caucus, and the Center for the Study of Muslim and Arab Worlds, presented an immersive virtual reality experience titled "Gaza Unveiled: A Virtual Reality Expedition into Pre- and Post-War Realities." This two-day event offered attendees a profound journey through Gaza’s past and present.
We are a team of scholars, journalists, technicians, students, and social justice activists who are passionate about utilizing immersive technologies to build a virtual space that allows users to experience the multi-dimensional life in Gaza.
Ahlam Muhtaseb
Co-Founder & Academic Director
Professor of Media Studies at California State University, San Bernardino
Ahmad Hasaballah
Photographer
An award-winning photographer who is currently working with Getty Images
Dina Bahhour
Social Media Specialist
Innovative strategist and content creator, specializing in engaging digital narratives and brand storytelling
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Ethan Randolph
Software Developer
Developer at the Extended Reality for Learning Lab, California State University, San Bernardino, creating educational VR experiences.
JC Mariscal
3D Artist
VR developer and 3D artist blending immersive storytelling with cinematic creativity to craft captivating virtual environments.
LATEST NEWS
TESTIMONIALS
Naomi Klein
Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of nine critically acclaimed books published in over 30 language
“The Phoenix of Gaza XR Project opens up a portal in time and space, allowing participants to virtually ‘visit’ land, architecture and people that have been sealed off by Israel's brutal siege for decades, and that that have, since the time of filming, been decimated by genocidal violence. When I put on the VR goggles, I was instantly transported to the sights and sounds or a people living daily lives filled with beauty against all odds, lives that should have been protected. This is a testimony, an archive and a love letter, and it is among the most innovative and powerful uses of technology that I have ever experienced”
Naomi Klein
Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of nine critically acclaimed books published in over 30 language
Greg Gondwe
Professor at CSUSB & Faculty Associate with the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard
"The Phoenix of Gaza XR is a profound and intelligently designed website that provides you with real-life encounters of what is going on in Gaza. In the age of misinformation, having a person on grassroots to give you a 3-D VR experience can never be more appreciated than this. This is indeed an avenue of experience, encounter, and academic inquiry. I strongly recommend the support and vision of those involved in supporting and providing grassroots information as opposed to misinformation. Great work to the initiators."
Greg Gondwe
Professor at CSUSB & Faculty Associate with the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard
