Mount Royal University is hosting the Canadian premiere of The Phoenix of Gaza XR, an immersive extended reality exhibition, at the Riddell Library and Learning Centre from Feb. 23 to 27.
A virtual moderated discussion with the creators of The Phoenix of Gaza XR will also be held on Feb. 27 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Both the exhibition and the final event are free and open to members of the Mount Royal University community and the general public.
This experience uses 360-degree video, surround sound and written, guided narratives to create an immersive experience of daily life, memories and cultural resilience in Gaza.
The XR module lasts about 30 minutes and is available in the library’s 360-degree Immersion Studio for group bookings, as well as at The Bubble, which offers individual VR headsets. Reservations are required for both locations.
Additionally, The Bubble includes poster displays showcasing work produced by contemporary Palestinian artists.
The initiative represents an interdisciplinary collaboration between professors George Mantzios and Gloria Pérez-Rivera from the Faculty of Arts, and professor Gabriela Perdomo Páez from the Faculty of Business, Communication Studies and Aviation, and their partnership with the creators of The Phoenix of Gaza XR, with support from staff at the Riddell Library and Learning Centre.
The project also received funding from the Endeavour Funds.
“Bringing this experience to MRU is a powerful reminder about the impact of storytelling in supporting resilience against oppression and erasure,” Perdomo Páez said. “The production works as both archive and living memory and humanizes the voices, sounds, and places of a storied land and its people.”
Perdomo Páez hopes students will gain a deeper understanding of how conflict narratives are constructed.
“Students will hopefully come away with a fresh understanding of how conflict narratives have worked to erase Palestinian humanity, and see victims of the genocide as much more than grim statistics in a news story,” she said.
Students can register to participate in the virtual tour using the QR code featured in the poster below.
