Palestinian community leaders have tried to keep their Arab culture alive. Santiago's elite Palestinian School, one of three in the country, promotes Arab culture and language classes. At 16, students spend one month visiting the Middle East, with Palestine as the highlight. We are more organized. There are more of us than ever.
Students mark political events in the Palestinian calendar with prayers and street protests.
The association sends members to a student hostel in the West Bank, the House of Return, where they can study Arabic during the holidays. Chadud has been twice and speaks some Arabic. The support is welcomed back home. When we are there they ask us where we are from. However, it's unlikely Palestinians will ever compete on an equal footing with well-endowed Jewish organizations that pour millions into backing Israel.