Lana Nidal Hamad, Gaza

Lana Nidal Hamad is an Illuminated Cities 2025 Poetry of the Camps-Gaza fellow.

In her words, “Lana is a 23-year-old Dentistry student from Gaza whose journey is shaped by resilience, creativity, and an unshakable belief in change. A youth leader, writer, and singer at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, she weaves together science and art as a way to heal and inspire. Through her work in health education, psychological first aid, and community initiatives, Lana strives to turn hardship into hope, and to be a voice for her generation in Gaza and beyond.

Lana loves life — but she wonders, has life ever loved her back?”