Sydney Festival wraps up after controversial event mired by boycotts over Israel

The Sydney Festival 2022 logo is on a lectern during a media call for the 2022 Sydney Festival in Sydney, Wednesday, November 17, 2021.When it comes to making a crowd crack up, comedian Tom Ballard is a master joke-teller. But his decision to withdraw from the Sydney Festival over its Israeli funding has been no laughing matter.

In a statement issued in early January, festival organisers said the board had "respect for the right of all groups to protest and raise concerns" about the funding. "Younger people today are more willing to question the bulls*** served up by foreign affairs 'experts' and assess what's really going on for themselves," he said.

"Governments fail to hold Israel to account, while corporations and institutions across the world help Israel to oppress Palestinians.The Sydney Festival sponsorship deal was sealed in May, according to local community groups who met with the board last year. Palestinian-Australian activist and writer Jennine Khalik, one of the organisers of the boycott, described the festival's stance as out-of-touch with the artists who see social justice as inextricably linked to their art.

Asher_Wolf Sorry I blinked

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