A living hub for the people of Palestine — those who shaped it, and those who stood with it.

Suggest a profile
Portrait of Vivien Sansour

Vivien Sansour

Seed conservationist reviving Palestinian heritage

Born
1983
Born in
Jersualem, West Bank, Palestine
Read Vivien’s storyWatchAsk about Vivien

Why Vivien is here

Vivien Sansour is celebrated for her remarkable contributions to the revival and preservation of Palestinian agricultural heritage through the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library. Her work encompasses seed conservation and promoting the use of heirloom varieties in Palestinian cuisine, thus safeguarding cultural identity and biodiversity.

Their story

Vivien Sansour is a renowned conservationist, artist, and founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library. Her efforts in seed finding, keeping, and dispersing have played a critical role in preserving Palestinian seed heritage. Through her initiatives, she has reconnected the Palestinian community with their agrarian roots and cultural practices, emphasizing the importance of seeds in cultural identity.

Milestones

The moments that shaped Vivien’s path.

  1. 2014

    Founding of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library

    Initiated a project for conserving and re-sharing seeds of culturally significant Palestinian plants.

  2. 2018

    Establishment of the Travelling Kitchen

    Created a project to reintroduce traditional Palestinian dishes made from heirloom varieties to the community.

  3. Early Childhood in Bethlehem

    Vivien spent her early years in Bethlehem, forming a connection with the land and its traditions.

  4. Immigration to North Carolina

    At the age of ten, she and her family moved to North Carolina, where she later reflected on her cultural heritage.

  5. 2019

    Exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Biennial

    Participated with a seed library exhibition, highlighting the global impact of colonization and violence on indigenous food sources and biodiversity.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Preservation of Heirloom Seeds

    Revived nearly extinct varieties such as the Palestinian purple carrot, baladi tomatoes, and Jadu’I watermelons.

    Watch

  2. Cultural and Political Advocacy through Agriculture

    Uses food and agriculture as a medium to affirm Palestinian living history, culture, and resistance.

  3. Educational Outreach

    Engages in public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to teach about Palestinian agricultural heritage.

  4. Artistic Representations

    Integrates her conservation work with artistic expressions, including installations and exhibitions, to narrate the story of Palestinian agricultural heritage.

  5. Global Outreach and Collaboration

    Collaborates with various artists and participates in international platforms to spread awareness about the importance of seed conservation and Palestinian culture.

Ask about Vivien

Curious about something? An AI guide answers from Vivien’s profile.

Vivien’s guide AI

Answers come from Vivien’s profile on this page. It isn’t Vivien, and it can make mistakes.

What would you like to know about Vivien?

Ask in your own words about Vivien’s early life, work, the moments that shaped them, or their legacy. The guide answers only from this profile, so if something isn’t covered, it will tell you.

AI-generated from this profile. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an addition.

Watch

Vivien in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01Preservation of Heirloom Seeds↗

Spot a mistake?

We check every correction against sources before we change a profile. Tell us what’s wrong with Vivien’s story and, if you can, where you read it. How we check

Keep exploring

More faces from Activism

All 40 in Activism