Cultural diplomacy in mandatory Haifa: The role of Christian communities in the cultural transformation of the city

The formative years of the British Mandate over Palestine marked a period of profound changes, in which cultural transformation manifested in a rapid growth of modern leisure, new recreation sites and cultural patterns in the urban centres of Palestine. These processes were significantly evident in Haifa as the city had been chosen by the British as the economic and effectively political capital of Palestine. This chapter scrutinises the rapid cultural changes that unfolded, analysing the significant role of Christian communities in this process. It examines the ways in which Christians' connections with European powers contributed to their crucial involvement in developing the city's cultural life and how Christians' engagement in cultural activities strengthened their Palestinian identity in a period of intensive nation-building.