| Dear Friend,
In recent weeks, we have continued to challenge the occupation on the ground, through education and by advocating for change. We also created opportunities to build connections and carry our joint work forward. This is a snapshot of our lives lately;
In the context of the ongoing education crisis in the West Bank, we stood alongside Palestinian children and their families to support their right to education in the face of settler violence, roadblocks, settlement expansion and army restrictions. In Susiya, a village that has faced attempts at ethnic cleansing for years, we distributed school bags to equip the children for the new school year.
In Ein al-Baida, we joined the Peace Partnership and organised activities for more than 100 children from Jordan Valley villages, including puppet shows, clown performances, water and sports games. | | | 16 alumni of our Palestinian and Israeli Freedom Schools traveled together to Switzerland, away from the separations that make encounters so difficult in Israel/Palestine, to share a unique experience that helped them create shared memories and build new connections. Through "Bridges of Hope", they spent a week sharing a roof, cooking and eating together, exchanging ideas, expanding their imagination and getting to know each other in a different way.
As they parted ways at the end of the programme, one of the participants, A., wrote a letter to the rest of the group. We share a part of it here; | | Thank you to our partners Coexistences and B8 of Hope for making this special encounter happen. | | | | With the support of the Government of Canada, we held the first session of our new program, Strengthening Palestinian-Led Human Rights Activism through Capacity-Building Workshops and Binational Engagement. The program aims to strengthen Palestinian-led activism within our binational framework.
During the session, participants developed conflict resolution skills to help them navigate challenges ranging from family disagreements and community disputes to the systemic injustices of life under occupation. Through an interactive simulation workshop, they explored the root causes of conflict and different approaches to resolving it. | | October also marked the start of the fall semester at our Freedom Schools. 25 young Palestinians joined the 7th cohort of the Palestinian Freedom School, while 14 young Israelis joined the 14th cohort of its Israeli counterpart.
Good luck to this new generation as they continue their journey of transformation, learning and growth. We are with you every step of the way. | | | | | Advocacy & Raising Awareness
In September, Sulaiman and Iris took part in a moving and inspiring screening "There Is Another Way" at the UN Office at Geneva, where they engaged with diplomats from around the world. They also met with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to discuss the latest developments in the West Bank. Together, they thought about ways to cooperate and strengthen efforts to ensure that human rights are upheld.
In New York, Jamil, Mai and Gili addressed members of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, highlighting the unprecedented levels of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and calling for urgent international action. They also traveled with Avner across the US to share the same message and draw support from American civil society organisations and communities.
Mia and Sulaiman just wrapped up our very first advocacy tour in Estonia, where they met with students from the Tallinn and Tartu universities, as well as the Estonian Foreign Minister. They prolonged their stay in Europe Milan.
Two other activists, Sayel and Elie, are currently touring Germany for the second time this year to meet with local communities committed to peace and justice in Israel/Palestine. On Sunday, they met with Steffen Seibert, former spokesperson of the German government and ambassador to Israel until last summer. | | Finally, Rana and Laura were in Athens to participate in the kick-off meeting of CIRCLE, an EU-funded project exploring how culture, education and dialogue can contribute to peacebuilding and social change. The project brings together universities, research institutions and peacebuilding organisations, including the Universities of Athens, Bologna and Vienna, alongside organisations working in restorative justice, education and conflict transformation. Together, the partners will develop and test new approaches and produce practical tools and guidance for peacebuilding organisations. CfP will contribute our experience of Palestinian-Israeli joint activism, emphasising the importance of addressing injustice, inequality and the root causes of conflict.
We continue to show up on the ground, carrying forward what we began twenty years ago: resisting the occupation together, Israelis and Palestinians, through every nonviolent means available to us.
In just a few weeks, we will begin the olive harvest, and mark twenty years of joint nonviolent resistance with a ceremony broadcast live. We would be honored to have you join us. More details are coming soon... |
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