| Dear friends,
We invite you to join us for the 6th Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, on May 15th, held under the theme: Holding on to Home, Holding on to Hope. In this moment of profound loss and upheaval, the word home takes on deeper meaning than ever. From the complete destruction of entire neighborhoods in Gaza, to the daily attacks and settler violence in the West Bank, to the displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis from border towns left in limbo - so many are now without the safety, dignity, and belonging that home should provide. For Palestinians, this is a sadly familiar story. Since 1948, generations have been torn from their homes, lands, and communities. The Nakba, or 'the catastrophe', was not a one-time event, but an ongoing process of dispossession that continues to this day. In the West Bank, this reality is playing out once again. In places like the Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps - communities that were originally formed by those displaced in 1948 - families are now being forced to flee once more under the weight of relentless military incursions, home demolitions, and escalating violence. For Jewish people too, the story of displacement runs deep - centuries of exile, persecution, and expulsion have shaped a collective memory marked by loss and survival. Both of our histories must be remembered to compel us to recognize injustice wherever it occurs and remind us of our shared responsibility to build a future rooted in equality and freedom. Learning the harsh lessons of the past means refusing to accept dehumanization in any form, and choosing, again and again, the harder path of empathy and action. | | Home is not just a building - it is where memory, identity, and hope reside. It is the emotional anchor of our lives, and without it, there is no stability, no safety, and no future. That is why we come together to remember, grieve, and reflect, but also to insist on hope. Yet the ceremony also looks ahead. It affirms a vision of peace rooted in dignity and justice - a vision in which Palestinians are not defined by displacement, but by their right to live freely and securely. Holding onto home is about more than geography; it is a commitment to reconciliation, not only for individuals, but for the land itself. It is a vision of collective liberation, where the oppressed are free from domination and the oppressors are freed from the systems that bind them to violence. This year’s ceremony will feature testimonials from those displaced by the Nakba, artistic performances, and addresses from visionary thinkers from across Palestine and Israel. Together, we will witness, remember, and call for a future rooted in justice, equality, and the right for all people to live in dignity - at home. | | As we prepare for the upcoming Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, we invite you to join us on May 7th for a powerful conversation with former fighters from Israel, Palestine, Georgia, and Abkhazia - individuals who once stood on opposite sides of conflict and now choose to build peace together. This intimate webinar will explore what it means to grieve with the other, and how shared mourning can become a courageous act of resistance, a pathway to healing, and a catalyst for transformation. The Power of Collective Grief 19:30 London / 20:30 Berlin | | | Thank you for choosing to stay in the hard conversation - one that so many try to silence, but which is more urgent now than ever. In a time when truth is suppressed and justice feels out of reach, your commitment to listening, showing up, and valuing human rights matters deeply to us all. Rana Salman and Eszter Koranyi Co-Directors, Combatants for Peace |
|
|
