Category Archives: TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Abortion Without Borders: Standing with Polish Women

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by: Merle Hoffman in We-news

Have you seen those extraordinary photos? The women of Poland, thousands and thousands of them, pouring into the streets, disrupting business as usual and denouncing the government’s new ban on abortion. They carried symbols of red thunderbolts, umbrellas and wire coal hangers – hangers! A universal symbol of dangerous, illegal abortions which they refused to accept.

I immediately flashed back to the action I had led decades earlier in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC in 1989, surging across Fifth Avenue with hundreds more to the Cathedral steps. I held high a six-foot replica of a wire hanger, chanting with the many others, “Not the Church, not the State, Women will Decide our Fate!” Two of our crew stood before the massive bronze doors and held up a huge Proclamation which began, “On behalf of the women of New York City and their sisters throughout the country and out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, we stand here today…”

This action was inspired by then Cardinal O’Connor’s active support for anti-abortion blockades of clinics. It was the first pro-choice civil disobedience action, an historic event that could not be ignored by the media. The New York Times quoted me as saying, “Women’s rights are in a state of emergency,” and the Philadelphia Enquirer stated the action marked “an important strategic change in the movement.” Oh, how I want to be there in Poland with these fearless and inspiring women, storming into the streets and challenging government and religious institutions. Marching and chanting, full of revolutionary rectitude!

Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to travel to Poland directly due to the Coronavirus, but I needed to do something. I contacted a feminist academic and writer in Warsaw involved in the protests. I was asked to write a letter of support from American Feminists that could be widely disseminated and published in a major newspaper. So I did, and Phyllis Chesler, Gloria Steinem, Frances Kissling, Naomi Wolf and others soon signed on. (See the letter, below.) It was published earlier this week in both Polish and English in the women’s extra to Poland’s largest daily news outlet, GAZETA WYBORCZA and was shared widely on social media by The Women’s Strike (the leading organization behind the demonstrations) as well as by local women’s groups. (Read article here.)

[Editor’s note. Another letter of support for the struggle of Polish women was written by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Center for Reproductive Rights.]

Just as I am now inspired by the courage of the Polish women, so was I inspired to travel to Russia and assist in developing women’s health services there when I heard the story of one woman who came to Choices Women’s Medical Center for her 36th abortion. I was also inspired by attacks on women’s clinics to organize the St. Patrick’s action, and I have been inspired to carry on this work at Choices – with my wonderful staff – by the memory of holding the hand of the first patient who stepped through our doors nearly 50 years ago. It’s always the women’s stories, the women’s needs and women’s bravery.

The good news from Poland today is that the courage and persistence of Polish women have forced the government to pause and step back from implementing its all but total, viciously cruel ban, even forbidding abortions where the fetus has severe abnormalities. The fight is not over, but we are confident the women of Poland will continue to inspire the rest of us.

Question related to this article:

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?>

Abortion: is it a human right?

Letter of Support: November 4th, 2020

To the Great Women of Poland,

The world is in awe of your principled activism and is filled with admiration for your courage and commitment. American Feminists stand with you. We salute and support you with love and pride.

You have marched by the thousands in response to the October 22nd Tribunal ruling which denied abortion even in cases of fetal abnormality in what has been called the largest demonstration in the country since the fall of communism.

Ignoring threats of prosecution, violence from the Right, and the dangers posed by a surging Coronavirus, while displaying symbols of Red Thunderbolts, Hangers and Umbrellas, your resistance intensifies daily. You have challenged formerly “untouchable” institutions and are a stellar example of what people everywhere need to do in the fight against oppression and for women’s freedom.

Julia Przylebska, President of the Tribunal, has stated that allowing abortions in cases of fetal abnormality legalizes “eugenics” and because the Polish Constitution guarantees a right to life, terminating a pregnancy based on the health of the fetus amounts to “a directly forbidden form of discrimination.” This latest ruling imposes a near total ban in Poland that already has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe.

You have had the courage to say no to this egregious diminishment of women’s humanity and moral agency.

Legal abortion is an integral core of women’s health and is the necessary condition for women’s freedom. We all know that nothing stops abortion – no law, no government, no religious authority. Making abortion illegal only makes it dangerous and deadly.

You demand legalization of abortion in the name of all your daughters, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers who alone and in pain lost their lives in back alleys or on dirty kitchen tables for their right to choose.

Women of Poland-We stand with you and attest that Women’s Rights are Human Rights.

Women are full moral agents with the right and ability to choose when and whether or not they will be mothers.

Abortion is a choice made by each individual for profound personal reasons that no man nor state should judge or control.

The right to make reproductive choices is women’s legacy throughout history and belongs to every woman regardless of age, class, race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual preference.

Abortion is a life-affirming act chosen within the context of women’s realities, women’s lives, and women’s sexuality.
Abortion is often the most moral choice in a world that frequently denies healthcare, housing, education, and economic survival to women.

Women’s rights remain in a state of emergency. If not now, when? If not you–then who?

We stand with you in solidarity

(click here for list of signatories)

Europe, HUMAN RIGHTS, North America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire : Young Christian and Muslim leaders take action for peace

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article in Abidjan.net (translation by CPNN)

Young Christian and Muslim leaders took part in a training for peace on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at the initiative of the Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny pour la recherche de la paix,. Following the training they began working to promote peace and social cohesion with an operational action plan for before, during and after the elections.

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

The Houghouët-Boigny Foundation of Yamoussoukro: what is its contribution to the culture of peace?

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This commitment is in line with the goals of the foundation, to equip young people with adequate tools to prevent or effectively manage possible community conflicts and to actively involve them in the preservation of peace in Côte d’Ivoire.

During the training, the young people were encouraged to appropriate the values ​​of the culture of peace in order to embody the change they should bring to others. They were urged to be extra vigilant to avoid the trap of false rumors, to verify any information they receive, and to refrain from propagating hate speech that could divide communities.

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Senegal: Launch of the National Initiative “Resilience at the Borders”

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Agence de Press Sénégalaise (translation by CPNN)

The think tank Timbuktu Institute-African Center for Peace Studies Institute will launch, Wednesday [October 13], in Kedougou the initiative called “Resilience at the borders” to promote the culture of peace, APS has learned.


Photo from Tibuktu Institute

The launch of this initiative is part of the implementation of the think tank’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, and in particular Axis 3 relating to “ Promotion of the culture of peace through education and development of endogenous, cultural heritage and resilience-building resources.”

Timbuktu Institute-African Center for Peace Studies is launching the ‘Border Resiliency’ initiative in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

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(Click here for the original article in French.)

Question related to this article:

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?

(This article is continued from the column on the left.)

“ In view of the strategic choice to favor border areas in terms of peace consolidation and resilience building, the Institute is launching this initiative with an inaugural session in Kédougou, ” said in a press release sent to APS.

“Building and strengthening resilience in an unstable regional environment: What role and place for young people and women?” Is the theme of the launching ceremony.

The session will be materialized by “a day of capacity building and participatory dialogue on security issues and the building of resilience in a context where the sub-region is deeply concerned by the crisis raging in neighboring countries”.

It will also include a component for the exchange of experiences and collection of strategic recommendations.

A conference will also be moderated by the Director of the Timbuktu Institute, Dr Bakary Sambe, on the theme: “Regional security situation and challenges of building community resilience: Complementary roles of state and local populations”.

Other interventions are also planned and will focus on various themes including “Women and conflict” and the radicalization of young people.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Culture of peace: UN calls on Gabon’s youth

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Gabon Review (translation by CPNN)

Dedicated to the prevention and resolution of conflicts in the sub-region of Central Africa, the creation of a network of “Young peace weavers” in Gabon, Chad and Cameroon was recently presented to the Minister of Decentralization Mathias Otounga Ossibadjouo by the head of the United Nations System in Gabon, Dr. Stephen Jackson.


Dr Stephen Jackson and Mathias Otounga Ossibadjouo, during a previous meeting in August 2020. copyright: Ministry of Decentralization

The creation of a “Network of Young Peace Weavers” was at the heart of recent exchanges between the head of the United Nations System in Gabon, the representative of UNESCO and the Minister of Decentralization Mathias Otounga Ossibadjouo. The UN intends to set up a program of “young people active in conflict resolution at the local level”. The Gabonese government is asked to help materialize this project.

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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According to Dr Stephen Jackson, the aim will be to involve 1,800 young people from three countries in the Central African sub-region, including Chad and Cameroon, aged between 18 and 35. “We want young people who live there, who speak the languages ​​of these countries, so who are able to communicate, explain and present the project”, specifies Vincenzo Fazzino, UNESCO representative in Gabon .

As part of the creation of this network, UN officials in Gabon indicate that young people who will be identified in the three countries will be trained in conflict prevention and resolution techniques. They will also be equipped with means of communication, in particular to enable them to communicate with each other.

Ultimately, this project should make it possible to support the Conflict Resolution Network through an early warning mechanism within the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The project will last 2 years, of which the first 3 to 6 months will be devoted to training network members.

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, United Nations,

Young Liberian Off to Turkey for Global Peace Chain Summit

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Liberian Observer

Mariama H. Konneh, a young Liberian women’s rights advocate, has been selected to participate in the Global Peace Chain summit 2020 in Turkey. The summit, set for October 15 through 18, aims to provide a platform for young leaders to form partnerships, bring solutions, and theory on ways to reshape how the world response to the 2030 UN sustainable development Goals amid COVID-19.


Mariama H. Konneh, young Liberian women’s rights advocate

Konneh, a student of network engineering with a focus on systems administration at the Blue Crest University in Monrovia, says she has been involved with advocacy since she was a child during the heat of the civil war in my country during which children of all ages were raped, killed and forced into hard labor and fighting forces.

“Advocacy does not necessarily mean protest or agitation, but a way in which we add our peaceful voices to the problems we face nationally or globally to make our world a peaceful place for all humanity,” she says.  “Having witnessed multiple incidents of violence perpetrated against women in Liberia, I voluntarily joined the Paramount Young Women Initiative (PAYOWI) to support their work and add my voice on issues affecting women and girls in my country. I have 8 years of experience in community service, particularly working on gender equality and environmental protection campaigns.” 

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Konneh says she volunteers with many youth-led organizations in Liberia, including those involved with campaigns against rape, gender-based violence, corruption, and environmental pollution. Hers is a call to duty which she says, inspired by the words of former US President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”

“I am so excited to participate in the Global Peace Chain,” she says. “This will bring so much pride to my country and inspiration to other young people working on the same causes I believe in. I will use the knowledge to conduct trainings around the country and pass-on the knowledge to many other young Liberians who wish to contribute to social change and peace. By transferring knowledge and skills gained from the Global Peace Chain, I hope to build a network of youth activists committed to non-violence advocacy and values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.” 

The Global Peace Chain has more than 75 peace ambassadors from Liberia, including Konneh, who was selected as an ambassador in December 2018. The organization so far has more than 2,330 peace ambassadors in more than 130 countries around the world.

Established on July 2, 2018, Global Peace Chain is an international non-profit organization that empowers youth and reinforces the vitality of youth leadership and development through partnership-driven activities, Community service initiatives, and peace-building workshops. Global Peace Chain envisions to build resilience by cultivating a culture of tolerance, inclusivity, interfaith harmony, and co-existence through the contribution toward the UN SDGs, peace education, interactive sessions and peace talks with society stakeholders such as diplomats, religious scholars, and community-based groups/organizations. The Global Peace Chain is headquartered in the United States of America, with regional offices in Pakistan, Nepal, Burundi and Mauritius for reinforcing youth leadership and development.

The Global Peace Summit 2020 in Turkey serves as one of our initiatives to bring young leaders from diverse ethnic, religious and Professional backgrounds and empower them to continue developing young leaders and contributing to a culture of peace through the achievement of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Gabon: Payncop and Unesco in Support of People Living with Disabilities

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . .

Special to CPNN from Jerry Bibang

As part of these activities relating to the Covid19 pandemic, the National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) launched, on Tuesday September 15, 2020, the support project for people living with a handicap.


The initiative, which benefits from the support of UNESCO and the National Commission for UNESCO, supports the actions of public authorities. The project consists of three components, in particular an awareness campaign on barrier gestures, the distribution of bibs and hydroalcoholic gels and the provision of food.

(Click here for the original version in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we work together to overcome this medical and economic crisis?

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According to Jerry Bibang, the National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, “the project involves four associations including the Organization of Handicapped People (OPH), the National Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Gabon (ANAAG), the Association of the Deaf (ANDES ) and the NGO Bagniamessebe. It will impact a total of 50 Gabonese families, or around 200 people.”

For the National Commission for UNESCO, “this project helps implement the resilience strategies advocated by the Gabonese Government and UNESCO, in this period of global health crisis, marked by the Covid19 pandemic.” This was explained by Philippe MEMENE M’EYI, its Deputy Secretary General.

The urgent support project for people living with a disability follows on from other actions carried out by PAYNCoP Gabon since the onset of the pandemia. These include, among others, the awareness campaign on social networks, in partnership with the National Youth Council; participation in the awareness-raising video on fakes news around Covid19, produced by UNESCO; the establishment of hand washing points in the neighborhoods of Libreville, in partnership with the NGO Engineers Without Borders and the New World Citizen Laboratory; and the production of two comics, dedicated to raising awareness among young people about Covid19.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

30,000 back US campaign seeking Nobel for Cuban doctors

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Anadolu Agency

A US campaign that asks Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Cuban doctors to praise their international efforts during the coronavirus outbreak has reached nearly 30,000 signatures.

Nobel Peace Prize for Cuban Doctors campaign has been endorsed by prominent intellectuals, artists, politicians, and citizens worldwide, according to the campaign’s website.


Cuba has maintained its vocation for solidarity amidst the pandemic, despite the tightening of the U.S. blockade. Photo: Granma Archives

Prominent endorsers include Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa, actors Danny Glover and Mark Ruffalo, writers Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, and Nancy Morejon, filmmakers Oliver Stone and Petra Costa, musician Tom Morello, and singer/songwriter Silvio Rodriguez, among numerous others.


The campaign launched on June 16 describes its mission “to promote the nomination of the Cuban International Medical Brigade, called the Henry Reeve Brigade, for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize” and “educate people about how a small, poor country has demonstrated to a world reeling from COVID-19 what global solidarity looks like.”

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we work together to overcome this medical and economic crisis?

Does Cuba promote a culture of peace?

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“Cuba is the only country to have shown genuine internationalism during this coronavirus crisis,” the website cited Chomsky, an intellectual and activist known for both his groundbreaking contributions to linguistics and his critiques of political systems.


The US “attempts to discredit Cuba’s internationalist healthcare program, from labeling it as a form of human trafficking to pushing governments not to accept Cuba’s aid,” the campaign said, adding that it plans to expose “such crass and mean-spirited sabotage.”


“Selflessness, solidarity and working for the common good characterize what the Nobel Peace Prize should be about,” it said. “These traits aptly describe Cuba’s Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade, which has saved over 80,000 lives since 2005 and has been fighting COVID-19 in 27 countries.”

Over 2,000 doctors, nurses, and medical professionals from Cuba have been collaborating in 27 countries affected by the coronavirus and providing urgently needed assistance in Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Dominica, Grenada, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.


The medical brigade received Dr. LEE Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health from the World Health Organization in 2017.

The petition, with over 29,700 signatures currently, has a goal to reach 35,000 signatures.

Since originating in China last December, the novel coronavirus infected over 16.26 million people worldwide so far, with fatalities nearing 650,000, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The global recoveries currently stands around 9.4 million.

global, Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

For colleges in the United States: First Year Connect

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An announcement from Search for Common Ground

American society is plagued by far-reaching polarization stemming from deep grievances and divides. College campuses have become a battleground, with racial hate incidents, controversy over guest speakers, and heated debates over creating safe spaces or protecting free speech.

First Year Connect aims to combat polarization on college campuses and in American society by equipping a generation of young Americans to engage constructively across their differences. We intend for First Year Connect to be the primary orientation program used by colleges to develop healthy campus communities, reaching tens of thousands of students per year on a fee-for-service basis.

THE PROGRAM

First Year Connect is an orientation program for first-year students that will facilitate intra-campus dialogue and build trust, respect, and constructive coexistence across differences.

Students will meet in small groups (8-12 members) through an online video-conferencing platform before arriving on campus. Each group will be composed of students spanning political, racial, and other lines of diversity within the student body, and will be guided by a highly-trained facilitator.

A wide range of topics will be discussed, such as politics, religion, and personal values, and students will be given the chance to feel heard, welcomed, and embraced before they arrive on campus.

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Question related to this article:
 
What is the relation between peace and education?>

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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First Year Connect builds on over 20 years of experience facilitating online, cross-cultural dialogue experiences for young people from varied backgrounds in universities, language centers, and youth organizations across the globe.

OUR GOALS

First Year Connect will empower students to set the cultural and social norms on campus during times of tension. The program will enable students to drive constructive dialogues on campus themselves rather than relying on top-down direction from administrators.

Even before starting classes, the student body will develop norms of constructive discourse, helping all students to feel heard and respected.

First Year Connect aims to protect both safe spaces and free speech. Students will be able to express themselves openly while creating a productive, genuine, and respectful dialogue with others.

A greater sense of community across campus will be developed and maintained as a result of the mutual trust and respect cultivated by First Year Connect. Students will become trained facilitators themselves, which will help hold the community together during times of heightened tension.

PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE SCALE

First Year Connect has partnered with a state university and a small liberal arts college for its 2-year pilot program. These pilot institutions have agreed to cover a portion of the program costs for the first two years, and then will cover the full costs starting in year 3 if the program meets agreed-upon metrics. If successful, First Year Connect can achieve scale by tapping into new markets through a fee-for-service model rather than relying on philanthropy.

In order to scale, a public relations campaign will target higher education leaders to popularize First Year Connect as the preferred program for orienting diverse student bodies into healthy campus communities.

Search for Common Ground has partnered with Soliya and Tiger 21 to implement First Year Connect.

North America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

United Nations: Nothing less than equality and a seat at the table for youth

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from UN Women

UN Women, in collaboration with ITU (the UN agency for information and communication technologies), and youth and gender equality activists around the world, celebrated International Youth Day on 12 August with a virtual event. Co-hosted by international activist and Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi, the event featured performances by international artists and vibrant conversations about social justice, peace and security and the impact of COVID-19 on youth.


Watch this video on www.youtube.com.

Opening the event, Zozi welcomed participants and shared her thoughts on what International Youth Day meant to her. Young leaders from Japan (Satoko Yamaguchi ), Kenya (Kathy Kyler), South Africa (Munnira Katongele), and the United States of America (Ayanna Depas) also shared their visions for Youth Day.

Following a musical performance by Maia Reficco (Argentinian-American singer) and a message from the Beijing +25 Youth Task Force, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka reminded youth leaders and audiences that while UN Women was still “a young girl, [of] ten years old, [it is] made up of people with many years of fighting for gender equality.” In her remarks, the Executive Director stressed the need for intergenerational collaboration. “We are encouraged by your radical impatience; it is most refreshing. We need you to be at the table where decisions are being made…in the streets…on the podiums,” she said.

Fire-chat conversations were led by UN Secretary-General’s Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake and Hajer Sharief, human rights activist and the co-founder of “Together we build it”.

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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In a conversation with Ms. Wickramanayake about activism and intersectionality during COVID-19, youth activists highlighted the importance of responsible storytelling to inspire and mobilize action, and to prevent the erasure of diverse youth voices.

“Every activist has a story to tell, and every story has a solution to give, and every solution has a life to change,” said youth climate justice activist, Vanessa Nakate (Uganda).

Samantha Paige Davis, Black Swan Academy Founder and Executive Director (USA), spoke about the importance of intersectionality: “When you start recognizing the layers of identity, it allows us to create solutions that meet the most marginalized among us. [And] when you centre the voices, the experiences and stories of the most marginalized in our communities, then we all benefit.”

The panelists concluded by sharing their vision of post-pandemic “new normal”. Ines Yabar, activist from Peru, emphasized the need for change, action and solidarity, making sure that diverse youth have space at the table to make the decisions that shape their lives.

The second panel discussion focusing on peace and security featured . Fatima Askira, Founder/Executive Director of Borno Women Development Initiative; Juanita Ibanez Santamaria, Colombian political scientist; and Mallika Iyer, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. According to Malika Iyer, “gender equality is inextricably linked to conflict prevention, sustainable peace and women’s empowerment.” A gender equal world must also be peaceful, she said, adding that, “peace cannot just be defined as an absence of war or armed conflict, but should include human security, harmonious government and good governance.”

The panelists agreed that upcoming anniversaries and milestones for women’s rights and peace and security, such as the UN Security Council resolution 1325 (adopted in 2000), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (adopted in 1995), the 10th anniversary of UN Women and 75th birthday of the United Nations, offer opportunities to push for transformative changes on the ground.

Award-winning performers and spoken word artists, such as 25 May Movement, Malkia Band, Yvonne H+, Maia Reficco Viqueira, Manizha, and Masha Brodskaya, also participated at the virtual event.

The event closed with a call to action by youth outlining 5 demands: gender equal Legislation, women in leadership and policy making positions, ending gender based violence, equal access to education; and, youth leadership.

(Thank you to Phyllis Kotite, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, United Nations,

Palestine: 15 lessons from 15 years of BDS

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Alys Samson Estapé from the Electronic Intifada

July marked the 15th anniversary of the launch of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.

Much has happened over those years. Here are 15 lessons I’ve learned on the journey to dismantle Israeli apartheid.

A grassroots movement is powerful because it is grassroots

Anyone who adheres to the BDS principles can join the movement. This empowers and enables everyone to effect extraordinary changes.

The BDS movement speaks directly to people of conscience who understand that by not acting they are allowing states, companies, artists, institutions, universities and businesses to remain complicit and fuel Israeli apartheid.

Joining and taking action allows each one of us to take responsibility and make sure we are at the very least not contributing to harming the Palestinian people. It allows us to speak out and mobilize others to take action too.

The power of the equality that grassroots mobilization brings to politics and the community is instrumental in making every single member give their best and take ownership. No single person in the movement is more important than anyone else. This powers collective leadership.

We don’t work with everyone who works on Palestinian freedom

Unfortunately, there are still those who stand up for freedom for the Palestinian people but do not care about the rights and dignity of other discriminated and oppressed groups.

Our deep commitment to anti-racism and intersectionality means we do not liaise with just anyone who agrees on Palestinian rights unless they also respect and support rights and dignity for all. We cannot build and fight for a new world while agreeing to oppress others.

Think small to win big

Every little success matters. Small victories can help in reaching a much larger aim.

Getting a small pension fund to divest from the weapons firm Elbit Systems  can contribute to discussion of the need for a military embargo against Israel. This small pension fund can encourage others to follow suit.

As we tackle local issues, we must remember the global picture and how being part of a global movement means that what happens somewhere can affect the movement as a whole, positively and negatively.

BDS is also about correcting the narrative

The BDS movement has already contributed to mainstreaming awareness of the fact that Israel is an apartheid regime.

Why is this so important? In a world with such biased media and even schoolbooks that are still deeply embedded in a colonial narrative, it is essential we take time to clarify reality.

When calling for a boycott or organizing a campaign, we must always remember how doing so helps to clearly explain what Palestinians are facing and how injustice is taking place. Even campaigns that may not reach their objective can contribute to explaining what is happening on the ground and what the Palestinian people are calling for, and to raising awareness about Israel’s regime of dispossession and colonization.

BDS supports the largest coalition of Palestinian civil society groups

The fact that we support Palestinian rights does not mean that we know best what Palestinians should do, and it does not give us a free pass to say whatever we want. Moreover, when facing attacks, we must defend our right to freedom of expression in a manner that centers Palestinians and keeps the focus on the crimes perpetrated by Israel against them.

We must remember that, by defending the right to freedom of expression, we are defending the right of Palestinians to make their experience and views heard – directly or through us – by the public and decision-makers in our country.

Privilege Palestinian voices.

Earlier this month, Rafeef Ziadah and Riya Al’sanah wrote  how “it is worth reflecting on why Palestinians are treated as mere spectators in debates concerning our daily lives.”

While the BDS movement calls on allies around the world to take action, Palestinians have a clear, pivotal role. When this isn’t happening, it means we are doing something wrong.

We must keep on decolonizing our actions and make sure Palestinians are being heard and that we take guidance from them while organizing in the BDS movement.

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Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

How can a culture of peace be established in the Middle East?

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BDS has to be part of the struggle for a just and free world

Our oppressors are more connected than ever.

At a time when the right and the far-right are gaining power in many institutions worldwide, the left and progressive groups and movements have the opportunity and duty to rethink themselves and to create stronger, more solid and inclusive movements. We must make sure Palestine is a part of that.

We also must be more connected than ever.

Everywhere you look you will find allies

We have often been surprised to find allies where we wouldn’t expect them. We usually have more allies than we think.

To connect to them we must consider different approaches, language and context-sensitivity. We must ask ourselves, are we helping the movement grow? Are we empowering others to join?

The world changes and so do we

“The BDS movement has shown itself to be highly adept at pivoting to new strategies and building influential alliances. There continue to be numerous arenas in which it faces little effective resistance.” These are the words of Asher Fredman, who used to work with Israel’s strategic affairs ministry.

We must learn from other liberation struggles while bearing in mind that times and political relations change.

While the BDS movement is highly inspired by the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the world is very different from how it looked 30 years ago.

We should not look for patterns to copy, but politically analyze the present and adapt to new times. This means continuing to learn, grow and use the best opportunities in a changing context.

Stick to the principles

Like all social movements, the BDS movement is facing severe and sustained attacks. Israel’s government and its lobby groups are regularly attacking and smearing us in an attempt to delegitimize our struggle.

We must not let their attacks shape our plans; strategizing and sticking to our anti-discrimination principles and our proactive and effective campaigning are what protect us the most.

While they seek to distract us from our target, the most powerful thing we can do is to keep on working for Palestinian rights. The best way to defend our right to boycott is to keep on boycotting while mobilizing mass support for our right to freedom of expression.

Supporting our allies is a matter of principle

Solidarity is not unidirectional. At all times we must take responsibility and reject any form of racism, sexism, LGTB-phobia, and any other form of discrimination or bigotry within the movement.

While we call on others to support Palestinian rights, we must show support for other struggles too. Palestine is an Indigenous, anti-racist, feminist, LGTBQAI+, anti-fascist and climate justice issue, and this makes all these struggles crucial to ensuring Palestinian self-determination.

Social movements have always been repressed

The Israeli government and its supporters spend hundreds of millions of dollars on criminalizing and persecuting the BDS movement and groups in solidarity with Palestine.

But this cannot be understood as something unique or isolated. Social movements have always been repressed by those seeking to maintain injustice and oppression.

Activists everywhere have been imprisoned for criticizing governments, and many calls for justice are being repressed in the streets and online. Let us not forget that those most oppressed by the Israeli government are always the Palestinians.

Never underestimate creativity

Using different tactics helps us reach a broader audience. As racism, sexism and disaster capitalism adapt and reconfigure, finding different ways to keep on oppressing, we must also keep on finding creative new ways to engage with others and accomplish our goals.

Political resistance can be beautiful  too.

The most important actions happen behind the scenes
Holding events, lectures, protests and public activities are crucial to show and visualize support for Palestinian rights. But talking to people, organizing, doing research, building alliances and strengthening relations all happen behind closed doors and are what enable us to then go public.

We should never forget how important it is to plan, foster relationships and carefully organize to then build our campaigns.

Hope is a political tool

It is incredible how many cities and cultural spaces have declared  themselves “apartheid free zones,” how many companies have divested from Israeli apartheid, how many artists have decided  not to play in Israel and how many academics have ended  relationships with Israeli institutions as a result of BDS campaigns.

Yet it is often difficult to keep our hopes up while knowing that Israeli apartheid is the cruelest it has ever been, knowing ongoing Palestinian pain and suffering, and seeing Israel maintain its impunity despite its televised crimes. But we keep on struggling and growing because we know that justice can and will prevail.

Fifteen years on, and during a time of global uprising against an entire system of racist exploitation and oppression, the BDS movement continues learning, adapting and growing, making connections, and exposing and challenging Israeli apartheid.

Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY