Palestine in Focus - Organising for Palestine: Past and Present
In the fifth part of the Palestine in Focus series, we explore several organisations, groups and initiatives working on the Palestinian cause. These organisations are placed in a larger context of (Dutch) activism for Palestine.
We will speak with four different initiatives, of which the Nederlands Palestina Komitee [Dutch Palestine Committee] was founded as early as 1969. The NPK considers itself as part of a global movement against exploitation, oppression, discrimination and racism. Based on this vision, the NPK strives to strengthen solidarity with the Palestinians, by spreading information, influencing public opinion and politics, building pressure on Israel, as well as providing material and immaterial support to the Palestinians. Women in Black is a world-wide network of women committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and other forms of violence. In the Netherlands, Women in Black began in 1990 and is mainly active against the Israeli occupation, human rights violations and for peace in Israel and Palestine, with non-violent and non-aggressive forms of action. Plant een Olijfboom [Plant an Olive Tree] was founded in 2015 by volunteers, and has been growing every year. Over 222.000 olive trees have been sponsored to help protect the land against confiscation by an occupation law that takes empty Palestinian lands. Since 2021 the Plant een Olijfboom also provides humanitarian support mainly in Gaza though their Palestine Fund. The Foundation also raises awareness and encourages action, for example by giving talks. Student activist Noah Pellikaan took part in the recent Amsterdam student encampment. Student encampments emerged all over the world in solidarity with the people of Palestine, after months of peaceful protests against universities' ties to Israeli institutions. Moderation by Clara Vlessing, lecturer in Literary Studies at Utrecht University/Post-doc at Radboud University. Her work looks at the relationship between memory and social movements with particular attention to the role of gender.
Speakers:
Nederlands Palestina Komitee - Robert Soeterik
Women in Black - Ruth de Wijs
Plant een Olijfboom - Esther van der Most
Student activism - Noah Pellikaan
Practical
Date: 25 June
Time: 15:30
Place: IISG, Cruquiusweg 31, Amsterdam
Entrance: Free admission, but please send an email to event@iisg.nl if you want to join.
