Twinning with Palestine Conference - London November 2006

I am writing to convey my apologies that I will not be able to attend the Britain-Palestine Twinning Conference that is taking place in London on 25 November and to send you my message of support for the conference:

“I regret that I am unable to be with you today. I have long been a supporter of the rights of the Palestinian people. I firmly believe that the cycle of violence in the Middle East has to be broken and what is required is a just peace settlement which implements the United Nations resolutions demanding that Israel withdraws from all of the occupied territories and recognises the rights of the Palestinians and Israel to their own states. I wish you a successful conference”.

Please accept my best wishes for a successful event.
Yours sincerely
Ken Livingstone
Mayor of London

Want to attend? The cost is just £10 per person and helps us cover the cost of the event.

TWINNING WITH PALESTINE - Building Bridges not Walls

2007 U.K. National Conference - Receiving delegations from across the West Bank

The Palestinian people have been living under the most brutal form of military occupation. Governments around the world have done nothing to halt this injustice. Ordinary people when given the chance to show their solidarity with Palestine have shown there is a massive potential to do differently. Twinning with Palestine has built friendships between people in Britain and Palestine from which practical and political solidarity has been delivered.

More than 40 twinning campaigns are already active across the UK and new groups are forming all the time. This conference seeks to pull together activists from across Britain and Palestine to share experiences and discuss how to broaden twinning. Many groups here have invited delegates from their twinning partners to spend a week in their towns and cities to give people the opportunity to hear what life is like living under occupation and to build a stronger campaign. This conference will be your opportunity to see how twinning works to enhance all progressive movements for Palestine.

We welcome the participation of all groups and individuals to help build a bigger and stronger movement for justice for Palestine

Sunday 25^th November, 10.00am - 5.00pm. Registration & coffee 9.30am, starts 10.00am, finishes 5.00pm

Venue

NUT Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1.

Getting there

Public Transport - If you are coming from elsewhere we suggest you plan your journey using the Public Transport Journey Planner (click here).

Parking Facilities - For the nearest carparks, see the www.yell.com website for the listing.

Click on map for detailed www.streetmap.co.uk map

Agenda

10-10.30 Opening speeches - Kamel Hawash Chair (maximum 2 speakers 10 mins each)
The situation in Palestine now including a focus on Gaza - Musheir Al Farrafrom Sheffield (Jabaliya).
The usefulness of twinning relations from a Palestinian perspective Samer Aweneh, Luton (Battir)
The new twinning movement - ND Camden (Abu Dis)

10-30-11.45 Workshops – 1
A - Education links (schools), Camden
B – Press and media, Camden
C - Charitable status, Camden
D - Starting a twinning group, SE London with Luton

11.45-12 break

12-1.15 Workshops - 2
A - Youth links (youth groups etc.), Camden
B - Trade union links, Camden with Luton
C - Women’s links, Camden
D - Organising visits Brighton
E - Links with Gaza

1.15-2 Lunch break

2-3.15 Workshops - 3
A - Health links, Camden
B - Community & faith groups links, Birmingham
C - Students’ links (colleges and universities), Mas and Malaika
D - Fundraising, Birmingham with Hackney
E - Urgent action campaigns

3.15-3.30 break

3.30-4.30 Plenary Building the twinning movement &
Messages from the patrons of the Twinning Network:

Professor Manuel Hassassian, Palestinian Ambassador to Britain & Baroness Jenny Tonge

Report from visiting Palestinians about their experiences from their visit here, Followed by feedback from the workshops.

Final word - Encouragement to the twinning movement from Husam Zumlot