| Legacies of 1948 Delegations May/June 2008 |
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Interfaith Peace-Builders & American Friends Service Committee May 27, 2008 Interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) are pleased to announce the arrival of two concurrent delegations to Israel/Palestine that include a total of 31 participants. The purpose of the delegations, the 27th group that IFPB has sent since 2001, is to educate North American citizens about the region and deepen their understanding of its conflicts. The delegation comes at a crucial time in the Middle East. This month, the world commemorates the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Nakba. Nakba is the Arabic word for "catastrophe" and refers to the displacement and dispossession of the Palestinian people. For some, this anniversary will be a cause for celebration, for others mourning or protest. There are often different understandings of the history of 1948 and its ongoing significance to Israelis and Palestinians. IFPB and AFSC delegates will hear from individuals who lived through 1948 and newer generations who continue to live with its effects and consequences. The opportunity to send two groups at one time is a first for Interfaith Peace-Builders—and with a combined 31 people in both groups, it’s also the biggest group of people we’ve ever sent! One delegation is a partnership between IFPB and the AFSC Middle East Peacebuilding Unit. IFPB and AFSC Middle East Peacebuiling have co-sponsored four delegations since 2006. The current delegation has 18 members. To read updates and trip reports on this group, click here: http://www.interfaithpeacebuilders.org/del27/mep/default.html The other delegation is a partnership between IFPB and the AFSC Third World Coalition. This is the first time that we have worked with Third World Coalition and we are excited to co-sponsor a delegation with them. The delegation participants are people of color and include AFSC staff members, contacts of the Third World Coalition, and others new to the program. We hope that this delegation will help make connections to other communities and struggles for justice. More about this delegation, including trip reports and updates will be posted here: |
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| A number of delegation participants are also blogging about their experiences: http://shakeelsreflections.blogspot.com/ http://news.haverford.edu/blogs/israel/ http://poc-delegation.blogspot.com/ Interfaith Peace-Builders and the American Friends Service Committee believe in the power of eye-witness experience and transformation. Given the opportunity to speak directly with Israelis and Palestinians, delegates return to the United States better informed, more energized, and with a deeper understanding of the possibilities for true justice in the Middle East. Upon their return to the United States in June, delegates will share their experiences with the public, the media, and their political representatives. Media interested in interviewing the participants when they return, and groups wanting information about speaking engagements, should contact Interfaith Peace-Builders (office@ifpbdel.org and 202.244.0821) Trip reports and photos will also be posted on the web during the delegation at the following addresses: http://www.afsc.org/israel-palestine/activism/legacies-delegation.htm © 2008 Interfaith Peace-Builders
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