Building Solidarity, Combating Occupation and Apartheid

Building Solidarity, Combating Occupation and Apartheid

National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions conference

Melbourne, 29 – 31 October 2010

– activism in support of Palestine –

Dear friends and supporters,

We are very pleased to announce the participation of American Jewish activist and author, Anna Baltzer in the upcoming Australian national Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Conference.

Anna is a Jewish-American Columbia graduate and Fulbright Scholar, who has worked as a volunteer with the International Women’s Peace Service in the Occupied West Bank, documenting human rights abuses and supporting Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to the Occupation.   Anna is the author of the book Witness in Palestine and speaks widely in the USA and internationally on the Palestinian struggle for human rights and self-determination.  Anna is being brought to Australia as part of a national speaking tour organised by Australians for Palestine and will speak at the Australian national BDS conference on Saturday.

Anna is one of the many fantastic activists and speakers who will be participating in the conference. She will be joining our very special guest speaker, Rafeef Ziadah from Canada, who is a member of the steering committee of the Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and who will be speaking on behalf of the Palestinian BDS National Committee. Other speakers include, Samah Sabawi, Yousef al Reemawi, Ofer Neiman, Kevin Bracken, Alex Whisson Kim Sattler, Ginny Adams and Ken Davis. For full details of the speakers see attached list.

CONFERENCE LAUNCH

As outlined in our previous updates, the conference launch will take place on Friday 29^th October at the State Library of Victoria Theatrette. Speakers include: Rafeef Ziadah, Ofer Neiman, Yousef al Reemawi and Kim Sattler.

CONCERT FOR PALESTINE – conference concert

On Saturday night, we have a fantastic musical and artistic line up with the Concert for Palestine. Performers include: Fear of a Brown Planet, Rafeef Ziadah, The Conch, the Phil Monsour Band and the Brothahood. Tickets are $25/$20 with proceeds going to the BDS conference organising costs/BDS campaign. Middle East food will also be available on the night!

PRE-REGISTRATION

Pre-registration and pre-payment for the conference is encouraged. You can email us your completed registration form or email us for a registration form at ausbds@gmail.com You can electronically transfer your payment to the account below. Please tag deposit with your initials and “BDS”.

PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN

BSB: 063 262 Account number: 1052 9148

CONFERENCE ORGANISATION DONATIONS:

As our friends and supporters know, organising a conference takes money and time. As a result, we are appealing to friends and supporters to consider making also donation towards conference organisation costs. Whether it is a big or small amount, it all makes a difference.

Please consider if you can donate $10 or $20 or $50 or more to the organising of Australia’s first national BDS conference. Donations can be deposited in bank account listed above.

We are excited about the conference and the positive responses we have received regarding the initiative and we look forward to seeing you all in October.

For more information on our updated conference agenda and speakers, please visit our conference blog at: http://australianbdscampaign.wordpress.com/

In solidarity,

The Conference organising committee.

SPEAKERS AND UPDATED CONFERENCE AGENDA

Building Solidarity, Combating Occupation and Apartheid

National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions conference

Melbourne, 29 – 31 October 2010

– activism in support of Palestine –

Endorsed by the Palestinian BDS National Committee

Our confirmed speakers so far include:

Rafeef Ziadah

Rafeef is a Palestinian activist, unionist and spoken word artist. She is a member of the steering committee of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) Rafeef is also a founding member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) promoting the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestement and Sanctions (BDS) campaign in Canada and an organizer of the international Israeli Apartheid Week. Rafeef is a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and was a member of the CUPE’s international solidarity committee for 3 years

Anna Baltzer

Anna is a Jewish-American Columbia graduate and Fulbright, who has worked as a volunteer with the International Women’s Peace Service in the Occupied West Bank, documenting human rights abuses and supporting Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to the Occupation. Anna is the author of the book Witness in Palestine and speaks widely in the USA and internationally on the Palestinian struggle for human rights and self-determination. Anna is being brought to Australia as part of a national speaking tour organised by Australians for Palestine and will speak at the Australian national BDS conference on Saturday.

Samah Sabawi

Samah is an Australian-Palestinian writer and social justice activist. She is co-author of Journey to Peace in Palestine and a former executive director of the National Council on Canada Arab Relations.

Ofer Neiman

Ofer Neiman is a co-editor of the Occupation Magazine, and one of the activists in the Israeli support group for the BDS campaign, “BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS call from within”. He works as an editor and a translator. He believes that Israeli peace and anti-occupation groups will not be able to change reality from within, without support from the outside. Ofer will join the conference launch via internet/video hook up from Jerusalem.

Kevin Bracken

Kevin is a long-time unionist and supporter of the Palestinian struggle for self-determination, as well as other social justice issues. Kevin is currently the Secretary of the Victorian branch of the Maritime Union of Australia and the President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council.

Yousef Alreemawi

Yousef is a Palestinian academic and advocate for Palestinian and refugee rights. Yousef also presents Palestine Remembered, Australia’s only English language program on Palestine, on Radio 3CR. He is also the founder of ASPIRE – the Australian Society for Palestinian Iraqi Refugees Emergency – an humanitarian project which seeks to resettle in Australia, Palestinian-Iraqi refugees living in refugee camps on the Iraq/Syrian border.

Alex Whisson

Alex is a long time Palestine solidarity activist. He is the former convenor of Friends of Palestine in Western Australia and is currently the Public Advocate for Australians for Palestine in Melbourne

Kim Sattler

Kim is a long-time unionist, who was active in the South African anti-apartheid campaign. Kim is currently the Secretary of Unions ACT in Canberra. Kim has recently returned from Palestine, where she participated in the Union Aid Abroad APHEDA Middle East Study Tour 2010

Ginny Adams

Ginny is an organiser with the Health and Community Sector Union. Ginny has been active in the Palestinian and refugee rights campaigns for more than 10 years. She recently returned from Palestine, where she participated in the Union Aid Abroad APHEDA Middle East Study Tour 2010

Ken Davis

Ken is a long-time unionist and social justice campaigner. He is a member of the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine in Sydney.

UPDATED CONFERENCE AGENDA
– As of 22 Sept 2010

Conference Registration: All weekend $30/22 (incl: Conference launch meeting) Daily $15/$10 Conference Launch meeting $5

Conference registration: email ausbds@gmail.com Telephone: 0439454 375

FRIDAY – 29th October
TIME	PUBLIC MEETING – LAUNCH	SPEAKERS
7pm – 9pm	The international Boycott campaign and the struggle for a Free Palestine VENUE: STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA, cnr of La Trobe and Swanston St, Melbourne City	Kim Sattler (Secretary, Unions ACT) Rafeef Ziadah (Palestinian BNC) Yousef Al Reemawi (Palestinian academic) Ofer Neiman (BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS call from Within Israel)
SATURDAY – 30th October
TIME	SESSION	SPEAKERS
8.45 – 9.15am	R Registration VENUE: MARITIME UNION of AUSTRALIAN HALL – 54 Ireland St, West Melb.
9.15am	Welcome/Opening	Conference Organising Committee
9.30am – 10.45am	Popular struggle: BDS and a short history of civil disobedience and struggle in Palestine and internationally	Alex Whisson – Australians for Palestine Anna Baltzer – author, Witness in Palestine
10.45-11.15am	Break
11.15am – 12.45pm	Struggle and Solidarity: Lessons from Palestine Solidarity work internationally	Samah Sabawi – Palestinian writer/former Executive Director of National Council on Canada Arab Relations Rafeef Ziadah – Palestinian BNC Kevin Bracken, Secretary, MUA (Vic)
12.45pm-1.30pm	Lunch
1.30pm – 2.30pm	National Targets Proposals	Conference organising committee
2.30pm – 4pm	Discussion of proposed National Targets	Break into sectoral groups – Unions Campus/Faith based/ Community/Culture
4pm– 4.30pm	Break
4.30pm – 5.45pm	Solidarity in Action workshops	Australian Flotilla project – Gaza Defence Committee Palestinian-Iraqi refugees and re-settlement in Australia – ASPIRE Lessons from Students for Palestine Volunteering in Palestine – International Women’s Peace Service
6.30pm – midnight	CONCERT FOR PALESTINE AND DINNER Featuring: Fear of a Brown Planet, The Brothahood, The Conch, Phil Monsour Band and Rafeef Ziadah $25/$20
SUNDAY 31st OCTOBER
TIME	SESSION	SPEAKERS
9am – 9.30pm	Registration and welcome
9.30pm – 10.45am	Apartheid: South Africa, Israel and international law.	Ken Davis – Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine Ginny Adams – union organiser
10.45am- 11.15am	Break
11.15am-12.15pm	Palestine Q & A	Q & A with Rafeef Ziadah and others
12.15pm 1pm	lunch
1pm – 2.30pm	Hasbara busting: Countering Israel’s propaganda war and attempts to delegitimise BDS.	Samah Sawbawi – Palestinian writer/former Executive Director of National Council on Canada Arab Relations Kim Bullimore – International Women’s Peace Service-Palestine
2.30pm –3pm	Break
3 pm – 4.45pm	Decision on National BDS target/campaign
4.45pm – 5pm	Closing of conference

Building Solidarity, Combating Occupation and Apartheid

National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions conference

Melbourne, 29 – 31 October 2010

– activism in support of Palestine –

Endorsed by the Palestinian BDS National Committee

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Please email completed registration form to: ausbds@gmail.com

NAME     ___________________________________________________________________

PHONE ___________________________________________________________

EMAIL    ___________________________________________________________________

PLEASE TICKET RELEVANT REGISTRATION LEVEL

( ) ALL WEEKEND $30 workers/$22 concession (includes public meeting)

OR

( ) CONFERENCE LAUNCH – FRIDAY $5

( ) SATURDAY $15 workers/$10 concession

( ) SUNDAY $15 workers/$10 concession

***

( ) CONCERT FOR PALESTINE $25/$20

Featuring: Fear of a Brown Planet, The Brothahood, The Conch, Phil Monsour Band and Rafeef Ziadah (Middle Eastern food and drinks available)

PRE-PAYMENT:

Pre-Payment of conference registration is encouraged. You can electronically transfer your payment to:

BSB: 063 262 Account number: 1052 9148 Please tag deposit with “BDS” and your name or initials.

CONFERENCE ORGANISATION DONATIONS:

As our friends and supporters know, organising a conference takes money and time. As a result, we are appealing to friends and supporters to consider making a donation towards conference organisation costs. Whether it is a big or small amount, it all makes a difference. Please consider if you can donate $10 or $20 or $50 or more to the organising of Australia’s first national BDS conference. Donations can be deposited in bank account listed above.