Letter from Palestine

Join us Friday 17 September at 4 PM Palestine time for “Future Conversations” where we discuss practical ways to move together (thinking globally and acting locally) towards a better future. Mark your calendar and email us at info@palestinenature.org and we will send you the link to join.

Day-to-day news and events can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand such events can help us stay tuned to current needs and realities. On the other hand they can distract us from seeing the big picture and planning and working for the future, a future of sustainable human and natural communities.

The people are distracted by their own daily challenges. For people in the US, there is the tug of war between various current events and emotions. Events like fear created by memories of 11 September 2001 (an event that remains ambiguous and much information on it hidden from the public). The US created a mess in Afghanistan and Iraq, wars on people that cost $8trillion in additional debt, enriched corporations, all to serve special interests (pushed for by Zionists and military contractors in the US). For Palestinians, day to day reality include the blockage on Gaza, the plight of political prisoners, the daily attack on their basic freedoms (freedom to move, freedom of religion, freedom from environmental injustice), daily theft of land, ongoing racism and apartheid etc. 7.5 million remain refugees trying to survive. For people of Afghanistan, women rights, poverty, and other issues keep the public engaged even after getting rid of yet another empire. There is the obscenity of a wedding of a 70 year old dictatorial ruler (to a 25 year old women) costing nearly $500 million while the same ruler caused a genocide (in Yemen) and helped strengthen apartheid in Palestine. For all countries, the COVID19 pandemic remains a most pressing daily concern. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. Earth is literally burning and 3 species go extinct in the time it takes you to read this message. The list is endless.

But as I told my students just yesterday, Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton and others did not let daily news/challenges prevent them from literally changing the world. They had a passion. We must use injustices to motivate(not frustrate us) and positive liberating action must follow. What we find most interesting is that people who worry too much end-up losing the opportunity to build a better future. This is precisely why many years ago we decided that, while it is important to stay abreast of “current events”(and even use them to motivate us), we must devote the vast majority of our time and effort and money to build a better future. We envision a future of caring and respect: for ourselves, for fellow human beings, and for all other living beings that share this beautiful but fragile planet. This is the vision of the pioneering “Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability” at Bethlehem University (palestinenature.org). We were amazed that since establishing this facility with volunteer efforts, hundreds of activists from around the world joined the effort and thousands sent encouragement in many ways.

Join us Friday 17 September at 4 PM Palestine time for “Future Conversations” where we discuss practical ways to move together (thinking globally and acting locally) towards a better future. This particular session will start with a brief presentation by Ms. Amal Handal about the amazing children educational and awareness programs at Palestinenature.org

Mark your calendar and email us at info@palestinenature.org and we will send you the link to join. We can also keep you informed of future events.

Together we have been making a big impact and we can do a bigger impact with your support.

Stay Human

Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home

Professor, Founder, and (volunteer)