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 excited to make available the initial draft of the agenda for the upcoming National Australian BDS Conference in Melbourne.
In addition we are pleased to announce that the conference has been formally endorsed by the BDS National Committee (BNC) in Palestine and that our key note speaker for the conference will be Ms Rafeef Ziadah. Rafeef is a member of the steering committee of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. Rafeef will be speaking at the conference on behalf of the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC).
Rafeef is a Palestinian activist, unionist, academic and spoken word artist. She is a founding member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) promoting the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign in Canada, an organizer of the international Israeli Apartheid Week. Rafeef is also an active unionist – she is a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and was a member of the CUPE’s international solidarity committee for 3 years.
Rafeef will speak at the Friday night launch of the conference as well as the session on international solidarity work with Samah Sabawi drawing out the lessons of both international solidarity campaign in support of the Palestinian people and the Canadian BDS campaign experience.
GENERAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION:
We will launch the conference with a Public Meeting in the city on Friday night. Conference sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with the Concert for Palestine, will be held at the Maritime Union of Australia Hall at 54 Ireland St in Melbourne West on Saturday and Sunday.
As you will see we have attempted to keep the registration costs for the conference low to encourage supporters and friends from interstate to travel to Melbourne for the conference. We would like to encourage you to pre-register for the conference and pre-pay via electronic deposit. However, you will also able to register and pay also at the conference.
We, unfortunately, cannot arrange accommodation for conference attendees, but we will make available in the coming weeks a list of accommodation options in Melbourne (ranging from budget to middle range).
At the conference, we will make available inexpensive lunches and snacks throughout the day
CONFERENCE CONCERT
We are also excited to announce on Saturday night there will be a “Concert for Palestine and Dinner” ($25/$20). The Concert has a fantastic lineup and includes: Fear of a Brown Planet, The Brothahood, The Conch, Phil Monsour Band and Rafeef Ziadah. On the night there will be Middle East Food available and drinks.
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.
BSB: 063 262 Account number: 1052 9148 Please tag deposit with “BDS”
Finally, thank you to all of the individuals and groups who have endorsed the conference. 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.
SPEAKERS AND INITIAL CONFERENCE AGENDA
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
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 Friday launch of the conference via video/internet hookup from Jerusalem.
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
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.
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.
INITIAL CONFERENCE AGENDA
Conference Registration: All weekend $30/22 (incl: Conference launch meeting) Daily $15/$10 Conference Launch meeting $5
Conference registration: email ausbds@gmail.com
| FRIDAY – 29th October | ||
| TIME | PUBLIC MEETING – LAUNCH | SPEAKERS |
| 7pm – | International Boycott campaign and the struggle for a Free Palestine | Kim Sattler (Secretary, Unions ACT)
Rafeef Ziadah (Palestinian BNC) Yousef Al Reemawi (Palestinian academic) |
| SATURDAY – 30th October | ||
| TIME | SESSION | SPEAKERS |
| 9am | Welcome/Opening | Conference Organising Committee |
| 9.15am – 10.30am | Taking it to the streets: a short history of civil disobedience movements for boycott, divestment sanctions | Alex Whisson – Australians for Palestine
Julia Terreu – Action for Palestine |
| 10.30-11am | Break | |
| 11am – 12.30pm | 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 |
| 12.30pm-1.15pm | Lunch | |
| 1.15pm – 2.15pm | National Targets Proposals | Conference organising committee |
| 2.15pm – 3.45pm | Discussion of proposed National Targets | Break into sectoral groups – Unions Campus/Faith based/ Community/Culture |
| 3.45pm – 4.15pm | Break | |
| 4.15pm – 5.30pm | Education Workshops | Workshops to be confirmed |
| 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 |
| 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 | Discussion of proposed National Targets | Continued solidarity sector discussion from the day before |
| 12.15pm 1pm | lunch | |
| 1pm – 2.15pm | 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 |
| 2.15 –2.45 pm | Break | |
| 2.45 pm – 4.30pm | Decision on National BDS target | |
| 4.30pm – 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 ___________________________________________________________________
( ) 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”
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.
