Building freedom and trust together

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Amsterdam

  • Palestinian-Israeli Coexistence in the Middle East

    Palestinian-Israeli Coexistence in the Middle East

    A discussion with Soumya Bashir, Israel and Houssam Khadra, Gaza

    17 June– De Balie, Amsterdam

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    Join us for an inspiring conversation and discussion with two Palestinian peace activists from Israel and Gaza. Sumaya and Sam will share their personal stories of living with war in Israel and Gaza and their activities for peace.  

    Somaya Bashir, an Arab-Israeli Muslim, is a mother of five children, 4 daughters and a son. Somaya is a social and political activist who served in the Israeli parliament. Somaya advocates and fights against racism and extremism in Israel in  several movements including Women for Peace.

    Houssam Khadra is a Palestinian from Gaza, a father of two children in Egypt and a baby in Paris. Houssam is a journalist reporting from Gaza for Egyptian newspapers. Sam started his youth with a Hamas education and is now a peace activist preaching against terror and extremists. https://raseef22.net/english/author/1067996-houssam-khadra

    In the Netherlands Houssam and Somaya will discuss the way for Arabs and Jews to live together in the Middle East.

    All are welcome.

    Visiting plan:

    • 16-6 Universities
    • 17-6 Amsterdam (drawing exhibition) + De Balie
    • 18-6 University and Parliament

  • Shaping a Hopeful Future

    The exhibition creates a lasting impact by raising awareness and sparking dialogue about the need to listen to one another with mutual understanding. 

    A group of children sitting on the floor

    Shaping a Hopeful Future is a unique exhibition that combines the creative expressions of children from Israel and Gaza. This exhibition aims to amplify the voices of children from Israel and Gaza and provide a platform for their dreams and visions for a peaceful future through drawings and texts.

    The Exhibition

    Participating children made the drawings below. Click on each image to read more about its description, inspiration, and reflections.

    Team:

    • Marwa (Gaza)
    • Hadeel Abu Johar (Israel)
    • Tamar Kurzer (Netherlands)
    • Erga Netz (Netherlands)
    • Vered Raz (Netherlands)
  • Voices of Peace

    Voices of Peace

    Voices of Peace brings two Arab peace activists from Israel and Gaza for a dialogue in the Netherlands. They will unfold personal stories living with war in Israel and Gaza and their activities for Peace.  

    Soumya Bashir, an Arab-Israeli Muslim, is a mother of five, 4 daughters and a son. Somaya is a social and political activist who served in the Israeli parliament. Among her social-political activities are founding the We Have No Other Country group bringing social partnership between Arabs and Jews in Israel, the Insan Association for the Rights of the Underprivileged Populations, and the coordinator of the Women Rage Peace society. In her activities, Somaya advocates for Arabs as full-fledged Israeli citizens and fights against racism and extremism in Israel.

    Houssam (Sam) Khadra is a Gazan Palestinian, a father of three: two kids in Egypt and a little baby in Paris. Sam is an actor, and a journalist for an Egyptian newspaper reporting from Gaza. Sam started his youth under Hamas education and now is a peace activist preaching against terror and extremism.

  • Our Manifest

    We work on the civic level, driven by participants while cultivating mutual trust, and empathy.

    We recognize the trauma and pain of our shared past, along with the differences in the narratives that have shaped it. With this in mind, we encourage openness, a willingness to learn, and an effort to understand and connect with each other’s perspectives on history.

    We do not work towards political solutions to the conflict, but we believe in dialogues and activities that are conducted with sincerity and mutual respect.

    We cannot change history – but together we can build a hopeful common future, based on mutual respect. 

  • The Amsterdam Declaration

    Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, stands as a testament to the resilience of its residents, who united to overcome the relentless threat of flooding. Through cooperation and collective effort, the city transformed adversity into strength, showcasing the power of community.

    Inspired by this civic history, we aim to build unity and strength between Palestinians and Israelis through a European-based collaboration..

    Amsterdam’s legacy as the birthplace of citizen-led global trade initiatives has fostered a deep sense of participation and engagement. Coupled with its long-standing tradition of openness, liberalism, and tolerance, the city provides the ideal setting for for the launch of GazEl, bringing together Gazans and Israelis living in Europe to work on the citizen2citizen level rather than the political arena.

  • Peace Narratives from Gaza and Israel

    December 15th 2024, Amsterdam

    • See HERE some of the photo’s and short films which were taken during the meeting

      A panel conversation will be held featuring a diverse group of Palestinians and Israelis. These participants, some of whom are based in Europe, will share their experiences navigating the complexities of being victims of Islamic militias and the ongoing war between Gaza and Israel.

      The panelists will openly acknowledge the suffering, pain, and bloodshed endured by both sides of the conflict. Through their stories, they aim to highlight the power of bottom-up cooperation and dialogue as tools to inspire hope and a path toward reconciliation.

      Confirmed round table participants (subject to change):

      The round table participants  (subject to change):
      Talshalom (Israel), Wasim (The Netherlands – Gaza), Hamza (Germany – Gaza), Rami (Egypt – Gaza), Hanna (The Netherlands-Israel).

    • A New Middle East

      A New Middle East

      Lecture

      16 December 2024 | 19:00 to 20:30 | Amsterdam

      Thomas von der Osten-Sacken

      Listen to the recording of the lecture using the player below.

      The situation in the Middle East is changing fast. Who could have expected that the regime of the Asad dictatorship will crumble so fast? But this is only one aspect of the situation in a very volatile region. Regional powers have their say as well as European countries, Russia, and the United States. Understanding who is fighting whom with whom is not easy. And while geopolitics play an important role, one should not forget that these conflicts are also about freedom, self-determination, and a better future for millions of people. What is the agenda of the rebels who have taken over the Syrian regime? And what can we expect to happen elsewhere  in the region? What should Israel do?

      Thomas von der Osten-Sacken, Director of the German-Iraqi NGO Wadi, has been working in the Middle East since the early nineties. Wadi is supporting a variety of projects to empower women and strengthen civil society movements. He will talk about his experiences, how the Middle East is changing and what could be a perspective for a better future for all in this region.