Building Freedom and Trust Together

Politics

  • 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.

  • 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.