Bethlehem 2009

Note: In Palestine, BDS Campaign events were launched during Israeli Apartheid Week as the beginning of a month of activities, actions, and events leading up to the Global BDS Day of Action on 30 March 2009. This is why many of the events take place after 9 March, but under the heading of Israeli Apartheid Week.

Click here for a list of Events in Palestine (SORTED BY DATE)

Click here for a list of Events in Palestine (SORTED BY DISTRICT)

Locations: 'Aida Refugee Camp - Beit Sahour

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Location: 'Aida Refugee Camp
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Boycott - Until We Return
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Starting at 3:30pm
at Lajee Center

Itinerary:
- Introduction
- Theatrical sketch prepared by the youth group on Boycotting Israeli Goods
- Theatrical sketch prepared by the youth group on Cultural Boycott
- Photo presentation: "Our Villages before 1948 - Our Villages today"
- Presentation by representative of the Health Ministry Israeli Products Marketed to Palestinians
* Note: the Presentation will focus on the segregated production lines, with good quality products marketed within the 'Green Line' and to the rest of the world, and poor quality products [often dangerous] marketed within the 1967 occupied territories
- Presentation and Interactive workshop by INTAJUNA: "Why Buy Palestinian Products?"

Click here to read a report about the event

Photos:
Photo of Entrance to Aida Camp from the roof of Lajee Center
Photo of Event Audience
Photo of BDS Theater Skit
Photo of Palestinian Product Exhibit
Photo of Presentation on Villages of Origin

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Location: Beit Sahour
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Israeli Apartheid and the Global Movement for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
7:30pm
at The Alternative Information Center

The presentation will be given by the Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, and will discuss the analysis of Israel the Israeli regime as one committing the internationally defined crime of apartheid, and how this analysis was partly developed through the international series of events called "Israeli Apartheid Week" now in it's fifth year.

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and the March 30th Global Day of Action
Saturday, 7 March 2009
7:30pm
at The Alternative Information Center

Featuring Rana Barakat from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), and Ahmad Jaradat from the Occupied Palestine Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI)

This year, March 30th has been declared as an international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people and for BDS against Israel. Throughout the world, demonstrations, conferences, marches and other initiatives will unite solidarity groups and political movements in joint actions to remind the world that, despite the smokescreen named the "peace process," the Palestinian people are still under colonial occupation and oppression.

During the month of March, 2009, the Palestine National BDS Committee (BNC) has launched a major endorsement gathering drive. This leads up to the Global Day of BDS actions on March 30th that was announced at the World Social Forum held last month in Brazil. Click Here to Sign On

In order to raise awareness about the March 30th Day of Action and to garner support for BDS in general, the AICafe will be hosting speakers from two BNC member organizations:

Ahmad Jaradat works with the Alternative Information Center, which is a member group of OPGAI. He will speak about the March 30th Day of Action, about the history of the BDS movement, and about the role of OPGAI in BDS.

Rana Barakat works with PACBI and is Assistant Professor of History at Birzeit University. She will speak in particular about the academic and cultural boycott in the context of a cultural of resistance and in light of an imposing colonial culture of defeatism.

The Beit Sahour Events of IAW organized by The Alternative Information Center