CCIVS was awarded the title ‘Messenger of Peace‘ in 1987 by UN Secretary General, Perez de Cuellar.
The International Voluntary Service Movement (IVS) was born in 1920, after the First World War, as a peace movement, international volunteers worked together with local communities based on their needs. Personal and social bonds were created between people from different origins and cultures, providing the space to learn about non-violent management of conflicts and contributing to the fulfilment of the lives of communities and volunteers.
These three elements were present in the first International Workcamp, organised by Pierre Ceresole in Esne-sur-Argonne, France and they continue to be the main peacebuilding elements of IVS today. • Intercultural Understanding • Active citizenship and community development • Non-violent conflict management and transformation
International Volunteering has played a role in post-conflict zones, in disaster relief, as an alternative diplomacy during the Cold War, and of course in activism and community development. Some CCIVS members were actively involved in political movements in Western Europe, campaigning for nuclear disarmament, for human rights and against apartheid and occupation.
CCIVS has a long history of solidarity with the Palestinian People, many projects and actions have been developed with our members in Palestine. The website below provides an overview of recent work and includes important resources.
Introduction
The International Voluntary Service (IVS) movement was created in 1920 to develop and strengthen conditions of peace in every community, all over the world. IVS enjoins people, citizens, organisations from every region, to build peace, human rights, sustainable environments, and fair living conditions for everyone, to participate in a culture of diversity and social inclusion. It is for this reason that CCIVS cannot ignore the current situation of the Palestinian people, which represents currently one of the most urgent cases in the world concerning the violation of human rights.
As highlighted in a 2019 report by the UN “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967”, Israel’s policy is depriving 5 million Palestinians of natural resources, hopes and opportunities (A/HRC/40/73, page 1). In the same report, the Gaza Strip has been defined as “unliveable”. In the West Bank and Gaza, the youth population is rising at an overwhelming pace, and this trend is expected to continue in the next decade. According to demographic reports, the percentage of young people in Palestine has reached 30% of the total population. Overall, there has been a 180% increase in the youth refugee population in the West Bank since 1975 and a 274.7 % increase in Gaza.
Since October 2023, there has been a live-streamed genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip and the daily assault of Palestinians in the West Bank has increased with impunity. The suffering is immeasurable, what we are witnessing is beyond belief, within CCIVS we keep asking ourselves what can we do, and we feel powerless. A Palestine Solidarity Working group was put into place after the CCIVS General Assembly in November 2023. Meeting on a regular basis with our Palestinian member organisations we share updates and ideas and make proposals for steps that the IVS movement can take.
We invite you to read and sign the Palestinian Solidarity and Ceasefire Statement
As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepens, CCIVS reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and calls for immediate international action to halt the ongoing atrocities.
The situation in Gaza has deteriorated to unprecedented levels:
● Mass Starvation: Civilians are being denied access to essential food and medical supplies, leading to widespread malnutrition and preventable deaths.
● Targeted Bombings: Residential areas, hospitals, and schools have been subjected to relentless airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including women and children.
● Forced Displacement: Over 1.5 million people have been displaced, with many seeking refuge in areas like Rafah, only to face further attacks. “I call it genocide because IT IS genocide.
Defined by intent, not by method or means. Visible without magnification — if we look with context, at the victims: what they share is being part of a group, as such. Because of it, they get killed, tortured, maimed, starved, raped, massacred. In dozens or hundreds daily. Genocide is a process, not a single act. A collective act. A criminal venture. To end it, we must first be willing to see it.” — Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur
Around the world, people are beginning to see — and to name — what is happening in Gaza. From South Africa’s legal leadership at the International Court of Justice to the growing movement of students, artists, and youth organisations rising up globally, the call is clear: this must end.
CCIVS stands firmly with those who speak truth to power and refuses to normalize mass killing, forced displacement, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
1. Immediate Ceasefire: An unconditional and permanent halt to all military operations in Gaza.
2. Unrestricted Humanitarian Access: Allowance for aid organisations to deliver essential supplies to the affected populations.
3. Accountability for War Crimes: Independent investigations into alleged violations of international law, with perpetrators held responsible.
4. End to Occupation: Establish a Palestinian state and a just and lasting solution that respects the rights, security and sovereignty of the Palestinian people.
As an international network committed to peace and justice, CCIVS urges all governments, institutions, and individuals to take decisive action against the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
We also express our full support for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, which is currently sailing to break the illegal blockade and deliver aid.
The Palestine Solidarity Working Group of CCIVS has been meeting regularly over the past year, closely following the ongoing genocide and attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This group seeks, in whatever small way possible, to support the Palestinian people as they endure unimaginable brutality. While the group was formed in response to recent events, CCIVS has long supported Palestinian rights. The current atrocities, identified by the UN Special Rapporteur and Amnesty International as acts of genocide, are part of a larger history of systematic oppression. This history stretches back to the Balfour Declaration of 1917, followed by the Nakba of 1948, during which Palestinians were subjected to widespread ethnic cleansing and displacement—an injustice that continues unabated. The recognition of these crimes at the international level underscores the urgency of collective solidarity to advocate for justice, freedom, and dignity for the Palestinian people.
The news of the Ceasefire brings momentary joy; hostages (some Palestinian and Israeli) released, people returning to places they were forced to abandon … and then the realisation hits – what’s next?
With the ceasefire comes the numbers of:
* Massacred women and children, civilians, medical staff, journalists … * Orphans * Amputees and severely disabled lacking medical treatment * People starving * Babies freezing to death * Palestinian hostages (including children and women) 1000 to be released in the next weeks – breastfeeding mothers being reunited with their babies after 9 months, women detained in 1.5×1.5m cells for 6 months * Those tortured in Israeli detention cells * Those still imprisoned illegally, including heroic medical staff of whom there is no news * Homes, hospitals, schools, universities, mosques, churches flattened * Ecocide and ensuing human health risk – more than 90 thousands tons of bombs dropped on Gaza, the equivalent of more than 4 atomic bombs.
And then comes the continuation of…
* Massacres in the Gaza Strip in spite of the ceasefire * Attacks on West Bank villages, including Jenin and Nur Shams refugee camps by settlers and the Israeli Occupation Forces * Destruction of Palestinian infrastructure, economy and basic services (schools, hospitals..) * The continued deprivation of education for Palestinian Children in Gaza and the West Bank * Roadblocks put into place unprecedented since 1967 * The rounding up of more Palestinians, detained without charge or trial * The statements made by President Trump referring to the U.S. occupation and ethnic cleansing of Gaza
The United States’ decision to host Netanyahu—who faces an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity—along with the statements made by the U.S. President, must be unequivocally condemned at all levels. The forcible displacement of people is a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, constituting an international crime.
This is not a time to relax, this is a time to continue relentlessly to highlight what is happening to the Palestinian People – news outlets may shift their focus, not reporting directly on Palestine and so allowing people to forget or to remain uninformed.
October 7, 2024; unbelievably one year has passed, one year in which we have been devastated, horrified, shocked by the unstopped aggression of the state of Israel, by the continued support of the US, the European Union and their allies to the onslaught against the people of Palestine and now Lebanon.
It’s unimaginable—how did we let this happen? How have we reached the devastating figure of 186,000 possible deaths in Gaza, as reported by the Lancet on 19 June 2024?
Have you seen the staggering numbers?
* Hundreds of pages listing the names of young children slaughtered — 33% of all victims in Gaza, with the combined number of women and children making 70% of those massacred. * 10% of Gaza’s population — around 200,000 people — killed, injured, missing, or detained. * 80% of Gaza’s agricultural land destroyed and rendered unusable. * ‘More than 2 million Palestinians are without protection, food, water, sanitation, shelter, health care, education, electricity and fuel’ * 175 journalists and media workers targeted and assassinated in Palestine. * More than 300 aid workers killed. * 226 UN staff killed, buildings destroyed and the UN Secretary General banned from entering. * Ongoing settler violence in the West Bank, unchecked and unpunished. * Daily incursions by the IDF, leading to indiscriminate killings, property destruction, and lockdowns across West Bank villages, towns, and cities. * Torture, sexual, and physical abuse of thousands of Palestinians forcibly detained with, 3600 still held in Israeli jails under administrative detention — without charge or trial — this systematically endorsed and justified by Israeli officials. * Suffocation of the Palestinian economy by the Israeli state by holding the tax revenues of the Palestinian Authority. * The absence of any voices of reason or peace inside the Israeli side to call for ceasefire, including the Israeli media, which plays a criminal role by dehumanising the Palestinians and covering-up all the crimes committed by the army.
The CCIVS Palestine Solidarity Working Group strongly condemns the acts of violence perpetrated by the Israeli government, leading to the genocide of the Palestinian people. These acts are not only in grave violation of international law but also serve to escalate the conflict further, pushing the region into deeper turmoil. The attacks on Lebanon, following the ongoing collective punishment in Gaza and the West Bank, have amplified the suffering of civilians, including women and children, and further threaten peace and stability in the region.
CCIVS and SCI stand resolute in our commitment to the values of peace, justice, and human rights.
In light of these grave developments, we continue to make the same demands:
1. An Immediate and Lasting Ceasefire: All hostilities, particularly against civilian populations, must cease immediately in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon. There can be no justification for the indiscriminate use of force, and all efforts must be directed toward halting the violence.
2. Sanctions on Israel: We call on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel in response to its continued violations of international law, including the illegal occupation of Palestinian and Lebanese territories, its blockade on Gaza, and its recent attacks on Lebanon. Accountability must be enforced to prevent further war crimes, crimes against humanity and a complete erosion of international law.
3. Humanitarian Aid and Support: We demand the immediate and unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the affected areas in Gaza and Lebanon. Essential goods and services, such as water, electricity, and medical supplies, must be restored to prevent further loss of life.
4. A Two-Way Arms Embargo: We reiterate the need for a global arms embargo on all parties fuelling the conflict. The trading and transfer of weapons, surveillance technology, and military infrastructure that profits from the ongoing violence must come to an end.
5. A Genuine Peace Process: All parties must commit to a genuine peace process that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including the recognition of Palestinian rights, the end of the illegal occupation, the ending of illegal settlements and the creation of conditions for a just and lasting peace in the region.
6. Justice, restitution and reparations for the Palestinian people: In line with the ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024
We call upon civil society and governments worldwide to take a firm stance against this aggression, to speak out for peace, and to act in solidarity with those affected. We must stand together to demand justice and ensure that human rights and dignity are upheld for all. Without accountability, there will be no peace.
CAPTION
October 7, 2024; one year after we are left devastated, horrified, shocked by the news and we keep strongly condemning the acts of violence perpetrated on civilians. CCIVS and SCI stand resolute in our commitment to the values of peace, justice, and human rights. In light of the continuous grave developments, we continue to make the same demands: An immediate and lasting ceasefire Sanctions on Israel Humanitarian aid and support A two-way arms embargo A genuine peace process Justice, restitution and reparations for the Palestinian people We call upon civil society and governments worldwide to take a firm stance against this aggression, to speak out for peace, and to act in solidarity with those affected. We must stand together to demand justice and ensure that human rights and dignity are upheld for all. Without accountability, there will be no peace.
The General Assembly of CCIVS meeting in Loutraki, Greece in November 2023, in response to the recent escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel.
As International Voluntary Service organisations we stand strongly for our values of peace, freedom of movement, co-operation, intercultural diversity and non-violence. We are deeply saddened and shocked by the violent attacks, civilian massacre and violation of human rights taking place in Gaza.
We, the members of the General Assembly, totally condemn all acts of violence on unarmed men, women and children. The attacks by the Palestinian resistance on Israel on Oct 7, do not, in any way, justify the horrifying, unconscionable collective punishment that ensued, inflicted by the Israeli government on the Palestinian people.
We condemn the Israeli government attacks on hospitals, ambulances, schools, places of worship, journalists, power stations, essential water infrastructure and condemn the use of white phosphorus strikes. We strongly decry the Israeli government preventing the entry of humanitarian aid and vital water, food, medical supplies and services, fuel and electricity to Gaza.
We demand: ● an immediate and lasting ceasefire. ● open access for urgent humanitarian support for Gaza, including restoring water, food, fuel, electricity and medical services. ● the international community to take the necessary responsibility and put strong and serious pressure on the Israeli government to reach an immediate ceasefire and urgently allow humanitarian support for Gaza. ● call for a two-way arms embargo and end to the profiteering of states in weapons transfer and trading, surveillance technology and military infrastructure.1 ● the immediate safe and secure release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages and military detainees. ● the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. ● a full investigation by the ICC into the allegations of genocide. ● the guarantee of the legitimate and just rights of the Palestinian people for recognition; including restitution, reparations and justice for the people of Gaza, displaced people must be allowed to return and be fully supported to do this. ● an end to the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine by the Israeli government, which has been going on for over 75 years. ● an end to any divisive and polarising narratives or propaganda that dehumanise Palestinians, portray a collective of civilians as “terrorists”, “anti-Semites” and “human animals”. We call for an end to any journalism that justifies the further escalation of violence in Gaza. ● further detailed economic, historical and legal research, guided by international law, to ascertain property rights and environmental impact related to oil and natural gas resources in Gaza. Detailed studies to clearly establish the Palestinian people’s right to their separate natural resources, as well as their rightful share in the common resources collectively owned by several neighbouring States in the region, including Israel.2
We call upon: ● all parties to start a genuine peace process for a just and lasting peace that will lead to an independent Palestinian state. ● civil society organisations and governments all over the world to speak out against all forms of racism. ● all member and sister organisations to take action within their capacity to promote peace, collaboration and actions that foster reconciliation and regeneration. ● all member and sister organisations to give further moral and material support – through special solidarity projects with the Palestinian people, working with local organisations in their struggle for a just conclusion to the illegal occupation3 of Palestinian territory.
We stand in solidarity with the people in Palestine, for more than 75 years Palestinians have been subject to human rights violations, crimes against humanity and a sustained apartheid regime implemented by the Israeli government4. Israeli authorities have repeatedly ignored UN resolutions5. Gaza, has been under unlawful blockade for 17 years, it is the largest open-air prison in the world. The fact that Israel subjects 2.3 million people to this treatment is indicative of the power imbalance. Alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory are being investigated by the International Criminal Court, including the recent complaint filed by a group of lawyers from around the world who believe that the criteria for genocide is met in Gaza 6. To date, the Israeli military have dropped more than 35000 tons of explosives on one of the most densely populated areas on earth – this is equivalent to 2 nuclear bombs7. This is not self-defence; it is ethnic cleansing. By day 49 of the ongoing recent attacks, 20031 Palestinians have been massacred including 18460 civilians, of these 12288 children and women. 36350 are injured, more than 7000 people are missing beneath the rubble and over 1.7 million people are internally displaced – the number of deaths and injured people are increasing daily.
We are united in our values of peace, non-violence and cooperation, and stand in solidarity with people under occupation.
Representatives of the undersigned International Voluntary Service (IVS) organizations and networks, participated in a 10 days study visit to Palestine in September 2022 organized by the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), hosted by BALADNA inside the green line and IPYL in the West Bank. This study visit which was originally planned to take place on the occasion of the 100 years anniversary of the first international workcamp in 2020 and postponed due to the C-19 pandemic, makes part of the former CCIVS Raising Peace Campaign, and sought to explore different ways to support the Palestinians in their quest for peace and liberation.
The visit was an eye opener, both enlightening and shocking. That is why we would like to share the following observations:
– Palestinians are living under an unprecedented and inconceivable beyond imagination apartheid regime, as recognised by international organisations such as Amnesty International, that strangles all aspects of their lives in terms of mobility, economy, social and cultural life, education, child detention, arbitrary killing of civilians, confiscation of land and property appropriation of natural resources. – The State of Israel is attacking the Palestinian civil society movement, with a focus on Human Rights organizations that are exposing its inhumane treatment of the Palestinians and their quest to bring Israel to the ICC (International Criminals Court). Six Palestinian CSOs, active as human rights defenders, have been designated by Israel as terrorist organizations, as a way to mute their voices. The UN, EU and many international bodies rejected this decision, as Israel has no evidence to support its claims. However, still, the army has sabotaged and closed their offices. We stand in solidarity with these organisations and Palestinian and Israeli activists that are working for peace, justice and mutual understanding, to stop this Apartheid regime. about the unacceptable and humiliating treatment received at the Israeli airport by those attending the study visit and international volunteers in general. – Some of the participants of the study visit experienced themselves unacceptable and humiliating treatment received at the Israeli airport on their arrival and on their way back.
IVS can be a very powerful solidarity tool, to provide support and empowerment to Palestinian youth activists and to raise awareness about their living conditions. Together we identified some possible actions that could be adopted by the IVS movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people,to:
– Support the organization of International Voluntary Service activities (study visits, workcamps, meetings) in Palestine and/or support projects in other parts of the world in solidarity with Palestinian people. – Create crowd-funding to support the IVS organizations in Palestine to organize more study visits, joint IVS activities that can be used as a solidarity fund for sending and receiving volunteers. – Launch a solidarity campaign with Palestine on the 29th of Nov 2022, the International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, with an online event open to IVS activists from all over the world.
Initiatives
Palestine Solidarity Working Group
The Palestine Solidarity Working Group started meeting in 2024 after a GA decision for its creation. Meeting on a regular basis, the Working Group shares updates and ideas for initiatives and actions that the CCIVS and its members can join. It has to date: – Shared the Ceasefire Statement approved by the CCIVS GA in November 2023 – Created a Palestine Solidarity action sheet – Developed the Palestine Solidarity webpage – Created a donation button on the CCIVS website – Developed a proposal for an online and offline event in support of the Palestinian people.
Former Initiatives:
Palestine Online Conference: Standing in Solidarity Against Racism and Oppression
On 17 July 2024, CCIVS and SCI hosted the Palestine Online Conference, an impactful event that brought together activists, academics, and volunteers to stand in solidarity with Palestine and address the urgent issues of apartheid, genocide, and systemic racism faced by Palestinians. The conference featured a panel of esteemed speakers, each shedding light on different facets of the struggle and highlighting ways to foster meaningful international solidarity:
– Ratherford Mwaruta – CCIVS President and activist, who opened the event with a minute of silence for the victims of the ongoing genocide. – Dr. Husam S. Zomlot – Ambassador of Palestine to the United Kingdom, academic, and advocate for the Palestinian cause. – Mona Shtaya – Campaigns and Partnerships Manager at Digital Action, who discussed digital oppression and the role of AI in silencing Palestinian voices. – Alaa Amro – European Studies postgraduate, SCI volunteer, and activist, who shared insights into grassroots activism. – Adli Daana – Executive Director of the Palestinian Centre for Media, Research and Development, who provided a historical overview of the oppression faced by Palestinians. – Sami Huraini – Human rights defender and member of ‘Youth of Sumud,’ who spoke on resilience and grassroots resistance. – Paul Winter – Deputy Chair of Volunteer Action for Peace UK, who highlighted the importance of international volunteering in fostering solidarity.
With over 80 participants in attendance, the conference provided a platform for personal stories and expert analysis on how to take actionable steps to support Palestinians in these critical times.
Key Insights and Calls to Action
The Historical Struggle Adli Daana traced the roots of Palestinian oppression back to 1917, contextualizing the current genocide and apartheid within a long history of Western-backed oppression and systemic inhumanity. His presentation underscored the urgent need for global recognition and action to end this injustice.
Digital Oppression as a Tool of Genocide Mona Shtaya revealed how technology is being weaponized against Palestinians, describing the role of the Israeli Cyber Unit in censoring Palestinian voices online. She highlighted practices such as account suspensions and shadowbanning, which disproportionately target Arabic content, coining this phenomenon as an ‘AI-facilitated genocide.’
Global Solidarity and Grassroots Action Speakers like Sami Huraini and Paul Winter emphasized the power of grassroots initiatives and international volunteer networks in resisting systemic oppression and building alliances for justice.
Join the Movement The Palestine Online Conference reinforced the need for collective action to dismantle apartheid and systemic racism while amplifying Palestinian voices in the struggle for freedom and equality.
Solidarity in the Struggle Against Racism and Apartheid in Palestine | Online Conference
Volunteering in Palestine | An Online Symposium by CCIVS
In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29th November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The resolution on the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People encourages Member States to continue to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity. As allies of the people of Palestine, CCIVS organised an event on the 29th of November 2022 to celebrate theInternational Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Volunteering in Palestine – An Online Symposium by CCIVS
Palestine Study Visit 2022
The Raising Peace Study Visit to Palestine, organized by CCIVS in collaboration with Baladna and IPYL, focused on capacity building, supporting the Palestinian cause, and fostering understanding through direct experiences. The project was supported by the Erasmus + programme of the European Union.
The Study Visit to Palestine was developed by CCIVS with its member organisations Baladna and IPYL to focus on the following areas: – Capacity Building and Networking; opportunities for participants and their organisations to exchange good practice, increase their knowledge and improve their skills in the field youth empowerment through the development of new partnerships for future networking and capacity building initiatives. – Support to the Palestinian cause; As highlighted in a 2019 report by the UN “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967”, the Israeli government’s policy is depriving 5 million Palestinians of natural resources, hopes and opportunities (A/HRC/40/73, page 1). In the same report, the Gaza Strip could become “unliveable” by 2020. According to demographic reports, the percentage of young people in Palestine has reached 30% of the total population. Overall, there has been a 180% increase in the youth refugee population in the West Bank since 1975 and a 274.7 % increase in Gaza. In these regions, young people suffer from the daily threat on their lives, discrimination, limited access to resources, and restricted mobility. The presence of international activists and the development of future cooperation projects shows solidarity to the Palestinians organisations and to the local young people. – Understanding and critical thinking; the project allowed international participants to see first-hand what the situation is like on the ground and provided a platform for them to share their experiences and to develop future solidarity actions.
The Study Visit took place in September 2022 (postponed from 2020) and was hosted by our member organisations Baladna based in Haifa and IPYL based in Hebron. During the Study Visit participants discussed the political context of Palestinian youth (challenges, current situation, future perspectives) and about the work of the hosts (goals, projects, areas of intervention, challenges, educational approaches, social inclusion). With attention on PVE strategies, and exchanges of best practices. Visits over the 8 day programme took the group to a diversity of cities including; Hebron, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Jericho, Bethlehem, Jaffa, Haifa, Lajun, Rahat. The participants visited diverse organisations, institutions and projects whose work focuses on one or more of the following areas: youth work; human rights; conflict transformation; tackling violent extremism; occupation; non violent resistance; political prisoners; peace work, interdisciplinary approaches to promote non-violence through art and creativity; and the promotion of culture, history & cultural heritage. Refugee camps, internally displaced people, and unrecognized villages made part of the visit. Due to the 15-year blockade on Gaza, it was impossible to visit the local organisations; however a video call was set up to learn more about the work of Gaza youth and activists.
The study visit provided an opportunity for participants to gain knowledge and tools that will allow them not only to support the Palestinian cause and to develop new projects with the Palestinian member organisations, but also to apply what they have learnt within their sending organisations.
Following the visit on November 29, the participants developed a proposal to celebrate The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. As a result, CCIVS supported the organisation of an online symposium, Volunteering in Palestine. https://palestineforum.weebly.com/media.html. The aims of the online event were to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine, share insights with the international volunteering community on volunteering in conflict areas, and encourage the public to show concern about the situation of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. The participants/attendees from all over the world heard stories from our network of volunteers who are (or have been) actively involved in social work with and for the Palestinians.
A Position Paper was also written by the participants of the Study Visit and validated by the Alliance General Assembly and the CCIVS Executive Committee it can be foundhere.
Representatives of the undersigned International Voluntary Service (IVS) organizations and networks, participated in a 10 days study visit to Palestine in September 2022 organized by the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), hosted by BALADNA inside the green line and IPYL in the West Bank. This study visit which was originally planned to take place on the occasion of the 100 years anniversary of the first international workcamp in 2020 and postponed due to the C-19 pandemic, makes part of the former CCIVS Raising Peace Campaign, and sought to explore different ways to support the Palestinians in their quest for peace and liberation.
The visit was an eye opener, both enlightening and shocking. That is why we would like to share the following observations: – Palestinians are living under an unprecedented and inconceivable beyond imagination apartheid regime, as recognised by international organisations such asAmnesty International, that strangles all aspects of their lives in terms of mobility, economy, social and cultural life, education, child detention, arbitrary killing of civilians, confiscation of land and property, appropriation of natural resources. – The State of Israel is attacking the Palestinian civil society movement, with a focus on Human Rights organizations that are exposing its inhumane treatment of the Palestinians and their quest to bring Israel to the ICC (International Criminals Court).Six Palestinian CSOs, active as human rights defenders, have been designated by Israel as terrorist organizations, as a way to mute their voices. The UN, EU and many international bodies rejected this decision, as Israel has no evidence to support its claims. However, still, the army has sabotaged and closed their offices. We stand in solidarity with these organisations and palestinian and Israeli activists that are working for peace, justice and mutual understanding, to stop this Apartheid regime. about the unacceptable and humiliating treatment received at the Israeli airport by those attending the study visit and international volunteers in general. – Some of the participants of the study visit experienced themselves unacceptable and humiliating treatment received at the Israeli airport on their arrival and on their way back.
IVS can be a very powerful solidarity tool, to provide support and empowerment to Palestinian youth activists and to raise awareness about their living conditions. Together we identified some possible actions that could be adopted by the IVS movement in solidarity with the Palestinan people, to: – Support the organization of International Voluntary Service activities (study visits, workcamps, meetings) in Palestine and/or support projects in other parts of the world in solidarity with Palestinian people. – Create crowd-funding to support the IVS organizations in Palestine to organize more study visits, joint IVS activities that can be used as a solidarity fund for sending and receiving volunteers. – Launch a solidarity campaign with Palestine on the 29th of Nov 2022, the International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, with an online event open to IVS activists from all over the world.
The Online Conference “Palestinian Youth: Challenges and Opportunities”
Supported by the Participation Programme of UNESCO, invited speakers from UNESCO, the UN system, universities and representatives of Palestinian civil society including youth to highlight issues facing young people in the occupied territories.
The online conference “Palestinian Youth: Challenges and Opportunities” was held on 8th December 2021. The event, coordinated by CCIVS, cast a spotlight on the opportunities and strategies aiming at involving young people in shaping their future in Palestine, using non-violent and inclusive methods. The invited speakers were:- Mr Jamal Zakout, Chairman of board of Al-ARD and Member of PNC; (key-note speaker)- Ms Noha Bawazir, Head of Office and Representative UNESCO Ramallah;- Mr Mazen Jabari, director of Orient House, Jerusalem;- Mr Adli Dana, director of IPYL, Hebron;- Ms Nidaa Nassar, director of Baladna, Haifa;- Dr. Mahmoud Soliman, Palestinian researcher at Coventry University and an expert on dynamics of peace and conflict in the region;After a Round Table, the programme proposed an interactive session where participants asked questions and shared their comments with the speakers.
Online training course to improve skills and knowledge in the field of Volunteering In Conflict Areas (VICA)
The online training course to improve skills and knowledge in the field of Volunteering In Conflict Areas (VICA) was a series of online meetings coordinated by CCIVS. The sessions were coordinated by trainers Mauro Carta (Italy) and Jelisaveta Jovanovic (Serbia), with the support of two experts Zainab Mai-Bornu and Yasin Duman, from the Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) of the University of Coventry and the University of Leicester.
The online training course to improve skills and knowledge in the field of Volunteering In Conflict Areas (VICA) was a series of online meetings coordinated by CCIVS and involving participants from IVS organisations willing to enlarge their understanding and capacity in the coordination of peace projects. The first series of 5 online meetings were held in June until the beginning of July 2021. The sessions were coordinated by the trainers Mauro Carta (Italy) and Jelisaveta Jovanovic (Serbia), with the support of the two experts Zainab Mai-Bornu and Yasin Duman, from the Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) of the University of Coventry and the University of Leicester; in addition to that, graphic support was provided by Yorgos Konstantinou. Through presentation, group work, interactive sessions, study-cases, participants addressed several topics: interconnections between conflict and gender, environment, migration, identity; code-of-conduct; the IVS approach on volunteering in conflict areas; emotional dimension in conflict areas, and many more.
Resources
In this section you can find useful resources related to the youth work and conflict resolution, such as toolkits, reports and studies:
“To exist is to resist. Handbook for Volunteers to Palestine” is a toolkit aimed at supporting the preparation process of International Volunteering Service volunteers who participate in Workcamps, Long Term Volunteering or European Voluntary Service projects in Palestine. It was created in 2018 by Servei Civil Internacional Catalunya with the support of the Agència Catalana de Cooperació al Desenvolupament, as a follow-up of a visit in Palestine.
The “VICA (Volunteering In Conflict Areas) Toolkit” has been produced by the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) during the VICA training course which was conducted online in 2021, with the support of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe and the Erasmus+ programme and with the contribution of the participants, experts, trainers, graphic designers. This is a new version based on a previous manual which was published in 2008 by CCIVS and which needed to be updated according to the new scenarios and methods. The toolkit is addressed to volunteers and activists willing to experience volunteering in (post) conflict areas; to organisations, trainers, youth workers and educators interested in organising training, seminars and meetings on the topic of volunteering in conflict areas; and of course, to everybody interested in the topic of conflict management and reconciliation.
VERSO, have collated their free ebooks, reading lists and ongoing publishing on the Verso Blog. These resources challenge much of the zionist ideology concerning the origins and identity of the contemporary state of Israel, as well as offering a clear history of the occupation, Israel’s military industrial complex, and this latest explosion of violence in Gaza. Don’t miss it: https://rb.gy/4m8hwx
Check the Palestinian Film Center: An International institution for serving the Palestinian films and films about Palestine: https://palestinefilms.org/en
In this section you can find references and details of associations, institutions and bodies active in Palestine. The list also includes organisations and institutions which took part in the online conference “Palestinian Youth: Challenges and Opportunities”, which are particularly active in the field of youth work and civic engagement. In addition to that, you will find links to international voluntary networks and to institutions which provide financial support for intercultural projects.
Baladna is a non-profit organisation based in Haifa. The association seeks to empower Arab Palestinian youth in Israel as transformative agents of social and political change, enabling them to overcome discrimination and marginalization while advancing their individual and collective rights. Baladna engages in capacity building to enhance youth skills in grassroots activism, critical thinking, community organizing and advocacy while strengthening their understanding and application of principles of equality, democracy, social solidarity, and human rights.It also provides youth with structure and guidance as they build strategies to address the underlying structures and societal conditions precluding them from fulfilling their rights.
The International Palestinian Youth League (IPYL) is an independent non-governmental organisation based in Hebron. The IPYL was founded in May 1997 by a group of young Palestinians with the vision of empowering youth in order to confront the various economic, social and political challenges facing Palestine in the context of the on-going Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Among its many activities, IPYL has also run 75 work camps based in Palestine. These actions host groups of local and international volunteers in historic locations within the West Bank for periods usually of two weeks. The work completed during these camps has great symbolic significance for local Palestinians, for whom it has served as an expression of solidarity. Volunteers from all over the world have gained an appreciation of Palestine’s culture and history, as well as an understanding of the challenges brought about by the occupation.
The Youth Development Department was established in 2000 as part of the Arab Studies Society. YDD is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, working alongside community based organisations (CBOs) and youth institutions in Jerusalem to develop the capacity and skills of young Palestinians. YDD works as an umbrella organisation helping to raise awareness for CBOs, providing them with the resources and necessary contacts to help them establish their projects and youth programmes. For fifteen years, the Youth Development Department has collaborated with more than forty youth grassroots organisations in Jerusalem and has succeeded in reaching out to between ten to fifteen thousand young people, helping them succeed in having healthy and active lifestyles.
Service Civil International (SCI) is an international network of voluntary organisations created in 1920. SCI’s vision is a world of peace, social justice, and sustainable development, where all people live together with mutual respect and without recourse to any form of violence to solve conflicts. SCI’s mission is to promote a culture of peace by organising international volunteering projects with local and global impact. All SCI activities should be in line with SCI’s values: volunteering, non-violence, respect for human rights, solidarity, respect for the environment, inclusion, empowerment, cooperation.Each year, SCI organises international voluntary projects for people of all ages and backgrounds to promote a culture of peace. SCI’s movement, whose international secretariat is based in Antwerp, Belgium, consists of 41 branches and more than 90 partner organisations.
The Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations is an International Non-Governmental Youth Organisation that represents national organisations which promote intercultural education, understanding and peace through voluntary service. The Alliance, founded in 1982, is presently made up of 50 full, associate and candidate member organisations. Each member organisation runs an annual programme of International Voluntary Projects in their own country and exchanges volunteers with each other following the Alliance Quality Charter that stresses on the added value of volunteering, its educational aspect and on following quality standards agreed by members.
Erasmus+is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020). The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda.
The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures is a network of civil society organisations dedicated to promoting intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean region. It was set up in 2005 by the governments of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Euromed), a political agreement made in 1995 between the European Union and Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Syria and Turkey. Through the coordination of its 43 networks gathering together over 3,000 member organisations, the Anna Lindh Foundation promotes mutual respect and in-depth knowledge among the societies of the Euro-Mediterranean region, by bringing people together to work on common projects in the fields of education, media, culture and youth participation.
Testimonials
Testimonials and Impact Stories
– “Palestinian Voices” is a short video edited by Hamza Al-Shayeb and presented during the online conference “Palestinian Youth: Challenges and Opportunities”, held by CCIVS on 8 December 2021. It is a collection of contributions received from young people in Palestine, sharing their challenges, their hopes, their lives.
– Volunteering in Palestine was an online symposium which took place in 2022. It aimed to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine, to share insights with the international volunteering community on volunteering in conflict areas, and encourage the public to show concern for the situation of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Stories from our network of volunteers actively involved in social work with and for the Palestinians were shared and exchanged.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WgZxRO2ycfI?feature=oembedVolunteering in Palestine – An Online Symposium by CCIVS
– My experience in the Eco-camp in Palestine
By Cristina Ferret Pérez
A group of international volunteers and I traveled to Al’masara to work alongside local volunteers in an eco resistance camp. This project constitutes a peaceful act of resistance to the systematic Israeli Illegal occupation over Palestinian territory. I was able to see firsthand how life is under the Israeli Apartheid regime and how it affects every aspect of Palestinians’ daily lives. Israel is committing human rights violations on a daily basis, which is forbidden under international law, and the international community has an obligation to act.
It has been a unique learning experience and an enriching cultural immersion where I have been able to expand my knowledge and to delve into thought-provoking topics. This journey wouldn’t have been the same without the incredible coordinator we had and without all the Palestinian participants. Thank you very much for how you welcomed us and for how well you took care of us. You have made this experience unforgettable!
When an uprising breaks out in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 1987, a young woman in Gaza must make a choice between love, family, and freedom. Naila and the Uprising chronicles the remarkable real-life journey of Naila Ayesh, a key figure in the First Intifada, which forced the world to recognize the Palestinian right to self-determination for the first time. Using evocative animation, intimate interviews, and exclusive archival footage, this film tells the story that the mainstream media missed: of a courageous clandestine women’s movement at the head of Palestinians’ struggle for freedom, bringing out of anonymity the courageous women activists whose contributions and sacrifices changed history, but whose stories have remained untold until now. You can watch the whole movie here.
How women wage conflict without violence – Julia Bacha
Julia Bacha is the filmmaker of “Naila and the uprising”. In this TED conference, she shares stories of effective nonviolent resistance, including eye-opening research on the crucial leadership role that women play. “Are you setting out to change the world? Here’s a stat you should know: nonviolent campaigns are 100 percent more likely to succeed than violent ones. So why don’t more groups use nonviolence when faced with conflict?”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/e-BZigXlphY?start=74&feature=oembedHow women wage conflict without violence | Julia Bacha
Jenin, Jenin ( 2002) directed by Mohammad Bakri محمد بكري Sub. Eng.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/uFat7pfP36g?feature=oembedJenin, Jenin ( 2002) directed by Mohammad Bakri محمد بكري Sub. Eng.
Gaza: Is this a war on children? | Channel 4 News
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4z4TvDbffI0?feature=oembedGaza: Is this a war on children? | Channel 4 News
Documentary : Children of Gaza (Channel 4) Part 1/5
https://www.youtube.com/embed/f2notYzUc7M?feature=oembedDocumentary : Children of Gaza (Channel 4) Part 1/5
