On the 9th of December a conversation on Palestine-Israel from a peace, human rights, justice and nonviolence perspective will take place at Umeå Folkets hus in Umeå 18-20.30.

Two panels, moderated by Jonatan Eriksson-Sjöman, Härnösands People´s High School, will talk about it.

Conversation 1: About Palestina-Israel from a peace, human rights, justice and nonviolence perspective – How do we talk about it?

Panelists:

Shora Esmailian, Journalist and Author

Alexandra Esser, Active in the network Jewish Appeal

Taha Khatab, Masters student in social work and human rights at University of Gothenburg and active in Students for Palestine

Stellan Vinthagen, Professor in direct nonviolence, Amherst University, USA

Conversation 2: How can social movements in Umeå engage for peace, human rights, social justice and nonviolence in Palestine-Israel?

Panelists:

Kenneth Gunnarsson, Swedish Fellowship of Reconcilliation, Ecumenical Accompaniment Program

Alma Törn, The Draft Call

Johan Örestig Kling, Department of Education, Umeå Univeristy and active in the network Employed for Palestine

Mariam Salem, Environmental Party, Umeå

Several organisations have collaborated to organize this event:

Friend in Umeå (Vän i Umeå), Folk University (Folkuniversitetet), The City Library of Umeå (Umeå stadsbibliotek), The Study Association Bilda, Nonviolence 2024 and Another Develpment Foundation.

Why is this arrangement being carried out? Why are we here?
We who have initiated and organized this event have done so based on a desire to offer the public a chance to listen to, and participate in, a conversation about Israel-Palestine from a peace, rights, justice and nonviolence perspective, which also includes acts of resistance.

We do this based on an awareness of:

  • That violence is practiced on a large scale and that this violence is defined differently by the parties to the conflict and by other actors and organizations
  • That crimes against humanity and war crimes are investigated as they are defined in international law and in the Genocide Convention which was adopted in 1948
  • That the historical and political backgrounds to what is happening now need to be discussed, that they are discussed, and that there are different perspectives on how these backgrounds should be interpreted
  • That the conflict also needs to be seen in relation to history and dynamics in the Middle East and in relation to international relations, for example the interests of great powers historically and in the present
  • That the violence in its various forms, exercised by various actors, affects civilians, innocent and particularly vulnerable groups, not least now in Gaza where the living conditions are unbearable for everyone, but especially for the particularly vulnerable groups
  • That the conditions for discussing the Palestine-Israel conflict from a peace, rights, justice and nonviolence perspective are poor against the background of history, the creation of the state of Israel, the reactions to this and that violence and the wars that have taken place and have been allowed to take place since Israel was formed 1948.
  • That those who try to work for peace, respect for human rights and nonviolence in Palestine-Israel have been exposed to risks, violence, threats etc and also risk being exposed to violence, threats etc because these perspectives go against other interests

We nevertheless make the assessment than an event of this kind is needed because:

  • that the ongoing violence must stop
  • that long-term sustainable peace is necessary,
  • that all nations and people have rights and should not be discriminated against or subjected to violence
  • that nonviolence as a philosophy and strategic choice offers alternatives to military and political violence
  • that popular international commitment to peace, human rights, justice and nonviolence and in Palestine-Israel needs to be promoted
  • that popular participation and engagement in Sweden is also important to promote, for example by actors in public education and civil society offering opportunities for people to participate

Against the background of this problem and needs analysis, we have invited representatives of Jewish and Palestinian organizations and movements to participate, as well as representative of the scientific community, civil sociey and cultural workers community.

What these have in common is that they all have a commitment to and experience working for peace, human rights, social justice and nonviolence in Palestine-Israel.