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About us….
Facts about the Danish
Palestinian Friendship Association
Purpose
The Danish Palestinian Friendship Association was founded in the spring
of 1988. The background for this was the Intifadah, which highlighted
the need for international support for a just and viable solution to the
Palestinian cause.
The Association was immediately recognized by people covering almost the
entire political spectrum and was recognized by well-known lawyers,
artists and people holding elected office.
The overall purpose of the Association is to develop and further the
understanding and support for the Palestinian people. The Association
supports the efforts to secure the human and national rights of the
Palestinians, including the right to self-determination and the
formation of an independent Palestinian state in the Israeli occupied
territories in accordance with UN Resolution 242 and 338 and with
Jerusalem/Al Quds as its capital.
The Association condemns the ongoing settlement activity carried out by
the Israeli government. The building, maintenance, and expansion of
settlements is illegal and an obstacle to a just peace. It is imperative
that a future Palestinian state must be geographically coherent and not
fragmented by Israeli settlements and the resulting military presence.
Likewise, we consider it to be of the utmost importance that a future
solution will include those Palestinians living outside the occupied
territories. The Association will join in the efforts to make the
international community acknowledge that the right of return, which is
generally accepted as the cornerstone of international law concerning
refugees, also applies to the Palestinians, as also decided by the
annually reaffirmed UN-resolution 194.
Activities
The Danish Palestinian Friendship Association seeks to further the
political, social and cultural interaction between the Danes and the
Palestinians. This is done by various activities such as lectures,
concerts, exhibitions and the showing of films. Furthermore the
Association is involved in fund raising for development projects
benefiting the Palestinian community.
In the last years, four conferences on international level have been
arranged about the main outstanding issues from the Oslo-process: The
right of return, Jerusalem, political prisoners and the concept of a
Palestinian state. At all conferences, as well Palestinian as Israeli
speakers has participated.
Furthermore the Association has been able to provide some funding for
information and cultural activities in the occupied territories, in
Lebanon and in Israel. The concrete use of the money has been appointed
with local NGO’s.
Our main project in the development field has been the building of roads
connecting Palestinian villages to farming areas that would otherwise be
difficult to access. During the occupation the Israeli government has
built a number of roads linking illegal settlements in the occupied
territories. These roads are now crisscrossing Palestinian land and
cutting off many Palestinian villages from much needed farmland. As a
result Israel, citing out-dated laws, has been able to confiscate 73% of
all farmland on the West Bank and 20 % in Gaza for civil as well
military purposes. In order to keep the farm land on Palestinian hands
the Danish Palestinian Friendship Association has assisted the farmers
in building roads and in constructing dry stone walls and terraces on
the mountain sides, thereby making it possible to plant olive trees and
other fruit trees. The farmers themselves carried out the project, which
has just been completed, with the assistance of the Association and
Danida, the development agency of the
Danish government. The project resulted in the building of hundreds of
miles of roads helping hundreds of Palestinian families to keep and
cultivate their farmland.
Another project is the ongoing campaign launched by a group of members
of the Association to make Danes interested in visiting Palestine as
tourists. It is the hope of the Association that the opportunity to meet
the Palestinians face to face in everyday situations will result in a
better understanding of the Palestinians and their plight. The group has
published the booklet “Mød Palæstinenserne” (“Meet the
Palestinians”(in Danish)) in cooperation with the Palestinian based
Alternative Tourism Group.
One or two times a year, Palestinian musicians or artist in invited to
cultural gatherings, which are attended by hundred Palestinians and
Danes
How to join us
The Danish Palestinian Friendship Association is an open and democratic
NGO. An elected executive committee takes care of daily management,
while the general meeting of all members, gathering once a year, is the
highest authority.
The association is member of the Danish United Nations Association and
The Association for international Cooperation, two leading NGO’s in
Denmark.
Everybody sympathizing with our purpose and program is welcome to join
us. For further information please call/e-mail/write…
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Dansk-Palæstinensisk
Venskabsforening
c/o Elsebeth Holm
Sødalen 15
2820 Gentofte
E-mail: danpal@danpal.dk |
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