Twinning Info. / Visit reports

Communities and campaigns twinned with Palestinian villages often visit to find out more and help out locally.

Reports from recent delegations not only let everyone know what you encountered whilst there but provide ideas and inspiration to other groups.

We are now in a position to allow delegations to keep a diary whilst there updating through a web browser and even to upload photographs.

Please make sure you contact us before you go and we will show you how the system works.

Some of the aims groups have (from the questionnaire). Feedback from the Palestinians

- Birmingham to Ramallah

- Brighton to Tubas / Jordan Valley (April '06)

- Bristol to Marda (November '06)

- Bucks & Berks to Wadi Fuqeen

- Camden to Abu Dis (April '05)

- Cheltenham to Bethlehem (February '06)

- Chester to Jericho

- Dundee to Nablus

- Exeter to Hebron

- Falkirk to Jayouse

- Glasgow to Bethlehem

- Godalming with Beit Sahour

- Hackney to Beit Surik (November '05 / April '06)

- Haringay to Aizaria (November '05)

- Leeds to Hebron (April '06)

- Leicester to Bethlehem

- Luton to Battir (April '06)

- Manchester to Gaza

- Newcastle to Qalqilya

- Nottingham to Jenin

- Oxford to Ramallah

- Pendle to Beit Leed (April 2007)

- Preston to Nablus 2004

- Sheffield to Gaza

- South East London to Beit Furik (October '06)

- Stirling University to Beir Zeit University (July '06)

- Tower Hamlets to Jenin

- Watford to Salfeet

Some of the aims groups have told us they support

- practical help and support to the Palestinian community of Jayouse through ongoing fundraising, eye witness

To develop grass roots links between organisations and individuals in Birmingham and Ramallah and

- to campaign to twin the two cities at city level.

- grassroots links between groups and individuals to build solidarity

- educational, cultural, humanitarian

- To facilitate as many friendship links between schools, mosques, universities etc. with a view in the long term to developing a formal link; also exchange visits

- Help them in whatever way possible

- spread awareness of Palestinians' story and advance justice for them

- support projects in Battir and to organise delegations to and from Battir

- practical solidarity

- raise awareness of the situation, build links, organise visits to and from Pal

- to assist the villagers in their plans and endeavours and raise the village's profile in the UK

- Charity status, promote formal twinning

- To raise profile and make meaningful contacts throughout groups, organisations, individuals etc. in

- Tower Hamlets with people and organisations in Jenin, to develop projects together

- Recognise Palestinian suffering and support Palestinian resistance to injustice.

- Break the social and physical isolation of Palestinian communities.

- Draw attention to the Human Rights situation in Palestine to the people in the United Kingdom, and work with others locally to do something about it.

- Enable Palestinian residents to speak for themselves to the outside world, with the help of friends and supporters outside.

- Raise consciousness about the situation in Palestine and twinned communities in particular.

- Include as many people as we can in our activities, welcoming supporters from different political groups, religions and community groups.

- Enhance the campaigns and work with other Palestinian Solidarity movements.

- CADFA’s objects are to promote human rights (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations) and respect for international humanitarian law in the area of Abu Dis, a region of Palestine, by all or any of the following means:

• Raising awareness of human rights and humanitarian issues relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in general and to the situation of Abu Dis in particular;

• Researching and monitoring abuses of human rights and infringements of humanitarian law in Abu Dis;

• Educating the public about human rights and humanitarian law;

• Promoting public support for human rights and the observance of humanitarian law;

• Working to eliminate abuses of human rights and infringements of humanitarian law in Abu Dis;

• Working to obtain and promote redress for the victims of human rights abuses and infringements of humanitarian law in Abu Dis and their families;

• Providing support to and relieving need among the victims of human rights abuses and infringements of humanitarian law and their families, in Abu Dis.

From the Palestinians

Through cooperation and practical participation work towards better and greater understanding to our cultural heritages and societies virtues, values and needs.

Promoting formal and informal contacts with our communities is indeed a unique form of friendship and solidarity.

Benefits of twinning to both the British and the Palestinian sides - update and keep posted partners regarding any development in the social, political and educational areas.

Recognise the human resource potential as the most important.

View twinning groups as for solidarity not primarily as donors.