Friends,
The Fellowship of Reconciliation has participated in creative peacemaking efforts in the Middle East for more than 30 years. FOR's Middle East Task Force continues that work today, utilizing educational resources, advocacy campaigns, solidarity initiatives, and people-to-people engagement among our tools toward building a just peace in the region. Here are several upcoming delegation opportunities to the Middle East led by FOR and FOR affiliate Interfaith Peace-Builders.
FOR Civilian Diplomacy Delegation to Iran
 The 12th Fellowship of Reconciliation civilian diplomacy delegation to Iran will depart on May 1. Leading the delegation will be the Rev. Sandra Mackie and Judy Bello, who have both participated in previous FOR delegations to Iran. Accompanying them are nine FOR members and supporters from New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Vermont.
The delegation will visit Tehran, the nation's political capital; Qom, the global capital of Shi'a Islam; Isfahan, the cultural capital; and Shiraz, the historical capital of ancient Persia. Participants will return to the U.S. on May 15.
July delegation to Iran looking for applicants
The 13th Fellowship of Reconciliation civilian diplomacy delegation is slated to travel between July 1 to 15.
If you are interested in being a part of the July delegation, please contact Leila Zand at (518) 831-9005 or lzand@forusa.org.
Call for Artists in FOR Delegation to Balata Refugee Camp, Palestine
Internationally renowned artist Lily Yeh and Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, founder of the Shomer Slalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence, will lead a Fellowship of Reconciliation delegation to Balata Refugee Camp, Sept. 6 to Oct. 3, 2011.
Lily Yeh will guide a group of artists, students, and teachers in a cooperative art project in the camp. The project aims to inspire participants to start their own projects and attract other volunteers, funding sources and new opportunities to Balata.
We are looking for artists in visual art, photography, and hip-hop, aged 25-35 with experience in Palestine solidarity work for this project. We are particularly interested in Arabic speakers. For more information, contact Rabbi Gottlieb at rabbilynn@earthlink.net.
Interfaith Peace-Builders Travels to Israel and Palestine
 Interfaith Peace-Builders, a partner organization of FOR (and former program of FOR), fosters a network of informed and active individuals who understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the United States’ political, military, and economic role in it. To build and nurture such a network, we lead diverse delegations to Israel/Palestine. IFPB is much more than a delegation program, but its four delegations each year are central to its advocacy and educational work.
"Voices of the Peacemakers" will explore Palestinian and Israeli efforts to achieve peace and a resolution to their conflict based on justice, May 21 to June 3. The delegation will feature meetings with Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers -- leaders of civil society groups, grassroots organizers, religious leaders and more. Led by Anna Baltzer, a national organizer at the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, and Adam Horowitz, co-editor of the book "The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict."
Spots still available in the July delegation, "Today's Realities, Tomorrow's Leaders"
This delegation will explore current realities of life for Israelis and Palestinians, including settlements, the occupation, and the peace process, by learning directly from those living there. Delegates will also explore issues relevant to young people in the region, including efforts to educate and empower future generations working towards a just resolution to the conflict. The itinerary will feature meetings with leaders of civil society groups, grassroots organizers, Palestinian and Israeli youth, religious leaders and more.
Led by Mohammed Abu-Nimer, who has just returned from Islamic Peacebuilding projects in Chad and Niger, and Emily Siegel, delegations coordinator at Interfaith Peace-Builders and a trained facilitator and dialogue leader.
The deadline to apply for the July IFPB delegation is late May -- or whenever it fills up, so apply today!
We hope you will join us in supporting the work of the FOR Middle East Task Force by participating in one of the above delegations, making a contribution, or spreading information about these events to your networks. Thank you!
Leila Zand
Director of Civilian Diplomacy and the Middle East
Fellowship of Reconciliation |
