Today, the West Bank students are travelling, the Gaza students are waiting, and Nisreen from Gaza, who has only one hand, cannot get her visa at the same time as the others because she has cannot provide ten fingerprints  ... 

Note, she has not been refused a visa, but cannot get one in time owing to the biometric system and the way it is operated and basically because of the isolation of Gaza .... We are very upset about this; owing to the timing, we are not hopeful that she can come with the others (if they come now as we hope). However we do promise to highlight this case and challenge the system. We hope that Nisreen's visa can be sorted by the time of our next youth visit (women at end of Feb/ early March)

The photos here are of Nisreen, since her childhood, taking part in events at Afaq Jadeed centre in Gaza.

Press release 23^rd January 2014

·          West Bankers travel but students from Gaza not certain to join ‘CADFA Winter Olympics’ student exchange in UK

·          Girl with one hand unable to get British entry visa as she cannot provide ten fingerprints

·          Ten days of Palestinian-UK youth cultural exchange about to begin

Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association’s exciting student exchange, ‘CADFA Winter Olympics’ is about to begin ten days of workshops, university visits, sports and cultural exchange in the Peak District and In London. But the Gaza participants may be late and the a girl who lost her hand has been unable to get her British visa along with her group.

Nine university students and a leader from the West Bank are already on their way to Britain and students from the UK excitedly preparing to meet them at a residential in the Peak District.

The other nine members of the delegation are from Gaza and waiting still for the chance to exit the Gaza Strip via the crossing point to Egypt, Rafah.  The border is open for short times and thousands queuing. CADFA has written letters to policy makers in the UK and in Egypt to try to secure their exit.  Hundreds have signed a petition in their support:

petitions24.com/let_the_gaza_students_travel

The delegation are really shocked that Nisreen Muhareb, aged 18, who has only one hand, has been unable to get a British visa as she cannot provide ten fingerprints. The isolation of Gaza has meant that no one can over-ride the biometric machine in the British Consulate and the Amman Embassy cannot authorise the visa.

“In Britain, access issues for people with disabilities are rightly very important” said Nandita Dowson, Director of CADFA: “We are outraged to find that British procedures are discriminating against Nisreen because she has lost a hand.”.

“Is this the right way to deal with a young student with special needs?” writes Dr Mona Al Farrah from Gaza, “Does bureaucracy come above humanity?”

The disappointment of Nisreen and the nail-biting wait of the other Gaza students are due to the isolation of Gaza. Over one and a half million people live in a tiny space encircled by Israel with only two ways out – Erez crossing to Israel (most people cannot go that way) and Rafah crossing to Egypt, which is frequently closed and subject to many travel restrictions.

The isolation of Gaza contributed to the difficult medical situation where Nisreen lost her hand as a child, to the way the British visa system works in Gaza and to the concern that the Gaza participants may not make it to the CADFA event.

The CADFA student exchange programme will include many public events and discussions so there is a good chance to meet the students if they can get here. Universities are organising events; there is a spoken word event in Brixton next Thursday, Raast are playing in King’s Cross on Friday; and on Saturday CADFA are organising a conference at UCL London on student twinning with Palestine.

The need to end the isolation of Gaza will be high on the agenda as will be the case of Nisreen, even if her colleagues manage to make it.

More information from contact@camdenabudis.net / Nandita Dowson 07791536620

Project description here

www.camdenabudis.net/cadfawinterolympics.html

Project blog here maantogether2014.blogspot.co.uk

List of events during the student visit here https://www.dropbox.com/s/aoaqtbp0nf02cxu/public%20events.docx

Gaza students petition here

 petitions24.com/let_the_gaza_students_travel

New friends from Gaza - We're looking forward to meeting YOU!

Above some pictures from a meeting today of the Palestinian visitors from Gaza. We are all hoping that they can get out of Gaza and working on it very hard, talking to everyone we can, writing to everyone we can. They are also talking to everyone they can, hoping to come.

Here is the text of a petition we have written - If you haven't signed this yet, and the Gazans are not yet out of Gaza, please do sign it.

http://www.petitions24.com/let_the_gaza_students_travel

Nine young visitors from Gaza who are planning to set out this week from Gaza to the UK to join a Youth in Action visit for ten days. The visit begins on 23rd January and they are planning to travel from Gaza on 21st Jan.

The border to Eygpt at Rafah is currently often closed and it is very uncertain that without special help, these young people will be able to join the project.

Living in Gaza, they are trapped - the Gaza Strip is surrounded by Israel and there are two ways out. The airport was bombed by Israel about ten years ago. There is no way out by sea (although they are by the coast). One way out, Erez, goes via Israel and almost no one can go through. The other way out, Rafah, goes via Egypt, and we are HOPING that it is possible for them to go this way, but it is difficult because it is often closed.

ALL people in Gaza need to be able to MOVE - they need an end to the siege on all aspects of their lives - but right now we are concentrating on the nine visitors - Is it possible for them to get a pass so that when the border opens, they can travel? They need to get a flight to London on 23^rd January.

Please sign this petition to add your name to the request for help that CADFA is taking  now to the Egyptians, the Israelis - and to our representatives from Britain who can also add pressure.

More information on the student project is here -  www.camdenabudis.net/cadfawinterolympics.html

The blog for the student visit is here: maantogether.blogspot.co.uk

If you are in Britain, come and join the public events.

Thank you for your help.

Preparing for the coming visit

(this was from an EVS volunteer in Palestine, who works at Dar Assadaqa community centre. Written on 19th January 2014)

Dar Assadaqa Meetings and More!

 Yesterday, Dar Assadaqa was packed with excited folk from the forthcoming student and womens' visits.

Rob working with a student on his presentation

  The people going on the student visit (arriving in London on the 27^th January) discovered more about what they will be doing on their trip to London and were also given time to talk together and with us about the presentations they will do in London at local schools and events. From our conversations with them we believe they really benefited from the day and we also got a chance to see how dedicated they all were at making sure the presentations were great. Some of them have even decided to come back to Dar Assadaqa everyday until their trip just to make sure the presentations are the best they can be and that gives us real optimism that all those who see them are in for a real treat. In general, there was a real buzz within the group as their excitement and expectation for the trip built throughout which was really great to see.

Why do you want to be involved? - by the Palestinian students

Why do you want to take part in this project?

Because I want to qain experience and qet know new people

I want to be in it because I'm a Palestinian athlete who wants to tell the world about how sports in Palestine are . In addition, I want to improve myself to be able to make sports better in Palestine . I also want to play my sports outside Palestine  

friendships, sport, to know more about the British people

to know more about the culture of other countries, to make more friends from different countries

To get new experiences

I will gain new experience and new skills, also brilliant opportunity to communicate with British people.

It will improve my skills during a cultural exchange.

Travelling outside is something I am keen to do, and it will be useful for this project to bring back some experience and information to my people in Gaza who are under siege about the other side.

To gain an experience in getting to know people  and other cultures and to help people love sports and give them what I  know about sports

to know more about other cultures and to try to make twinning with some of the people who joined Dar Assadaqa, to visit London and know more about its famous places, to give the right image about the Palestinian people and their suffering under occupation

I think it encourages the spirit of cooperative team work and the communication with other societies and so on

cultural exchange and learn about different cultures

Public events during the CADFA Winter Olympics exchange

 There are four public events happening in London for the final part of the CAFDA student exchange project. Here is the CAFDA facebook page where you'll find all the info. >>>>> https://www.facebook.com/camdenabudisfriendshipassociation

(1) Education under Occupation:  University College London, room details and time to follow.

(2) Spoken word event in Brixton (with food) on 30th Jan. https://www.facebook.com/events/642361532472926/

(3) Music (RAAST) and food in King's Cross on Friday 31st Jan https://www.facebook.com/events/342065495932414/?fref=ts

(4) Students twinning with Palestine conference Saturday 1st Feb https://www.facebook.com/events/1410731572504986/

(5) Sports events being finalised.... Look out for details!

If you are free on any of those days, don't hesitate to come along! These are amazing opportunities to learn, speak first hand to Palestinian students and to HAVE FUN!!

Hopes from the project - from some of the UK participants

I hope to meet new people, learn about a different culture and way of life and learn about Palestine from an insiders perspective. I hope to speak with the visiting students to get a first hand view of things on the ground rather than constantly reading opinion pieces and news from mainstream outlets,

I would like to further develop my understanding of Palestine - not just in relation to the conflict, but in relation to Palestine as the rich, beautiful land it was before all of this happened.  I'd like to learn as much sd possible from these students about Palestine because I'm so genuinely interested in the area - the culture, the day-to-day life, but most importantly how we can productively, positively and peacefully collaborate to help Palestinians of all ages. I hope to make lasting friendships with the Palestinians I meet. It's my dream to visit Palestine one day, and the people I meet here may just help me to realise such a dream.

My aim is to come out with a better understanding of what the Palestinian people think about the conflict that has caused life long struggle for them and generations before them. Want to know what they think can be done to stop such a struggle. To find out their hopes is another one. I realise that this event is a very rare opportunity and that is why I really hope that I can be a part of it. I will do everything I can to have a positive impact on the event. I will learn as much as possible about the Palestinian people, culture and the unwanted conflict they are facing.

It sounds like a great experience to be able to share and gain knowledge of people from a different place. It's a learning experience which can be taken into the wider world

I would like to show Palestinians around the UK and be a good host.

Wanting the Gaza students to come!!!!!

We're fully expecting our West Bank friends to arrive later this week, but things are more and more difficult at the Rafah crossing out of Gaza into Egypt and there are no promises that our Gazan friends will be able to get here.  

Please 'like' this page and  share it. Please sign the petition and share it

https://www.facebook.com/maantogether2014

All of our friends in Gaza, we're hoping to see you.....

Advance notice of the student twinning conference...

• • Saturday, 1 February 2014
  • 

    14:00

• UCL Bloomsbury Building, 15 Gordon St WC1HOAH

• Does your university twin with a Palestinian university? Would it be a good idea? What does it mean? Hear Palestinian students from the West Bank and Gaza explore the reasons for student twinning. Workshops with students from universities across Britain to discuss the pros and cons and practicalities. This is the final event of the CADFA students' visit from Palestine - see visit information on the blog maantogether.blogspot.co.uk. This is also an opportunity to discuss future joint activities in both Britain and Palestine. For UK students wanting to participate in the proiject as a whole, please leave your details here: http://bit.ly/1ahvCDN  and we'll be in touch!

Public events during the Palestinian students' visit

include...
Thursday 30th January...  

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=699644583401453&set=a.274364305929485.70532.267060239993225&type=1&theater

and 
Friday 31st January

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202796111206897&set=gm.342088579263439&type=1&theater

and Saturday 1st February
Student twinning workshop, venue being organised.

Another CADFA student project with Palestinian and UK students January to February 2014

We've decided to use the same blog for the next student project... We want everyone involved in the project to know a bit about the history of the student links and this means that you can look back at the Maan project of June 2013.

Don't think that it started there! CADFA have been working with student groups for many years now, helping to facilitate student twinning links. We have had students involved in our visits since 2005 and the first student visit was 2008.

In 2011, we ran the Look at our Lives project... look out for the book which we made then:

Following the Maan Together project, we worked with the Palestinian Youth Union on an exchange to Palestine, 'Palestine in a Week' in September 2013.

Our volunteers are working with university students in Britain and Palestine to help people keep the communication going.

Now we are getting going on the CADFA Winter Olympics project which is involving students from the West Bank and Gaza and northern England and London. Here is the project description in English and in Arabic.

http://www.camdenabudis.net/CADFAWINTEROLYMPICS.html