World Social Forum - January 20th-25th, 2007
BISAN CENTER participated in the world social forum that took place in Nairobi (Kenya) from January 20th to 25th, 2007. The aim of the forum was to provide an open space for individuals, civil society organizations and social movements from around the world to leverage their activities, campaigns and struggles to yield the best possible impact.
Up to 50,000 delegates from various non-governmental organizations and civil society groups attended the Seventh World Social Forum (WSF). The WEF venue brings together the World’s leading corporate and political elites to advocate such broad goals as "social justice, international solidarity, gender equality, peace and defense of the environment”. These themes were to be included in this year’s somewhat hectic program in Nairobi, Kenya.
Euro-Mediterranean Civil Forum - November 4th-7th, 2006
As a representative of civil society organization from the Euro-Mediterranean region, Bisan Center for Research and Development participated in the euro- Mediterranean civil forum from 4 to 7 November 2006 in Marrakech, Morocco; the forum was organized by the euromed Non-Governmental platform in co-operation with the euromed platform, with the financial support of the European commission and the Finnish presidency.
After the Luxembourg civil forum, which was the first forum that was fully organized by the euromed Non-Governmental Platform, and a year after the Barcelona +10 summit, which was the re-launching point for the Euro-Mediterranean process, the forum was organized for the first time, on the southern shore of the Mediterranean realizing hereby a strong expectation of the Euro-Mediterranean civil society.
The forum was considered an important meeting of euro-Mediterranean civil society; the responsibility of civil society in building a fair and sustainable peace in the region has therefore provided the general framework that guided the discussion. Aimed to bring out concrete proposals in order to materialize civil society stakeholders’ commitments to construct and strengthen a partnership consistent with the expectations and aspirations of the region's populations. More than 400 participants attended the forum representing civil society organizations from different countries.
Discussions focused on four main axes: Peace and conflict prevention, Democracy, Human rights and fundamental freedoms including gender equity, migration and mobility in the Euro-Mediterranean region and Sustainable development and citizen’s participation. The plenary session was about partnership and dialogue between cultures and people, followed by a thematic workshops dealing with the four axes from different aspects: values, general assessment, and concerned actors. In addition to the self conducted workshops under the titles of: gender and equality, freedom of movement for cultural actors, youth in the euro-Mediterranean space, and freedom of association.
Bisan Center aimed to present and focused, as a Palestinian NGO, the Difficulties that Faced Palestinian people, as well as civil society organizations, in Palestine due to the existence of occupation in all sessions and discussions organized during the forum period. To consider the fact the any talk about peace or democracy or even sustainable development, is worthless to be considered apart from occupation as a main obstacle.
The final declaration which came as a result of four days of long discussions that had taken place in the sessions and workshops includes a clear position regarding the situation in Palestine represented by the evident violation of the international law and UN resolutions from the Israeli army against civil populations. Also it’s condemned the EU decision to interfere with the Palestinian election results and its decision to suspend its financial support to the Palestinian authority. And therefore, demanded that the EU re-establishes without delays its financial support to the Palestinian Authority.
List of past conferences attended by Bisan Center: (non-exhaustive list)
- World Social Forum, Nairobi, Kenya. January 20th-25th, 2007.
- Euro-Mediterranean Civil Forum - November 4th-7th, 2006
- Arab Women’s NGO network Tunis 2002- 2003 - 2004
- Participated in experts on adolescence and youth to work on a youth training manual for the Arab World. Organized by CAWTA. Beirut 2004
- Children in the Mediterranean; Genoa 2003
- Palestinian Children working plan conference ; Ramallah 1999
- Women’s conferences: We organized the domestic violence conference oct 1999.
- Attended the Globalization and Gender; Tunis 1999
- Children’s rights conference; Nablous 1997
- NGO’s and refugees in the Middle East 1995 Amman
- Voice of NGO’s in Palestinen; Jerusalem 1995
- Arab NGO Network : NGO’s in a legal perspective; Beirut 1995
- Canadian and the Middle East building a suistanable partnership (Amman) 1995
- Canadian-Palestinian NGO’s networking and Partnership; Next step; Jerusalem 1995
- Geneva conference working group; Nablous 1994
- Palestinian NGO’s and development strategies; Jerusalem 1994
- Women’s and development conference; Nablus 1994
- We attended the Middle East Reconstruction Rehabilitation and Reconciliation in the Middle East; View from the civil society. 1993
- Political changes and the INGO’s role; Tantur Bethlehem 1993
- Women’s income generating project, future perspectives; Ramallah 1993
- The role of Women in the Media, particularly in ensuring adequate publicity and channeling of information to reach men, women and youth from all walks of life.
Organised by Research Centre for Women (ATRCW) Addis Ababa 1993
