ccun.org, June 5, 2007

A Report from the Host Committee

Despite attempts to silence our voices, The Fifth Annual International
Al-Awda Convention took place on the 59th anniversary of al-Nakba under the
theme "Uniting for the Return" at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Anaheim
California on May 25-27, 2007. The convention was dedicated to Palestinian
cartoonist martyr Naji el-Ali to mark the 20th anniversary of his
assassination. Hundreds of Palestinians and their supporters took part.
In the midst of the continued attacks on our people and the deteriorating
health conditions especially in the refugee camps and areas of Palestine
occupied since 1967, the renewed war against Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon, and the increasingly severe suffering of our people caught in the
US war against Iraq, Al-Awda members and supporters developed a number of
plans of action at the convention to carry us through in the lead up to the
60-year commemoration of the Nakba, and beyond. We have emerged from our
coming together united, stronger, and eager to carry out our work. The
convention reaffirmed its commitment to Al-Awda's mission, goals and points
of unity ( http://al-awda.org/pou.html )

Convention Opening

The convention opened on Friday May 25, 2007 with a meet and greet social
which included a light meal generously provided by the Palestinian
American Women's Association of Southern California.  This was followed by
powerful welcoming remarks by Alia Hasan on behalf of the host committee and
Rana Sharif on behalf of the students and youth. Dr. Jess Ghannam then
welcomed the attendees on behalf of Al-Awda's international coordinating
committee.

Nakba Commemoration

The welcoming speeches were followed by a captivating and moving Nakba
commemoration at which more than a dozen Nakba survivors from many towns and
villages in Palestine provided their personal accounts of what they
recalled happened to them in 1948. Several described how they were shot,
and others how they escaped attack and survived living as refugees in tents
made of bed sheets under trees for more than a year. Others spoke of the
horrors of the massacres they witnessed, and the attempts by Zionist terror
squads to intimidate and frighten Palestinians civilians to flee their
homeland. Introduction to the Nakba commemoration was provided by Dr Zahi
Damuni, co-founder of Al-Awda.

Opening Lectures

The Nakba commemoration set the stage for what followed during the rest of
the convention. In opening lectures on the morning of Saturday May 26, 2007,
Elias Rashmawi, member of the ANSWER National Steering Committee and
National Coordinator of the National Council of Arab Americans, spoke
eloquently about the political necessity of raising the right to return and
the general situation facing the Palestinian movement today. He also
highlighted the importance of protecting Al-Awda, the organization, from
corporate, Zionist and other attacks that it has been increasingly exposed
to. Nadia Keilani spoke about the devastating situation facing Iraq and its
people since the US invasion, and Leila Al-Arian spoke of her father's
political persecution and imprisonment by US authorities.

Workshops

The opening lectures were followed by a panel discussion that described
some of the ongoing projects in support of Palestinian refugees. Dr. Jess
Ghannam reported on the acute crisis in health care services and on several
projects to increase healthcare access. Muna Coobtie spoke on behalf of the
Palestinian American Women's Association about its important and sustained
refugee support activities in Palestine and Lebanon. Mahmoud Zubaidi
reported on the important activities of Al-Awda's West Coast Refugee Support
Committee including highlighting, worldwide, the atrocious conditions
under which Palestinians stranded on the borders with Iraq are currently
living. He also reported on some of the fundraising efforts that were
directed to help those stranded particularly in al-Waleed and
surrounding makeshift camps on the Iraqi side of the border,
which are very difficult to reach and where the situation is most
severe. The refugee support panel discussion was facilitated by Ruba Malley,
a coordinator of the West Coast Refugee Support Committee.

The Saturday afternoon sessions included a variety of other workshops. A
symposium for students led by Alia Hasan, Rana Sharif (UCLA) and Tarek
Husein of SJP at UCR emphasized the need for community members to become
more involved in supporting student activism for Palestine at local campuses
especially in light of the repression that such efforts face. Another
workshop led by Mahmud Ahmad on coalitions and building solidarity featured
Richard Becker of the ANSWER Coalition and John Parker of the
International Action Center. Becker and Parker each spoke about the success
their organizations have had in integrating the Palestinian right to return
into the anti-war movement. The connections between the struggles of the
Palestinian, Iraqi, and other peoples for freedom from occupation and
imperialist domination were highlighted.

Other workshops for the return included ones that dealt with institutional
organizing, media, writers and artists, and boycotts, divestment and
sanctions. The institutional organizing for the return workshop included
presentations by Bianca Shana'a who traveled from France to take part in the
convention, Rhoda Shapiro from Halifax Nova Scotia in Canada, and Dr. Zahi
Damuni from Al-Awda San Diego. The discussions focused on different ways to
further professionalise our work nationally and internationally and to
identify priorities including through further development of the Al-Awda
Center in San Diego.

The media for the return workshop was led by Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb assisted by
Mona Kadah and included presentations by Ed Sweed and Andy Trimlett of
Alternate Focus.  This workshop focused on ways to expand and
professionalise our media work also through further development of the
Al-Awda Center in San Diego. The Artists and Writers for the return
workshops included presentations by Dr. John Halaka and Nader Abuljebain and
dealt with identifying ways by which the Palestinian right to return could
be highlighted in various forms of art expression and writing.

The boycotts, divestment and sanctions workshop included presentations by
Charlotte Kates of Al-Awda NY and New Jersey Solidarity, Yael Korin of
Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid and Yousef Abuddayeh of the National
Council of Arab Americans and Al-Awda San Diego. The workshop discussions
focused on various ways to develop and implement boycotts, divestment and
sanctions as productive forms of activism for the return.

Film Screenings

Several films were also screened during the Saturday of the convention
including "US vs Al-Arian", "Nowhere to Flee", "One Year of Peaceful
Resistance Against the Wall in Billin" and "Occupation 101".  The film
"Occupation 101" was introduced by its makers Abdallah and Sufian Omeish.
The film screenings were managed by Freddie Santistevan.

Palestinian Cultural Event

The convention continued on Saturday evening with an exceptional event
celebrating Palestinian culture. The masters of ceremony were Samera Sood
and Nader Abuljebain. The event featured speakers and musicians highlighting
the rich Palestinian cultural heritage. It also included an exhibition of
thirty cartoons by martyr Naji el-Ali. One of the keynote speakers, author
and professor, Dr. Naseer Aruri, explained Israel's role as a regional
watchdog for US imperialist interests. The other keynote speaker, Dr. Jamal
Zahalka, a Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset, presented facts
clearly debunking the myth of "Israeli democracy". He also spoke about the
case of his comrade Dr. Azmi Bishara who is being persecuted by the Zionist
state for his effective advocacy for Palestinian rights.

The cultural festivities on Saturday night also included an outstanding
performance by world renowned violinist and maestro Dr. Nabil Azzam, who
led his orchestra and singers Manal Rifa'i and Ahmad Al-Asmar in patriotic
songs that the attendees joined in. Fundraising at the event was to support
Al-Awda's ongoing work such as the efforts to develop a Palestine
Media Center.

If you wish to donate to help with these important projects,
please go to http://al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the instructions.
Pictures from the Palestinian Cultural Event may be viewed at
http://al-awda.org/convention5/photos/photos.html

Convention Conclusion

On Sunday morning, May 27, 2007, Dr. Zahi Damuni provided a detailed account
of what led to the change of venue from UCR. This was followed by a report
by Yousef Abuddayeh and Dr. Jess Ghannam on a recent meeting of
Palestinians that took place in Beirut. These reports were followed by some
discussion including those of the best strategies to pursue.

Immediately after these discussions, a representative from each workshop,
that took place the previous day, provided a report of the discussions and
recommendations of their workshop. Some of the highly significant decisions
that were adopted by the convention included developing further Al-Awda's
Center in San Diego to include a Palestine Media Center and a
Palestine focused library.

Among other resolutions, the convention also expressed its support for Dr.
Azmi Bishara. The text of this resolution is as follows:

"Al Awda expresses its support with our brother Dr. Azmi Bishara. We stand
shoulder to shoulder with him and our people in historic Palestine in their
struggle against discrimination, persecution, apartheid and all violations
of their political and national rights."

The convention also recommended the development of actions on
and around June 20, 2007 to coincide with World Refugee Day to remind the
public of the plight of Palestinian refugees as the largest
and longest suffering refugee population in the world today.

The Host Committee

The Host Committee of the Fifth Annual International Al-Awda Convention
included Al-Awda's chapters in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside,
The Palestinian American Women's Association, The Free Palestine Alliance -
Southern California, The National Council of Arab-Americans - Southern
California, Students for Justice in Palestine at UCR, The Muslim Students
Association at Palomar College, The Muslim Students Association at UCSD,
Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA, The Middle East Cultural and
Information Center - San Diego, The Muslim Students Union at UCR, The Arab
Community Center of the Inland Empire, The Campaign to End Israeli
Apartheid - Southern California, Students for International Knowledge at
CSUSB, and The Muslim Students Association at CSUSB.

We thank all who supported and took part in the landmark convention we
hosted. Our work for the Fifth Annual International Al-Awda convention
was the first stepping stone in the many events we have planned leading up
to the 60th commemoration of the Nakba.  We invite all who support the work
of Al-Awda to join us at the next annual convention.


The Fifth Convention Host Committee
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is the largest
network of grassroots activists and students dedicated to Palestinian human
rights. We are a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable
501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of
the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC
are tax-deductible.