The Austrian NGO "Dar
al Janub - Union for Antiracism and Peace Policy" was founded in October
2003 by Austrian, Turkish and Arab students.
Its main goals are to push forward
the authentic understanding of the developments in the southern countries (so-called
"Third World Countries") and particularly with regard to the Arab World,
to inform the European public, about the humanitarian and political reality there,
and above all in Palestine.
Therefore the goal is to improve the relation
between Europe and the Arab world, by analysing and criticizing the colonial attitude
of Europe.
Regarding the European history of colonialism and the current relation
between Europe and the Arabic world, the association mainly focuses to overcome
this cleavage relation and create an atmosphere of real dialogue on equal eye-level.
We
consider as necessary to show the authentic viewpoint of the Palestinians in Europe.
The unconsciousness of the backgrounds and reasons about the conflict in Palestine,
the extent of the public desensitisation because of the warped and fragmentary
reporting and the medial underrepresented fate of the Palestinian People, especially
the Palestinian refugees induce a contradictory situation:
The European Union
appears currently as an international force, which is in principal also respected
as neutral and objective on the part of the Arabic side, but at the same time
there are big gaps within the European public and the European foreign policy
as for the knowledge of the Palestinian Society.
Dar al Janub sees its main
field of work to fill this gaps within the European society.
The developments
in Palestine are strongly influencing our work. Dar al Janub is trying with his
work to give a contribution to ensure and push forward the legitimate rights of
the Palestinians, especially the right for an independent state and the right
for return for the Palestinian refugees.
On the other side we also want to
give a contribution to the participation and political empowerment of immigrants
(mainly of Arab origin) in Austria.
The work of Dar al Janub includes a
broad spectrum:
Cooperation with other NGOs and institutions, conferences,
exhibitions, cultural events talking with and connecting politicians, decision
makers and scientists, launching petitions, publishing scientific analyses, writing
articles, publishing books and the journal "Perspektive Sued", sharing
manifestations,…
Examples
of Activities refering peace policy and the Arab world
April
2004
Aidun! Life and hope of the Palestinian refugees
Exhibition and conference in cooperation with the
Palestinian Immigrants Union in Vienna (Exhibition from pictures of refugee camps,
edited by Palestinian Return Center, London)
Guests among others:
Dr.
Helga Baumgarten - University of Birzeit
Dr. Arafat Madi, Palestinian Return
Center, London
Dr. Mahmoud Issa, Al-Awda-coalition, Denmark
May
2004
Manifestation remembering the anniversary of Al Nakba in
Vienna
June 2005
The
White House and its black dungeons -
Panel Discussion
about the systematically torture and violating international law in the worldwide
US-war
Guests:
Dr. Yvonne Schmidt - University
Graz
Dr. Leo Gabriel - Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, Vienna
Dr. Andrea Plaschke
- Psychologist, Klagenfurt
July
2005
The Arab World in the contradictions of present world policy
Orientalism,
Globalization and development in the Arab world
Shadows
over Lebanon
Dangers, Perspectives and the situation
of the Palestinian refugees
Seminars with Prof. Karam Khella
August
2005
Delegation to the Palestinian Refugee camps in Lebanon
in
Cooperation with the Palestinian Return Center, London.
Among others we met Sultan Abu Alaynen, representative
of PLO in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, representative of Hamas in Lebanon, Richard Cook,
Director of UNRWA in Lebanon, Quassam Aina, Beit Atfal Assumud, and Marwan Faris,
Member of Lebanese Parliament.
The experiences, photos and information have
been published through several presentation events in Vienna, Linz and Hamburg.
The articles and interviews of the delegation are collected in the German language
publication. "…and where is Palestine? A delegation
to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon" (ISBN: 3-9502184-0-8)
Related
Link: Palestinian Return Center (arabic)
(english)
March
2006
The Right on Water - the monopolization of water resources
as part of the dominance over the Arab World
with Dr.
Sahar Haridy (University Cairo) and Klaus Polkehn (Journalist), talking about
the water problem in Palestine
March
2006
"Damals im Heiligen Land" (Once upon a time in
the Holy Land)
Lecture of the book about Palestine
before Nakba by Klaus Pohlken (Berlin), writer of the book. In Cooperation with
the Society for Austrian Arab Relations (www.saar.at)
April
2006
Searching Palestine –
Continuity,
end or new beginning of the relations between the European Union and Palestine
after the governmental change
 |
Considering the authentic presentation of the present
political reality in Palestine and respecting the situation, the demands and the
rights of the Palestinian refugees is a must to define the responsibilities of
the European Union for an active and just peace and development policy regarding
the Palestinian people. In the frame of the democratic change of government in
Palestine in the conference the question was discussed which tasks the European
Union can take in the dialogue with the Palestinian Institutions, acknowledging
the rights of the Palestinians and therefore give a contribution to the stabilization
of the region and the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Guests:
MEP
Dr. Hannes Swoboda - Member of European Parliament
His excellency Dr. Zuhair
al Wazir - Ambassador of Palestine in Austria
Dr. Ali Ahmed Hweidi - Palestinian
Return Center
Mag. Gerhard Pulfer - Austrian Development Agency
Fritz Edlinger
- Society For Austrian Arab Relationship
Gleanings:
Report of the Symposium "Searching Palestine" (Palestinian Return Center) »
April
2006
Publication of the book in German language "…
und wo ist Palästina - Eine Reise in die Palästinensischen Flüchtlingslager
im Libanon?“("…and where is Palestine? A delegation
to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon"). Besides a detailed report
about the humanitarian and social situation of the Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon,
their political demands and hopes, “…und wo ist Palästina?”
contains interviews with political, scientific and social representatives of the
Palestinian Refugees and articles of experts on the topic.
April
2006-June 2007
Project “Palestine
– Development Behind Walls”, grant aided by
the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). The main aspect of this project is to picture
Palestine - the development inside Palestine and in the Palestinian Refugee camps,
the political and social aspects of the Palestinian question - within Austrian
society and show the authentic viewpoint of Palestinians to the European public.
November
2006
Colloquium “A
Society behind Bars – The Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Jails”
about
the humanitarian situation of Palestinian prisoners
December
2006
"Imagine Palestine …."
- presentation of Palestinian cities.
The idea of this
project is to give an impression about the historical, cultural, agricultural,
economical development in Palestine. The first represented city was Bethlehem,
a city with a special meaning for all world religions. During the presentation
of Bethlehem also the problem of the occupation and the building of the Wall was
exposed. Future planned city-presentations are Gaza and Ramallah.
March
2007
 |
Symposium „Bridges to Palestine” –
On the Humanitarian And Political Situation After The Imposed Sanctions On The
Palestinian People.
More than one year after the imposed
sanctions against Palestinian people the humanitarian situation in Palestine is
disastrous. The USA and European Union blocked all humanitarian aid and implemented
a collective punishment against all Palestinians because of their democratic choice.
While Israel continued its policy of occupation, committed humanitarian crimes,
killed innocent people the USA and European Union demanded at the same time to
recognize the politics of a state that is constantly breaking international law.
The continuation of the policy of boycott is targeting the Palestinian people
and undermines the institutions of civil society which stands by its side. Palestinians
still have hope that European Union will change its policy and pursue another
course than the USA. In the focus of the symposium "Bridges to Palestine"
were possible new perspectives and ways of development cooperation with the Palestinian
society, which should open new ways of dialogue between European Union and Palestine
and by this not letting the Palestinians be isolated behind walls.
Guests:
Dr.
Ali Hweidi - secretary general of the Palestinian NGO “Palestinian Organization
for the Right of Return”
Dr. Ahmed al Kord (via Telephone conference)
- Major of Deir al Balah, Gaza strip Dr. Helga Baumgarten - Professor of Political
Science in University of Birzeit Ramzy Baroud - Author, Editor of Palestine Chronicle,
member of Palestinian Return Center
Gleanings:
Report of the Symposium "Bridges to Palestine" »
In
addition Dar al Janub is organizing courses for German language for immigrants,
courses in Arab language, showing films, organizing cultural events and ceremonies,
which should push forward the participation of immigrants and the dialogue between
the different cultures living in Austria.
We are
pleased to answer any further questions about our NGO or to get in contact
Contact:
Dar
al Janub - Union for Antiracism and Peace Policy
Kleistgasse 8/3
A-1030
Vienna
Austria
+43 (0) 676 / 78-93-413
Website: www.dar-al-janub.net
e-mail:
union@dar-al-janub.net
