We, the undersigned, are advocates, activists, artists, mobilizers, social workers, community leaders and educators from all over the world, united by our commitment and dedication to social and environmental justice. Our collective journey began through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), facilitated by the US Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs in February 2023, which focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.
As alumni of this program, we have gathered around those values to stand collectively in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle for liberation and to firmly condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza as well as Israeli aggression in the West Bank.
We feel responsible to speak the truth during these dark times. Otherwise, we would be ignoring our moral compass and the inherent collectiveness and intersectionality of our global struggles.
This declaration reflects our personal views as IVLP alumni and not those of countries, institutions, bodies or organizations we belong to.
We recognise the ongoing aggression on Gaza as the unmistakable perpetration of a genocide. From 7 October until 30 December 2023, Israel has killed 30,034 Palestinians, including 11,833 children. Moreover, 25,000 children have been made orphans, 164 health facilities targeted, 104 journalists killed, 167 press headquarters destroyed, 500 health care providers attacked and 316 schools damaged. Out of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, 1.9 million have been forcibly displaced [source: Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor]. Many Palestinians in Gaza are currently dying from infectious disease and starvation. Gaza now reminds us of the biggest concentration camp in the world.
We note the US government vetoing of the UN Security Council resolution on 8 December calling for a permanent ceasefire as well as its continued provision of funding and support for the actions of the Israeli state, and acknowledge this conduct as one enabling the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Furthermore, we recognize that the oppression of the Palestinian people has its roots in the relentless colonization of their land by the Israeli state. For over 75 years, Palestinians have been expelled from their homes and lands by settlers and the Israeli military. They have endured an illegal occupation which enforces an apartheid system, including the building of an apartheid wall in the West Bank, humiliating checkpoints and arbitrary imprisonment. Palestinians in the Gaza strip have been besieged by an illegal blockade for the past 17 years and suffered regular and prolonged attacks by the Israeli military.
We firmly believe that all people have a fundamental right to live in peace and with equal rights. It is this commitment that compels us to amplify the voice of the Palestinian people who have seen this fundamental right repeatedly and systematically denied.
We are convinced that the perpetuation of oppression and violence will not benefit anyone, whether Israelis or Palestinians, and that the deep wounds in which hatred festers will only start to heal once everyone’s rights are respected and everyone is able to live in peace.
We also acknowledge the interconnectedness of the different forms of oppression and thus believe in the interconnectedness of our struggles for freedom and equality. No one is free until we are all free. Our solidarity with Palestine is indivisible from our commitment to fight different forms of oppression, violence, discrimination and exploitation, and their manifestations in an intersectional context. Our vision of justice is transnational and non-selective, centered around dignity and liberation for all.
Based on the above commitment to justice for all, we call for :
Signatories