‘BDS – Driving Global Justice for Palestine’
University of Sydney – 28-29 July, 2017.
The Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, Sydney University Staff for BDS, and a range of pro-Palestinian organisations including the Australia Palestine Advocacy network (APAN) are calling on supporters of Palestine justice, both activists and researchers, to participate in a two-day conference, ‘BDS – Driving Global Justice for Palestine’, which will be held at the University of Sydney on 28-29 July, 2017.
The recent UN Security Council resolution declaring Israeli settlements in ‘flagrant violation’ of international law and calling for a halt to all settlement activity, followed by Israel’s retrospective legalisation of thousands of settlements on stolen Palestinian land, acutely raises the question of what steps can be taken to promote justice, along with genuine peace, in the region.
In line with the call from Palestinian civil society for boycott, divestment and sanctions, this conference, held to mark the centenary of the Balfour declaration and the 50th anniversary of Israel’s 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, will analyse the current politics of BDS in Australia and abroad, reflect on previous BDS activity, and contribute to greater public understanding of the BDS campaign.
Contributions are invited from activists and researchers on any topic related to these themes, including but not limited to
- reflections on BDS campaigning in the Asia-Pacific and elsewhere so far: lessons learnt and analysis of current prospects;
- successes in BDS campaigning internationally;
- planning for BDS campaigning into the future: ideas and possibilities, proposals for action;
- sources of BDS solidarity: unions, churches, etc.;
- responding to issues around BDS : anti-Semitism, freedom of speech, peace, etc.;
- legal attacks on BDS.
Proposals for twenty-minute presentations (maximum 200 words) should be sent to jake.lynch@sydney.edu.au and nick.riemer@sydney.edu.au by June 1, 2017. Academic proposals will be peer-reviewed. See here for the conference announcement from the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies.
Download the conference poster here.
Twitter: @bdssyd17
