Seeking Mandela: Peace, Justice and Equal Rights for Palestinians

SPHR 2010 National Conference

Start Time: Friday, May 7, 2010 at 6:30pm
End Time: Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 4:30pm
Location: Vancouver, BC

Featuring keynote speakers Kogila Moodley and Heribert Adam
Authors of the book Seeking Mandela: Peacemaking between Israelis and Palestinians

Keynote Address: May 7th, 2010 at 6:30 PM.
Admission: Minimum $10 dollar donation.
Location: University of British Columbia, Wood 2

Conference Registration fee is $25 including admission to the Keynote event.
Register here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDJUNncxWE5uQXhHYUhQQm1rY0hIOEE6MQ

Schedule – Saturday 8-May- 2010

  • 10:00 am – Introductions
  • 12:00 pm – Lunch
  • 1: 00 pm – BDS
  • 3:00 pm – Communications
  • 4:30 pm – CPCCA and Anti-Semitism

Schedule – Sunday 9-May- 2010

  • 10:00 am – Interactive Hostility Workshop
  • 12:00 pm – Lunch
  • 1: 00 pm – SPHR Board Meetings and Elections
  • 4:00 pm – Closing Remarks

Facebook Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=109549899081227&ref=ts

May 8th Workshops:

Boycott, Divestment and Sanction: Political, Economic, Cultural and Educational
The BDS movement have been gain great momentum for the past decade. Many successes have been achieved on all fronts (political, economic, cultural and educational). From unions in Canada and South Africa, to educational institutions in the United States and companies and banks in Europe. This workshop will focus on the importance of the BDS movement as a tool to affect a change in the solidarity movement and pressure government to under the gravity of Palestinian human violations under the hands of the Israeli Apartheid regime.
Speakers: Hanna Kawas (Chairperson of the Canada Palestine Association), Mike Krebs (Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign) and Sid Shniad (Independent Jewish Voices).

Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Room 155

Opening new lines of with university administrations and Politicians
SPHR at UBC has been very successful in deal with the university administration. This communication is very important and provides an atmosphere of cooperation whereby Palestinian human rights can be reported without feeling alienated or censored. This workshop will focus on how UBC was able to work with the administration and how this could be replicated in other campuses in Canada.
Speakers: Libby Davies (Member of Parliament for Vancouver East)
Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Room 155

Anti-Semitism and Israeli Apartheid Week:
Israeli Apartheid Week has received a lot of criticism from various groups and politicians who would like to stifle free speech and the promotion of Palestinian Human Rights. Working towards this end, a few politicians (succumbing to pressure from the notorious Israel lobby in Canada) formed the Canadian Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism in a quest to make illegal the work of SPHR and Palestinian solidarity groups in Canada under the cloak of fighting anti-Semitism. This workshop will address this and will place Israeli Apartheid Week within its proper context to demonstrate that Israeli is indeed an Apartheid state and criticizing it does not constitute anti-Semitism.
Speakers: Mordecai Breimberg and Brian Campbell
Location: Irving k. Barber Learning Centre Room 155

May 9th Workshops:

How to deal with hostility on campus?
Hostility against Palestinian solidarity groups on Canadian campuses have been increasing in the past few years. They range from accusing activists of being anti-Semites, to aggravating and provoking activists, and could reach physical assault. Campuses are a place where constructive dialogue is supposed to occur. This workshop is going to focus on this phenomenon and address methods on how to deal with dissenters and those who oppose the Palestinian solidarity work.
Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Room 155