Press Release
For further information, please contact:
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, Nora Carmi, Liz Peel
ph: 532-7136; 058 677470; fax: 532-7137
email: sabeel@sabeel.org
website: www.sabeel.org
East Jerusalem - More than 250 participants from 21 countries are expected to attend the fourth international Sabeel conference held this year in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem under the title "Speaking Truth, Seeking Justice."
The international participants will be joined by local Palestinian Christians in one of the most important international acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people since the beginning of Al Aqsa Intifada. Participants are expected to visit with victims of Israeli aggression and march in peace rallies in Bethlehem and Ramallah as well as a candle-light vigil at four gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, President of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, explains that this year's conference has been changed because of the events since last September. "We want to show the world that part of our Christian faith is to speak the truth and to seek justice. To do that we will not limit our conference to the walls of the conference hall, but we intend to go out and meet the people to show Christian solidarity with them in their time of trouble."
In addition to the rallies, the participants will listen to talks by Palestinian officials, Palestinian, Israeli & international human rights activists, as well as theologians, including a leading South African Muslim theologian.
Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians, which seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to act for justice and love. Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns. It encourages individuals and groups from around the world to work for a just, comprehensive, and enduring peace informed by truth and empowered by prayer and action. The word "sabeel" is Arabic for "the way" and also a "channel" or "spring" of life-giving water.
Below are details of the speakers and the conference agenda.
Speakers:
(Note: If you need more biographical information about anyone, please let us know.)
Yasser Abed Rabbo, Minister of Culture and Information, PNA
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, Founder and President of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center
Dr. Hisham Awartani, Prof. of Economics, An-Najah Univ., Nablus; Director of the Center for Private Sector Development; former member of the Palestinian negotiating team on economic relations with Israel
Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Director of the Health Development Information and Policy Institute; President of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees
Ms. Roni Ben Efrat, editor of the Israeli magazine, Challenge
Dr. Azmi Bishara, a Palestinian Member of the Israeli Knesset
Dr .Farid Esack, South African Muslim Liberation Theologian and Quranic Scholar; lecturer and political and socio-economic columnist for several South African newspapers and Muslim quarterlies
Ms. Amira Hass, Israeli journalist for Ha'aretz
Prof. Roger Heacock, University Professor and Director of the Graduate Institute of International Studies at Birzeit Univ.
Dr. Jad Isaac, General Director, Applied Research Institute, (ARIJ), Bethlehem
The Rev. Dr. Rafiq Khoury, author, Director of Religious Studies in the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem
Mrs. Eileen Kuttab, Women's Study Center, Birzeit University
Mr. Jonathan Kuttab, Palestinian human rights lawyer; Co-Founder of Al-Haq (Law in the Service of Man) and the Mandela Institute for Political Prisoners; member of both the New York and Israeli Bar Associations; board member of Sabeel
Ambassador Clovis Maksoud, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Center for the Global South at American Univ., Washington, D.C. (through video)
Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine in Washington, D.C. and leader of the Call to Renewal
Dr. Jamal Zahalqa, Palestinian Israeli professor and member of the National Democratic Assembly
What's Different
Given the fact that travel for Palestinians is more restricted than usual, due to the increased resistance to the occupation and the heightened oppression, the previously planned conference in Bethlehem has been changed to an assembly that will gather in Jerusalem, and travel to Bethlehem and Ramallah and the surrounding villages. In each location there will be opportunities for the international participants to learn first-hand what has been happening, hear from Palestinian spokespersons, and take action in solidarity with Palestinians. Arab and Jewish Israelis supportive of ending the occupation will also speak.
Sabeel's Alternative Assembly
Speaking Truth, Seeking Justice
21-24 February, 2001
Jesus said: "I tell you, if these keep silent, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40)
The following is the proposed program for the Alternative Assembly. You will notice that field trips have been planned for 21, 22 and 24 February. These field trips will take participants to witness what has happened in the past 4 months, will provide an opportunity to hear people's stories, to see bypass roads, settlements and homes that have been shelled, to visit hospitals and martyrs' homes. It is also an opportunity to show solidarity.
Due to the precarious political situation, we are advising the participants to be flexible for any possible changes in the program. We have alternative programs in case the following is not possible.
* Indicates that this will take place at the Notre Dame Conference site, Jerusalem.
Tuesday, 20 February, 2001
| 4:00 - 8:00 | Early registration in hotels |
Wednesday, 21 February, 2001 - Day One: To Ramallah
| 8:00 - 9:00 | *Registration | |
| 9:00 - 10:45 | *Opening Session - The Cry of the Intifada | |
| 12:30 - 1:30 | Lunch in al-Bireh and Ramallah | |
| 1:30 - 3:00 | Visits in the Ramallah and al-Bireh area | |
| 3:00 - 4:30 | Political Update Ziad Abu 'Amr Mustafa Barghouti |
|
| 4:30 - 5:30 | Solidarity Rally in Ramallah | |
| 6:30 - 8:00 | Dinner at hotels in Jerusalem | |
| 8:00 - 10:00 | *Evening Presentation: The Current Uprising: A Call to the World's Peoples in the Era of Globalization Roger Heacock Clovis Maksoud (via video) |
Thursday, 22 February, 2001 - Day Two: Witness and Solidarity Visits
| 8:30 - 9:00 | *Theological reflection - "Speaking Truth" Rafiq Khoury | |
| 9:00 - 10:00 | *Environmental Structures of Domination - map presentation Jad Isaac |
|
| 10:00 - 4:00 | Witness and solidarity visits to West Bank towns and villages | |
| 4:30 - 6:00 | *Tools for advocacy
Jim Wallis |
|
| 6:00 - 7:00 | Candlelight Vigils | |
| 8:00 - 10:15 | *Evening Presentation: The Zionist Ideology of Domination vs. the Reign of God Naim Ateek |
Friday, 23 February, 2001 - Day 3: In Jerusalem
| 8:30 - 9:00 | *Theological reflection "Seeking Justice" Cedar Duaybis Sandra Olewine | |
| 9:00 - 10:30 | *Session 1: Political Structures of Domination Jamal Zahalqa Roni Ben Efrat |
|
| 11:15 - 12:45 | *Session 2: Economic and Legal Structures of Domination Hisham Awartani Jonathan Kuttab |
|
| 2:30 - 4:00 | *Session 3: Social and Cultural Structures of Domination Eileen Kuttab Amira Haas |
|
| 4:30 - 6:30 | *Regional Advocacy Meetings | |
| 8:00 - 10:15 | *Evening Presentatation: Countering Apartheid Farid Esack Azmi Bishara |
Saturday, 24 February, 2001 - Day Four: To Bethlehem
| 8:15 | Leave to Bethlehem area | |
| 9:30 - 11:00 | Slide Presentation Ghassan Andoni |
|
| 11:00 - 1:30 | Tours and visits in Bethlehem area | |
| 1:30 - 2:30 | Lunch in Bethlehem and Beit Jala | |
| 2:30 - 4:30 | Justice March in Bethlehem |
|
| 8:00 - 9:00 | *Closing Worship Service | |
| 9:00 - 10:00 | *Farewell |
February 25 and 26, 2001 - Post Assembly Tours