Proposed Social Work trip to Palestine April 2019
Palestine UK Social Work Network (PALUK)
This Network was conceived following the launch of the Global Development Agenda for Social Work, which was launched at the 2010 Biennial IFSW Global Conference.
Under the auspices of this agenda we have sought to develop effective peer-to-peer social work relationships, between Palestinian practitioners and UK based practitioners.
In 2019 we are eager to renew our commitment to the network. Our colleagues have continued to conduct their professional practice under the ongoing duress of occupation, and at considerable personal and professional risk. Over and above the daily restrictions of movement and harassment at checkpoints, several of our colleagues have either been killed through military actions, have been imprisoned or have had their family members arrested and imprisoned.
We are eager to continue to engage with our Palestinian colleagues. Whilst we have sought to continue to raise awareness about our understanding of their situation here in the UK, we would like to continue to be relevant partners to our colleagues. It is clear that the publicity generated here in the UK regarding the arrest and detention of a prominent social worker has helped to raise global awareness, and as such, has been valued by Palestinian colleagues.
PALUK successfully facilitated a delegation of nearly 50 UK social workers to Palestine in 2014, and this attracted great interest, as it was a tangible expression of global solidarity, for our professional colleagues.
It’s clearly time that we revisited this, or something similar. Those of us who were involved at the initial point had already read “Palestinian Walks: Notes on a Vanishing Landscape “ by the noted Palestinian author and civil rights campaigner Raja Shehadeh (2008). Further we were aware of the success and the impact of the BASW lead event in 2017 “Boot out Austerity” where the social work profession took a stance in raising awareness of the impact of the government’s policy of austerity on the lives of our clients. In essence, we feel that walking together as an act of solidarity, has a lengthy credentials.
Thus PALUK is proposing a trip for UK social workers to join with us on a walk in Palestine jointly with our Palestinian colleagues in April. We will walk from the city of Nablus, through the Palestinian countryside and olive groves , staying with villagers for three days until we reach the city of Jericho. In addition we will visit the Freedom Theatre in Jenin and meet with colleagues there. We will visit the notorious Ofer Military courts in Ramallah, and visit projects in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron.
This trip is being coordinated in partnership with our Palestinian colleagues and the Siraj Centre in Bethlehem, who have extensive experience in organizing such trips
Please see attached article re rambling in Palestine
Please note that we hope to film and document this trip for future use, and will seek the consent of participants prior to the trip
We also would like to draw up a draft list of participants and please note we are restricted to 20-25 participants at most
For expressions of interest and further details regarding dates, price, itinerary, costs, and requirements, please e mail palukswnetwork@gmail.com.
