Palestine House Launches 60 Years Commemoration of Al Nakba

18 January 2008 - At a press conference held on 15 January, Palestine House  was pleased to launch the 2008 calendar of activities for the 60th  anniversary of Al Nakba, 'the Catastrophe'. Al Nakba is the name given  by Palestinians to the process of ethnic cleansing that occurred in  1947-1948. Over 60% of the Palestinian people were driven from their homes  and land during this period, and Israel, a state resembling South African  apartheid, was established on their homeland.

Dr. Farid Ayad, President  of the Palestine House board, welcomed those in attendance and spoke of  the importance of this year for the Palestinian community in Canada. Ayad  told the crowd: "The Nakba is not just part of our collective memory. It is  an ongoing experience that we continue to live 60 years on. We stand proud  this year as a community united in the defence of our people against  unrelenting Israeli attacks and siege, and firmly committed to the right  of return of Palestinian refugees to our homeland."

Naji Farrah, a  survivor of 1947-1948, gave a moving
account of his childhood in Palestine  and his memories
of Al Nakba. Farrah, one of a minority of  Palestinians
that remained in what became Israel, spoke of his
friends and  relatives that he saw expelled during this
period. He spoke passionately of  the need for
Palestinians to be allowed the right to return to their homes
and lands, and the impossibility of trying to build a
democratic  state based on one religious or ethnic group.

Khaled Mouammar,  President of the Canadian Arab
Federation, echoed these themes and discussed  the
silencing of the Palestinian historical
narrative. He reminded the  audience that when speaking
of ethnic cleansing, we must first consider  the
genocide carried out against the indigenous people of
Canada. Mouammar  spoke of the similarities between
what happened to native people in Canada  and the
Palestinian experience.

Wafa Hassan, a PhD student at McMaster  University,
spoke of her personal experience as a Palestinian
woman  growing up in Canada who visited Palestine a few
years ago. Hassan spoke of  the racism and
harassment faced by Palestinians in the Diaspora when
they  attempt to visit the land from which their
parents and grandparents were  expelled.

Rafeef Ziadah, a board member of Palestine House,
presented  the initial calendar of events for 2008. She
discussed how the Palestinian  community is asking for
support from all community organizations
across  Ontario in this important year. The first major
event planned as part of the  Nakba commemorations is
Israeli Apartheid Week, from
4-10 February. In  Toronto, IAW is taking place at the
University of Toronto, York University  and Ryerson
University with the full schedule of speakers to be
announced  early next week.  Another major event
announced is the first Toronto  Palestinian Film
Festival to take place in October.

For more  information: Please  contact
info@palestinehouse.com