Palestine
Solidarity
Conference

May 10 – 12, 2024

Naarm/Melbourne

Building collective resistance across the movement

In light of the ongoing genocide in Palestine and the outpouring of global and local grassroots support for Palestine, the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) is determined to continue building people power and supporting the broader Palestine movement on this continent.

The Palestine Solidarity Conference 2024, will offer participants the opportunity to connect, learn and plan joint actions with other solidarity organisations and like-minded individuals who are passionate about Palestinian liberation and social justice. The program will include planning sessions, panel discussions, in-depth lectures with the aims of sharing experiences, deepening our understanding of how change works, adding new skills and coordinating our efforts to advocate more effectively together for Palestinian justice, liberation and self-determination.

3

Days

200+

Attendees

25+

Workshops

Want to attend?
Expression of interest is now open!

Registrations

Conference Pass

$50-$150

Online Pass

$30

Conference Programme

The program, guided by the key themes and principles below, offers participants the opportunity to learn, connect and plan initiatives together. With the aim of providing an engaging and interactive learning space, the conference offers 6 panel discussions, 3 elective in-depth lectures and 3 planning and strategy sessions. As the conference aims to connect the movement in Australia to the global movement for Palestine, it will feature international as well as local speakers to discuss different relevant issues.

Key themes and guiding principles:

  • Palestinian core principles: how to ensure our advocacy is Palestinian led
  • Intersectionality: expanding our solidarity networks and broadening the base
  • Translating our grassroots support into political power

Day 1

Friday 10/05/2024

The Palestinian cause, core values and demands – revisiting the basics post October 7.

09:00  Arrival and registration

09:30  Welcome to Country

09:30 – 10:00  Opening remarks

10:00 – 11:15  Revisiting the basics: The Palestinian cause, values and demands.
Understanding the current moment and what it means for Palestinian liberation and solidarity movement.

11:00 – 11:30  Morning tea

11:30 – 12:30  In-depth sessions (self-selected)

        1. The struggle for environmental justice in Palestine
        2. Union solidarity
        3. One Democratic State Solution
        4. Anti-militarisation
        5. The monetary system as enabler of Israeli apartheid and genocide in Palestine – the case for BDS
        6. Sustaining ourselves and our Palestine solidarity movement in the darkest of days (Part 1)

12:30 – 13:30  Lunch

13:30 – 14:30  Indigeneity and Blak-Palestinian solidarity: shared values and history

14:30 – 15:00  Tea break

15:00 – 16:00  Workshops (self-selected)

        1. Understanding Palestinian Politics
        2. Decolonisation
        3. Palestine Prisoners
        4. Global and transnational solidarity
        5. Engaging with the media on the topic of Palestine 
        6. Sustaining ourselves and our Palestine solidarity movement in the darkest of days (Part 2)

16:00 – 16:30  Break

16:30 – 17:30  Lessons from movements around the world: How to build a strong global movement for Palestine

18:00  Closing of day 1

Day 2

Saturday 11/05/2024

Intersectionality: expanding our solidarity networks and broadening the base

09:00  Arrival and registration

09:30  Acknowledgement of Country and opening remarks

09:45 – 11:00  The BDS movement: a call from Palestinian civil society

11:00 – 11:30  Break

11:30 – 12:30  In-depth sessions (self-selected)

        1. The role of Jewish allies in the fight for justice
        2. Council motions – a quick guide
        3. Western Sahara and the Palestinian struggle: similarities and differences
        4. Irish Palestinian solidarity
        5. Intersectionality and solidarity
        6. Student activism on campus
        7. Picketing the genocide supply chain
        8. WAR workshop

12:30 – 13:30  Lunch

13:30 – 14:30  Planning session

 ‘Organising for Palestine on this continent: Know your community’

14:30 – 15:00  Break

15:00 – 16:00  Speaking to politicians about Palestine: What does effective lobbying look like?

16:00 – 16:30  Tea break

16:30 – 18:30   Planning session

 ‘Navigating a new reality’

18:30 Closing of day 2

Day 3

Sunday 12/05/2024

Translating our grassroots support into political power

09:00  Arrival

09:30  Acknowledgement of Country and Opening remarks

10:00 – 11:00  76 years of ongoing Nakba: genocide and ethnic cleansing – where to next?

11:30 – 13:30  Planning sessions for a joint campaign

        1. Council motions toolkit
        2. BDS toolkit
        3. Kitchen table toolkit

13:30 – 13:45  Tea Break

13:45  Closing remarks

14:00  Conference concludes and we march towards the State Libary for the Nakba rally

Sponsors

More to be announced soon! If you or your organisation is interested in sponsoring the conference please contact us at [email protected].

Endorsing Groups

More to be announced soon! If you or your organisation is interested in endorsing the conference please contact us at [email protected].

Palestine
Solidarity
Conference

The Palestine Solidarity Conference organisers acknowledge and pay respect to the peoples of the Kulin Nation, the owners of the lands on which the conference will be held. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded.
Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land.