IFLAC

International Forum For The Literature And Culture Of Peace

BASIC PLATFORM

We believe that culture and literature can promote peace, freedom, and the enrichment of the quality of life. On the threshold of the twenty first century, we shall endeavor to pave the way towards the fulfillment of our main ideal “one world and one humanity, all living in peace”. Our goal is to help build a Middle East and a world beyond war in the 21^st century, by means of literature, culture and art. This endeavor is in harmony with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights embodied in the Charter of the United Nations.

We strive for freedom of speech and expression, and for freedom from hostile and oppressive violence, whether it is war, or gender, physical, mental or moral oppression. We believe in the right of people everywhere to live in peace, and in their rights to pursue their various cultures, as well as human endeavors, and to obtain equal civil justice.

ACTIVITY

Toward these ends, we organized an "International Congress on Conflict Resolution Through Culture and Literature," in Shavei Zion, Galilee, in June 1999, the Second Iflac Conference, in Sydney in 2001, the third Iflac Conference was held in London in 2002, and the fourth one will be held in Bursa, Turkey, in October 2003.

"IFLAC", under its former name: "The Friends of Literature Association", was founded in 1985 in Haifa Israel, and was registered as a Voluntary Association in 1987. There are nine branches in Jewish, Arab and Druze sectors in Israel, actively and harmoniously working together. We hold regular literary and cultural meetings including: Lectures, Poetry Reading, Story-Telling, New Books celebrations, Interviews, Literary Weekend Seminars, Cultural Festivals, Symposiums, Congresses, Jewish and Arab/ Palestinian Students Meetings and Workshops.

In 1996 the TENT OF PEACE was set up in the Druze village of Ussfiya, in which inter-cultural meetings and happenings are regularly held. From year 2000, Iflac’s center is in Haifa, in Beit Pinsky, the house of the late poet David Pinsky, where regular Dialogue Encounters and Literary meetings are held.

PUBLICATIONS:

Galim: Anthology (1987-2003)

Horizon: online magazine (1996-2003)

www.iflac.com/horizon

Lirit: Israeli Poetry in English Translation (1999-2003), in conjunction with the Hebrew Writers’ Association.

THE MAIN GOALS OF IFLAC

(Voluntary Association No. 58-035-275-5)

To strive toward the promotion of peace and mutual respect between people and nations.

To promote social, cultural and religious tolerance between people.

To eliminate violence in all its forms.

To organize peace culture researchers, writers, intellectuals and friends of literature.

To encourage creativity that promotes culture and peace.

MANAGEMENT

Prof. Ada Aharoni

Michael Landsberg

Zehava Rosen

Judith Zilberstein

Zvi Rosen, Advocate

George Farah

Prof. Chaim Aharoni

IFLAC STATUTES

ARTICLES OF THE INCORPORATION

( Non Profit Organization No. 58-035-275-5)

This VOLUNTARY- NON PROFIT organization operates in the spirit of love of humanity, tolerance and the advancement of peace between peoples and nations, and toward the following goals:

1. To strive for the promotion of peace and mutual respect between peoples and nations.

2. To organize peace culture researchers, writers, intellectuals and friends of literature.

3. To found local and international branches, organize meetings, congresses, seminars and workshops of all kinds in order to learn and acquire a culture of peace. Research of peace culture and literature, national and international.

4. Advance the research of peace culture and strive towards spreading the idea of peace culture in Israel and other countries around the world through the Research Institute “ MEPRA “ (Middle East Peace Research Association).

5. To promote the subject of peace culture and literature and encourage frameworks and platforms on peace culture.

1. To develop projects for the support of people involved in the literature and culture of peace.

2. To raise funds locally and internationally, allocate prizes and stipends in the framework of realizing the organizations goals.

8.To develop relations with researchers of peace culture, writers, unions and friends of peace literature.

9. To establish links with the media, including television and internet, various organizations of artists, journalists, etc., to enhance the culture and literature of peace in all its aspects.

10. To establish funds for people involved in the literature and culture of peace.

11. To work for fair human relations and culture of peace between people. To strive for tolerance, co-existence and understanding without discrimination based on race, gender, religion or origin.

12.To publish books, literary magazines which deal with the culture of peace.

13.To establish cultural stages and meetings of authors and artists with the general public.

14.To establish and promote meetings of authors and artists with the general public including the younger generation, students, soldiers, etc., at all branches of the organization in the country and international meetings.

15.To collaborate with institutions and organizations active in the advancement of peace in the Middle East and the world.

16.To develop relations with organizations and cultural institutions active in the advancement of global peace in the Arab countries, the Middle East, the Mediterranean region, and the world.

17.To perform any activity, organizational, financial, economic and legal, or any other appropriate activity necessary to achieve the objectives of the organization.

THE BRIDGE: JEWISH AND ARAB WOMEN

FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ACTIVITIES OF THE BRIDGE ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AND PEACE

INTRODUCTION: THE FOUNDING OF "THE BRIDGE"

· · In 1975, two years after the Yom Kippur War, together with the late
Ruth Lys, Violet Khouri, Ruth Dayan, Yardena Cohen, Eugenie Khlef, and
other Israeli and Arab/Palestinian women, we founded in Haifa, Israel,
a Voluntary Association: THE BRIDGE: JEWISH AND ARAB WOMEN FOR THE PROMOTION OF WOMEN AND PEACE. This was the first association of its kind in Israel, that dared to gather Jewish and Arab women in the same organization, to promote the status of women, and peace in the Middle East. We met with much criticism and resistance, sometimes violent,in
both sectors. However, we knew we were promoting a just cause which
required courage and perseverance, and it gave us strength to act and
struggle to promote our goals. To this day, twenty three years later, we
are still working hard but quietly, to promote women and peace in the
Middle East, and in our entire global village.

DESCRIPTION

· ·
"THE BRIDGE" is a women's organization whose members originate from
Israel's various ethnic and religious communities, and who work together
for the promotion of the status of women, and the attainment of peace in
the Middle East. Its legal status is: a non-profit organization.

· · Number of Members: 240 fully paid members. 1860 Affiliated members.
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Yearly Membership: $25. Financial Sources: membership, donations.
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Structure: The organization is run by an executive Board of four women,
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two Jewish and two Arab/ Palestinian. It is elected by the General Board
which comprises twenty members. The yearly General Meeting elects the
two Boards, as well as the President, the Director, and the Treasurer.

· · GOALS: To awaken the consciousness of every woman as to her power in
------
promoting women's rights, and in taking an active part in the peace
process. In our region, both goals are inextricably linked, for when
there is war, conflict and unrest, the problem of women's rights gets
shoved aside as "not the most important just now." As mothers, and
educators of the new generation, we have to ensure peace in our region
and in the world, so that life on earth may continue.

MAIN ACTIVITIES:

· · Monthly lectures, presentations and discussions.
2. Meetings in Jewish, Arab and Druze towns and villages, for the
building of "Bridges" of culture and understanding with the local women.
3. Exchange visits of Israeli and Arab pupils in schools.
4. Group dynamics: the Jews act the roles of Arab/ Palestinians, and the
Arabs the roles of Jews.
5. Radio and television programs on The Bridge in Arabic, Hebrew,
English and French.
6. Arabic (for the Jews), and Hebrew language courses for the Arab
women.
7. Picnics, outings, weekends with the families.
8. Seminars, Common Feasts and Happenings, and International
Conferences.

PROMOTION OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN

·
The very fact that the women of THE BRIDGE were initiating,
planning,and carrying out important projects and campaigns, promoted not
only the status of women who were members and leaders of the
organization, but also women in the community at large.

· · Furthermore,the joint activism of Israeli and Arab women, helped to
advance the status of Arab/ Palestinian women, who based their claims
for greater freedom and rights in the home and in society,on the example
of their Israeli counterparts and women colleagues. Indeed,
the first Arab women who obtained the right to vote in the whole of the
Middle East,were the Arab/ Palestinian citizens of Israel.

MAYOR VIOLET KHOURI

· · One of our successful projects was our help in organizing the
campaign to run (late) Violet Khouri as Mayor of the Galilean town, Kafr
Yassif. To some people's surprise and dismay, she was elected, and she
became the first Arab Mayor in the whole of the Middle East, and the
whole world. At the beginnning, her male colleagues in the Municipal
Board refused to cooperate with her, arguing: "It is the worst insult
for an Arab to be governed by a "mara" - a mere woman!" But with the
help of the women and men of the town, who believed in her and in her
message, and with the help of THE BRIDGE, Violet Khouri became a
successful and efficient Mayor. She raised the standard of living not
only in her town, but in the whole of the Galilee, from all the points
of view: economic, health and education, especially of girls and women.

· · She established college and university stipends and grants for both
male and female students, and the result is that today, Kfar Yassif has
the highest percentage in the whole of the Middle East of academic
educated women, who are motivated and know how to struggle for equal
rights in all fields and disciplines. Violet Khouri was Mayor of Kfar
Yassif for eight harmonious years, and her positive influence and
spirit stemming from her dedication to peace and to the promotion of
women, bears fruit to this day.

PAVE PEACE: IFLAC

ý The husbands and male friends of the members of The Bridge, requested to
join our struggle for peace and the promotion of women. In 1985 we
founded a parallel organization entitled: PAVE PEACE: IFLAC: The
International Friends of Literature, which includes both women and
men.The Bridge served as a model for Pave Peace, and it is, organized
in much the same way. It includes: weekly programs, monthly symposia,
conferences and congresses. (See details of 1999 International Congress
attached). We also organize exchanges of visits by Israeli and
Palestinian pupils and students in schools and colleges, picnics and
common festivities.

ý In January 1998 for instance, as in previous years, we organized a
common festive conference of Jews, Christians and Moslems, under the
banner of: HANOUKAH, CHRISTMAS and RAMADAN in "Beit Hagefen," The House
of the Vine, in Haifa. Our families and the general public were invited,
and we enjoyed together the excellent presentations and the cultural
entertainment. The "Bridges" of respect and understanding between the
various people, creeds and cultures, were indeed powerfully
strengthened again on this special occasion, thanks to the leadership
and efforts of the Israeli and Arab/ Palestinian women who work
together to bring hope of peace and harmony to the region.

THE TENT OF PEACE

ý
One of our outstanding successes in the last three years, is the
founding and establishing of the TENT OF PEACE, in the Druze and
Bedouin village, Ussfiya), where we hold regular meetings of "Creative
Women," to promote the status of women in both the Jewish and Arab/
Palestinian sectors. We also organize meetings of women (and men)
writers, poets, lecturers, intellectuals, teachers, journalists, media,
of all creeds and denominations, toward the building of bridges of
understanding through culture and literature of "the other." The
promotion of peace and the status of women are the main themes in those
meetings, and they have had a strong impact in the families of the
participants, and in society in general.

ý Thanks to the activities of the women of THE BRIDGE and PAVE PEACE,
as well as other organizations and institutions, like the House of the
Vine, the mixed city of Jews and Arabs, Haifa, has always been peaceful.
There has never been an "Intefada" in Haifa, and there have always been
harmonious relationships and respect between Jews and Arabs
in this beautiful city on the slopes of green Mount Carmel, and by the
shores of the blue Mediterranean. Haifa can indeed serve as an example
of creative and harmonious relations between Jews and Arabs/
Palestinians, in the whole of the Middle East. The spirit of THE BRIDGE
and PAVE PEACE has in many ways spread to the whole of the country, and
there are today, branches in ten major cities and towns, half of them in
the Jewish sector, and half of them in the Arab/Palestinian sector.
Many people among both the Jewish and Arab population say today,
that if the women of The Bridge and Pave Peace were in charge of the
peace process in the Middle East, there would have been peace a long
time ago.

ý In addition to the above mentioned activities, we encourage research
and literature on women, and we organize literary presentations of new
books, mostly on women and their struggle toward achieving equal rights
and freedom. We believe that the written word has a crucial role and
impact in the promotion of women and peace. Two latest published books
that will soon be celebrated are: NOT IN VAIN:AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE,and
THE PEACE FLOWER: A Nuclear Space Adventure. The first book is a
biography of Thea Woolf, a vivid and universal role model for women; and
the second book is a futuristic fantasy,and an educational peace
adventure for young and old. The heroine, Lee, together with her friend
Ron, succeeds, despite Nuki, the Nuclear Dragon, to bring the Peace
Flower from the Future in space, to the Present on Earth. Both these
books were translated from Hebrew
into several languages, including English, Arabic and French, and they
have had a strong impact in the education and promotion of women and
young girls.

ý In addition to IFLAC: PAVE PEACE,The Bridge has through the years,
collaborated with various women's organizations, including NAAMAT,
HADASSAH, WIZO, and the ISRAEL'S WOMEN'S NETWORK, for the advancement of
women's rights. It includes: lobbying and writing articles for the
promotion of equal rights and representation in the Rabbinate and other
institutions, the passing of laws against violence in the family and
against women, sexual harassment, equal pay and opportunities,
education, health, and political representation of women.

ý I strongly believe that change is possible, and that through
courageous and innovative action, hard work, perseverance, and the
raising of the consciousness of both women and men to the crucial
necessity of equal rights and freedom for women - we shall succeed.I
feel that the two organizations I have founded and I direct: The
Bridge and Pave peace, as well as the International Ban-War Campaign I
initiated and coordinate, give voice to all women, and hope to all
humanity.

ý 2. WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME IN THE STRUGGLE
TOWARD ACHIEVING EQUAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM FOR WOMEN?

ý One of the most difficult challenges to overcome, is the ignoring by
the media of women's struggles and achievements in both fields: the
promotion of women, and the struggle for peace.

ý One of the blatant examples of the latter was the ignoring
by the media of the recent MARCH OF WOMEN, in which hundreds of Israeli
and Arab/Palestinian women marched together for peace, through three
Jewish and Arab villages. We invited the different TV stations: CNN,
NBC, BBC, etc. but none came to cover this unique and important event.
It was so sad to realize that when one Palestinian kills an Israeli, or
the other way round, all the media is there, but when hundreds of
Israeli and Arab/Palestinian women walk together for the first time, for
Peace in the Middle East, the media is not interested.

o o Another major challenge and drawback is the lack of funds,
governmental and otherwise. We all work voluntarily, and have had great
difficulties in raising funds for the smooth running, organizing and
publicizing of our activities, and most of the funding of the Bridge and
Pave Peace, comes from the efforts and donations of our own members. If
we had a paid secretary to do the paper work, and to publicize what we
are doing, we would have been able to do still more.

ý Finally,"The Bridge" and "Pave Peace" are the initiators and
coordinators of the "BAN_WAR CAMPAIGN AND PETITION," for building a
world beyond war and violence. The women of those two organizations
fully understand that if war and violence are overcome, it would give
women a greater chance of attaining fully equal rights. War dwarfs all
other issues, including the issue of the promotion of women.

ý (For a fuller Biography and details of activities, please see Homepage
cited above).