The situation here on the ground is horrific and the worst we have lived through. We have been here volunteering our time and money since returning to Palestine 2008. Yet, we also need to continue to develop support for Palestine in Western Countries. After our very successful trip to Australia and New Zealand (17 cities, 212 talks, thousands connected), Jessie and I are planning a trip to the UK, Ireland, and USA. We are looking for invitations. Here is the order of cities starting 11 November going to 15 December: London, Bristol, S. Wales (Cardiff etc), Inverness & the Highlands, Belfast, Dublin, Cloughjordan, New York capital district, Old Lyme (CT), New Haven, and Dallas. Below is a background and potential talks. Please connect us with activists in those cities and/or invite us.
Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh is founder and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University (PIBS see palestinenature.org and review our 10 year booklet and annual reports here). He and his wife (a cofounder and also full time volunteer at PIBS) plan a trip based on invitations to meet people and give tailored talks to suit audience (Churches, Rotary club members., environmental groups, museums, scientists etc) to be able to gain long term support for a) Palestine, b) (secondary) to our institute (palestinenature.org). Support can be financial, in-kind, volunteering (in person or remotely), mobilizing, etc. Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh previously served at US universities including Tennessee, Duke and Yale. Qumsiyeh published over 180 scientific papers, over 30 book chapters, hundreds of articles, and several books including Sharing the Land of Canaan and Popular Resistance in Palestine. His work interests range from environmental impact of colonization to environmental and climate justice to cultural heritage to human rights to biodiversity conservation to cancer. He oversaw a number of projects ranging from formulating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to empowerment projects with farmers, women, and children that benefitted tens of thousands. He is laureate of the Paul K. Feyerabend Foundation award, the Takreem award, peaceseeker of the year award, among others. Prof. Qumsiyeh's background is here, and here.
Potential talks
- Decolonization of people and nature in Palestine and globally
- Climate Change Actions and Conservation in a developing country under occupation
- How Does the Current State of the Middle East Affect the world?
- Creating a Natural History Museum/protecting the environment in a Third World Country [at a museum, nature center, or university]
- Environmental Justice in Western Asia: Key to peace and sustainability
- Innovative Rotarian actions in Bethlehem [To any local Rotary Club; Mazin is president of Rotary Club - Bethlehem]
- Sustainability and Biodiversity Preservation in developing countries: Can Palestine set a global example
- Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and empowerment
- Water, Fossil Fuels, Habitat, and Sustainability in Palestine - social justice/community
- Founders of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) at Bethlehem University speak about the lifetime journey of working for human rights and sustainability. [At churches, community centers etc.]
- Christians in the Holy Land [Qumsiyeh's family is Christian, this would be appropriate at church centers]
You can email me with ideas and invitations and contacts
Stay Human and keep Palestine alive
Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine
facebook pages Personal Institute
French
