APN | Sweden
May 2023
APN concluded its tour in Sweden, which included active participation as a speaker at the 20th European Palestinians Conference in the city of Malmo. Additionally, they held numerous meetings and encounters with Arab and international individuals who advocate for the Palestinian cause in various cities in Sweden.
The tour, led by APN General Manager, Mariam Al Jaajaa, alongside the APN Project Manager Mohammed Qtaishat and Campaign Coordinator Aya Abdelhamid, aimed to introduce APN’s Million Tree Campaign in Palestine. The programme was launched in conjunction with the Second Intifada and has proven successful in confronting land confiscation by planting trees on uncultivated Palestinian lands. It also aims to counter the systematic assault on the Palestinian economy, particularly the agricultural sector.
APN's tour commenced in Stockholm with a meeting between Al Jaajaa and the writer and journalist, Donald Boström. Boström is known for his book "Insha'Allah," published in 2001, which extensively documents the daily hardships endured by Palestinians living under occupation across 420 pages. Furthermore, in 2009, he authored an article titled "Our sons are plundered of their organs" in the Swedish newspaper "Aftonbladet”, which addressed the organ theft from Palestinian martyrs by the Israeli army, with the organs purportedly being sold to human organ trafficking agencies in New Jersey. This incident caused a significant international scandal for Israel.
Additionally, Al Jaajaa met with the Swedish historian and scholar of comparative religion, Matthias Gardell, who was one of the passengers on the Mavi Marmara ship. The ship was attacked by the Israeli occupation forces before reaching Gaza to break the blockade on the region. In a final meeting, APN General Manager met with the musician, composer, and political activist, Donald Droufier.
In the city of Uppsala, APN’s team held several meetings. They met with Fayeq Saleh, the President of the Palestinian People's Association, who is an active Palestinian activist. They also met with Swedish politician Janeth Eskanila Diaz, a former member of the Swedish Parliament and the Chairperson of "Ship to Gaza," an organization that organized sea voyages to break the blockade on Gaza. Lastly, they held a meeting with former Swedish parliamentarian Torbjörn Bjurling, who was also aboard one of the ships attempting to break the blockade imposed on Gaza.
In Malmö, the final stop of the tour in Sweden, Al Jaajaa met with the Swedish anti-Zionist writer Bernt Hermele. Hermele later wrote about this meeting, stating, “"I have been in communication throughout the day with people working in various aspects for justice and human rights. I particularly remember my meeting with Mariam Al Jaajaa, the director of APN, whose slogan is 'They Uproot One... We Plant Ten.'”
It is worth noting that Hermele authored the first book about the Palestinian Nakba in the Swedish language titled "Nakba: Disaster before our Eyes." In this book, he documented oral testimonies from 65 Palestinian refugees who experienced the Nakba in 1948 and currently reside in Sweden, historical Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon.
On another note, APN’s team met with representatives from the Justice Center and the organization Nordisk Hjälp (Nordic Aid). During these meetings, Al Jaajaa provided an explanation of the work carried out by the APN and explored opportunities for collaboration.
The highlight of APN’s journey in Sweden was their participation in the 20th European Palestinians Conference on May 27, 2023, under the theme "75 Years and We Will Return," with an attendance of 15,000 people. The conference aimed to serve as an umbrella for Palestinians in Europe and strives to preserve Palestinian identity and protect the Palestinian cause from fading away.
As in previous years, the conference served as a unifying platform, bringing together politicians, intellectuals, and Palestinian opinion-makers from various parts of Europe and other continents. The event also saw the participation of Arab and international activists who are dedicated supporters of Palestinian rights.
During the general session of the conference, Al Jaajaa delivered a keynote speech on the main stage, highlighting the goals, significance, and achievements of the Million Tree Campaign in Palestine over the past two decades.
APN also set up a booth to showcase its activities and organized an informative workshop about the Million Tree Campaign in Palestine. The workshop aimed to explain why tree planting has become crucial for Palestinian existence and the importance of trees in strengthening the resilience of Palestinian farmers and protecting the land from confiscation.
APN held several meetings on the sidelines of the conference with representatives of the Palestinian community in Europe, including those from Ireland, Austria, Italy, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark.
