change of plans

Change of plans due to
student work not being allowed to be displayed in SU bar'
We found this out after we were told we could have an exhibition there.

So now we will be having a stall in the bar
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY


WEDNESDAY the 10th of June 6pm
Visit Palestine
- A DOCUMENTARY BY KATIE BARLOW

What drives a young, well-educated Westerner to volunteer as a “peace activist” in the Middle East?

Caiomhe Butterly is one of a growing number of volunteers who risk their own safety to intervene in the long-running and bloody conflict between Israel and Palestine. Several internationals, including her, have now been injured. Some have died.

In this film, she describes witnessing the aftermath of the attack on Jenin in April 2002. The film follows her work, the main emphasis being “the accompaniment of communities at risk”. Despite being threatened, shot in the leg and deported later that year, she is determined to go back.

In the interim, she brings her story back to her native Ireland at public meetings, receives a Time Magazine “European Hero Award”, and travels to post-war Iraq to visit the Palestinian refugee camps. She arrives back in Jenin, shortly before a young woman from that community,Hanadi Jaradat, blows herself up in a suicide bombing in Haifa.

Activists such as Butterly are usually stereotyped as lunatics, meddlers or saints. This film offers an insight into a brave, honest, determined yet self-critical woman who takes direct action to the limit, with no quest for glory. She also serves as a conduit into the everyday lives of Palestinians,who are also usually presented to the viewer in a one-dimensional way, as fighters or victims, heroes or fanatics. The film gives us a rare chance to see what she calls “the spaces of beauty and joy” created by a people under occupation.

(OPEN TO UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, LONDON students and Alumni only)

Information on the film here:
http://visitpalestine.info/index.asp

DIRECTOR Q & A (TBC)

Special reading of Seven Jewish Children
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/video/2009/apr/25/seven-jewish-children-caryl-churchill



FRIDAY the 12th of June 6pm-11pm

Is Palestine Still The Issue?

a pop up exhibition run by the UAL Palestine Solidarity Network

Guest speakers,
poetry from http://www.optimisticrevolutionary.blogspot.com/
performances from www.alinagavrielatos.blogspot.com
and some very special musical guests

Work by
Hamja Ahsan
Drew Campbell
Nour Al-Nimer
Rita Evans
Jessica Davies
Ange Mukeza
Ariane Severin
Lily Barson
Dafydd Crisp
Ewan Cass-Kavanagh
Ayman M Saey

Work will be silently auctioned in aid of

Interpal
www.interpal.info

Sorry for confusion. I think it will be a really great week anyway and look forward to seeing everybody!
x

Exhibition and Fundraising Week

One of our demands after our occupation was to have an exhibition and fundraising week. We have decided to coincide the two. It will be held in our student cafe/bar The Hub and is a week about education, solidarity, fundraing and creative resistence.

The frame work for the week 9th- 12th of June 2009 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=507618325&story_fbid=85715893325#/event.php?eid=88576171660&ref=mf
is this

Monday- Talk and discussion Art and Palestine: The Road of Resistence
John Cussans- MA Fine Art Lecturer at Chelsea
other speaker from Stop the War TBC
6pm
+++CANCELLED DUE TO MIX UP WITH ROOM BOOKINGS!+++

Wednesday- Visit Palestine a film by Kate Barlow
http://www.visitpalestine.info/index.asp
with popcorn

student films

Also Poetry by Mohamed Zain Dada
6pm

Friday- Celebration event
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=507618325&story_fbid=85715893325#/event.php?eid=86513403330&ref=mf
This event is open to people from outside UAL
Poetry, auction of work and VERY SPECIAL musical guest
6-10pm

Exhibition will be open every day with be a reading area with information about palestine from 4pm

The address
The Student Hub, University of the Arts London, 65 Davies Street, London, W1K 5DA
map here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

all events free but donations greatly appreciated, all proceeds go to Interpal http://www.interpal.info/

Letter of support from KEN LOACH

To the students at UAL who took part in the occupation to support the people of Gaza.

It is brilliant news that you took this action. Universities and colleges can take a lead in upholding the principles of international law, particularly when politicians disregard them. Your demands are the minimum that the university should accept. A boycott of Israeli goods and state-sponsored cultural events, the end of links with Israeli universities, and of course the immediate end to the arms trade with Israel – all are important. We should also support the many brave Israeli’s who refuse to take part in their country’s aggression. As someone who has been honoured by the university I am very proud to be associated with the principled stand you are taking.

Yours,

Ken Loach

Letter of support from NOAM CHOMSKY

I have been very pleased to learn about the courageous and honorable actions of university students opposing ongoing crimes in the Israeli occupied territories. These actions are particularly significant because of the crucial British contribution to the savage onslaught on Gaza, and on the occupied territories generally, second only to the decisive role of the United States -- a disgrace for all of us. I hope you have the greatest success in arousing public opinion and bringing these crimes to an end.

Noam Chomsky

Victory and Continuation

I'm sorry this has taken so long to send out! We are sending this to everyone who has expressed an interest in the campaign.
We are having our exhibition and charity day at the end of June (provisionally) need contributions, curators etc. We are having a planning meeting for this outside the LCC bar next Friday at 6. Do come along.

Thanks to everyone who came to the picnic!
See you Friday x

Dear all, you are receiving the following message because you signed the petition drafted by the UAL Palestine Solidarity Network or expressed support for the occupation. We feel that it is necessary to send out an email explaining our decision to end the occupation and the concessions granted.

The UAL Palestine Solidarity Network, which occupied Podium Lecture Theatre from Monday the 23rd at 5pm till Wednesday the 25th at 5 pm in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We would like to thank staff and students for their strong levels of support. The campaign has also received support from Noam Chomsky, and many other people from across the country.

On Wednesday we decided that as 4 of our 6 demands had been met we would settle. What we got is by no means perfect and we still have a lot of work to do but we saw the occupation as one step in our campaign. What was really wonderful about the occupation was raising the profile of our cause with other students and staff, and connecting people with similar ideas who are wanting to get involved in politics in university. An end to apathy for UAL!!

1. 'Condemnation of bombings of educational institutions in GAZA'.
The Rector will release the following statement through communication channels of the University.
"The University of Arts London deplores violence wherever it occurs and considers access to education, freedom of expression and the role of international law for the people of GAZA (we are hoping to get this changed to Palestine, as Gaza and Israel is not a comparison that makes sense) and Israel to be of fundamental importance".

We are happy with this statement.

2. 'Links to educational institutions in GAZA'
The University will consider a request from an educational institution in GAZA. This will be subject to the normal processes of scrutiny undertaken by the University with regards to all partnerships and collaboration.

We are in negotiations with 3 possible institutions currently. Once we successfully find an institution to twin with we work further on university management about ethical use of surplus materials.

3. 'Scholarships'
The University will explore establishing an 'international humanitarian' scholarship.

This is the most important of our demands to make sure the management concede with. We are hoping, through the student union, to get this as one scholarship a year on a rolling basis with the first one going to a student from Gaza

4. 'Events and Exhibition'
The University will support activities, including the use of appropriate space and promotion, for fundraising and exhibitions to aid humanitarian relief efforts in GAZA.

The exhibition will take place in the first week in June (provisionally) and coincide with a fundraisng for Gaza week, with gigs etc. The money will go to the DEC appeal.

We did not get divestment from Israeli companies but we have requested under the freedom of information act that they open their books so we can see what companies they do invest in.

We also did not get surplus materials but we will continue working on this.

Yours,

The UAL Palestine Solidarity Network

articles

http://www.artslondonnews.co.uk/index.php?opt=article&siid=9572

http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/764

http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/754

http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php?option=com_newsfeeds&task=view&feedid=35&Itemid=230

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=17228

http://occupations.org.uk/

Sending best wishes to all still in occupation: Manchester, Plymouth and Cardiff...