Freedom of movement

Hello from Ryan and Sorcha at LaSwap.

Through CADFA we learned a lot about the issue of freedom of movement for the Palestinian people. The CADFA volunteers and Palestinian children taught us about the different ID cards that Palestinians are required to carry. There are two kinds of card, the Green Card and the Blue Card. The Blue Card indicates that a person lives in Jerusalem and has the right to travel through the separation wall. In contrast,the Green Card, which is held by Palestinians in the West Bank, confines people to remaining within the wall. Palestinians who hold a Green Card are required to gain special permission to cross the wall, these are only given out in exceptional circumstances.

Ryan Soraghan

This photo was taken at Portcullis House in Parliament. We had a meeting with Keir Starmer MP for Holborn & St Pancras, we discussed the issue of freedom of movement in Palestine. The British policy requires Palestinians to have a VISA when entering the UK however Isreali settlers living on the same street aren't required to apply for a VISA. Mr Starmer is writing on behalf of CADFA to the Foreign office to raise this issue.

Sorcha Fletcher

Some Words from Students in Al Quds

In today’s session with students from the university we discussed a range of topics. We talked about favourite TV shows (Top Gear was in there) as well as music we like listening to. 

The students also wanted to talk about what we (the visitors to Palestine) thought were the positive and negative attributes of the country. 

But most interesting was something a student said about what he would like to tell others about Palestine. He said “I have a message in me. It is we have a country. And it is called Palestine.” 

Another student wanted to share his favourite poet with us. Tamim Barghouti. He recited the poem ‘In Al Quds’.  He wanted us to share it. 

In Al Quds 

By our lover's house we passed but we were turned away…
By the enemy's laws and walls
A blessing it could be for me I said…
When you see it, what do you see?
What you cannot bear is what you see…
When from the side of the road its houses appear…
When every soul sees its lover …
And every absentee surrenders to happiness…
To see him before their meeting is her secret as much as it is his…
Even her happiness does not give her safety…
When old Al-Quds you see once…
When the eye shall see it, where ever it turns the eye shall see it…
In Al-Quds… a cabbage vender from Georgia…
Tiring of his wife… a holiday he plans or his walls he shall paint…
In Al-Quds a Torah and an old man from upper Manhattan did come…
Its codes and rules a Polish kid teaches…
In Al-Quds an Abyssinian policeman closes a road in the market…
A machinegun on a twenty years old settler’s shoulder is carried…
A skullcap greeting the Wailing Wall…
Blond European tourists, Al-Quds they never see…
Photos they take for each other or with a reddish woman vender…
In Al-Quds soldiers with their boots as if over the clouds they creep…
In Al-Quds on the asphalt we prayed…
In Al-Quds. Others are in Al-Quds, except you…

Kids Visit 2015 some activities

Cadfa Kids Visit June 2015, 'Picnic' in Greenwich Park 

Cadfa Kids Visit June 2015, 'Football Tournament' in Calthorpe Project

Yellow group

    Alaa Burqan-
    today we went to the house of the parliament and discussed child prisoners rights with an MP member. after the meeting we had a tour around Westminster, we played football opposite the London eye. it was a great day full of excitement.

Noor Rammal-
today was tiring but beautiful we had a tour in central London we saw Trafalgar square, and downing street as we passed by in the double decker bus and we walked down in Westminster and we played a good game of football.

Saleh Ayyad-
we walked in Westminster and we played football by the London eye. I really enjoyed to day as it was a full of new experiences.

Green group - First experience

we went today with our leader to see the country we are stunned by the scenery and we had lots of fun first we went to see the country and find the difference between us and the UK and then we got back and went with all groups to see the beach and we learned lots of things had lots of fun it is a new experience!

Shorouq


I love my green group. They are so lovely and I had so much fun with them today. I love the place too. Its so beautiful, but now I am really tired.

Dunja

we went today to a new and beautiful places, and i love green group , and i feel so  happy, my favourite game was the balloon game.

Aya

We played several icebreaker games today as a group, such as the balloon game where everyone had to write their name onto a balloon and ask each other questions i.e. How old are you? Whats your favourite color? The game allowed us all to get to know one another and I enjoyed it a lot.

Sorcha

we saw a very pretty view which was the sea,we played in the water and out.we laughed and had a race.then we went to a very high hill and we went and rolled all the down.then we got to know a little about Britian and its history.we also got to see our british friends make a drama scene.when we were asking questions about Britian and history and got to ask them what news makes them sad?they answered general elections.

Drama workshop

We met up today for our final drama workshop before the Palestinians arrive. We thought of different games and activities we could do for when they arrive, involving acting and socially interacting. We are all looking forward to the Palestinians coming and showing them a performance that gives them an insight into British culture, we are also looking forward to seeing what they have to show us about life in Palestine.

Oonagh

Youth Group- Ready and Excited!

The Youth Exchange group from Abu Dis are getting prepared for their trip! They have been working hard all this week to finish their presentations and make sure the messages are ready to share with those they meet in the UK. 

There are still some issues with getting some visas but everyone is very excited! They are looking forward to hearing British music and watching British films! Some of the girls like One Direction. Also, they are all looking forward to sampling fish and chips and of course, pop in to the local KFC. 

Thursday is the day!