The YWCA in Palestine together with the East Jerusalem YMCA established the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) in 2001, with the role of advocating for just peace through different advocacy campaigns and tools.
Among other things, the program organizes annual visits to Palestine under “Journey for Justice” for YWCAs and YMCAs from around the world, especially youth, and carries out student exchange programs with schools in Denmark and Norway. The JAI had also launched a solidarity campaign, “Keep Hope Alive,” targeting Palestinian farmers, as inspired by the olive tree; a symbol of peace, prosperity and wisdom.
About JAI: https://www.jai-pal.org/en/
Story of a Beneficiary Farmer of the Olive Tree Campaign:
Minwir Dawabsha, Duma, Nablus:
Minwir, a 40-year-old Palestinian farmer with a family of eight members, owns land in Duma, a village within the Nablus district. He depends on farming and olive trees to support his family.
As a Palestinian farmer, Minwir understands the crucial role that land and olive trees play in his community, as they are not only a source of income but also an important aspect of their cultural and social identity. Unfortunately, in 2022, Minwir’s land was attacked by Israeli settlers who cut down 65 of his olive trees, causing significant damage to his and his community’s livelihood. In early 2023, the Olive Tree Campaign provided Minwir with 150 olive trees, to help him continue farming on his land. He highly appreciated it, and remains committed to his land and community, despite all challenges
Campaign Accomplishment for 2023-2024 Season:
– During the 2023/2024 season, the Olive Tree Campaign distributed 47,250 olive trees, sponsored by 30,133 internationals.
– These trees were planted at around 600 fields in 39 villages within the Bethlehem, Hebron, Salfit, Tubas, Jerusalem, Nablus and Ramallah areas.
– 35% of the plots that received olive trees are new areas targeted by the campaign. Some 770 Palestinian families (3,850 members) benefited from the olive planting and picking activities.
Annual Olive Picking
Since 2002, olive picking has been one of the most significant activities for the Olive tree Campain. On the month of October each year, the JAI organizes an olive picking event to mark the start of the harvest season in Palestine. This event invites international students from various Danish and Norwegian schools to participate. The activity aims to show solidarity with Palestinian farmers and offers international students the opportunity to understand the life of farmers living under occupation.
Annual Olive Planting
Another important activity of the Olive Tree Campaign (OTC) is olive planting, which has been a part of the campaign for over 22 years. This activity primarily targets international participants, mostly students, from Danish and Norwegian schools. These students are given the opportunity to join Palestinian farmers in various villages across the West Bank to plant olive trees. The activity is organized to take place between February – March, suitable months for planting olive trees, with the support of Palestinian farmers. The goal of this activity is to help participants understand the life of Palestinian farmers, to explain what it is like to live as a Palestinian farmer, and to highlight the significance of olive trees as a vital part of Palestinian identity.
