Stumble It!
Download event flyer (English)
To celebrate 60 years of
independence, Israel is
planning a large-scale
birthday bash with events
taking place in many
different countries around the
world.
In Jerusalem, a 3-day
conference, under the title
“Facing Tomorrow” is
planned from May 13 – 15,
to which many world leaders,
such as U.S. President Bush,
and French President Sarkozy,
and celebrities such as
Barbara Streisand and Steven Spielberg
have been invited and plan to attend.
It is wrong to celebrate and we need to do something BIG
to make the world, and those gathered to celebrate Israel,
see and hear us. We* have this idea and we need your
help to make it happen! On May 15, we will launch 21,915
(365 days x 60 years) black balloons over the skies of
Jerusalem. We aim to turn the skies over Israel’s
celebrations black to let people know that there is
another side of the story, a side of heartache, suffering and
dispossession. At the same time, each balloon will carry a
letter from a Palestinian child expressing his/her hope
for the future, to let the world know that we believe in
and dream of justice.
Please help us make this happen by buying a balloon!
$1.00 will help us cover the cost of 3 balloons.
Please buy 3, 6, or 9 balloons (or more!) and be part
of our action. Donation information below.
Other things that you can do:
* On May 15, we are asking everyone, wherever he or she is,
to wear back. PLEASE WEAR BLACK!
*WRITE LETTERS, or help collect letters from
Palestinian children. You can email us the letters and we
will print them out and attach to the balloons that
we will launch;
*If you are in Palestine, volunteer to help us inflate and
LAUNCH the balloons on May 15;
*Wherever you are, consider doing an action in
SOLIDARITY with our action
(in addition to whatever else you may be planning).
For example, you can launch your own balloons,
fly black kites, march with black banners, etc.
To donate to the cost of the balloons, you can:
- Use Paypal: Donate online at
www.60yearsofnakba.org
or at
www.paypal.com and list the beneficiary
as balloons@60yearsofnakba.org
- Make a bank transfer:
-
- HSBC Bank — Ramallah
Account name: Palestinian Strategic Initiative
Acct No: 011-026630-087
Swift Code: BBMEPS22
Contact Number: +970-599-130-426
- HSBC Bank — Ramallah
-
http://windowintopalestine.blogspot.com/2008/04/21915-black-balloons-over-jerusalem.html
http://www.60yearsofnakba.org/
UPDATE : THE EVENT HAS OCCURED, PHOTOS CAN BE SEEN AT http://philistine.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/black-balloons-and-protests-all-over-israel/
5 Comments
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Mark you calendar for May 23-25 where we assert the Palestinian National rights. We will say it loud that we will never forget. Palestinians are the Key holders of peace. Join the thousands and strengthen the network of the thousands of activists. Express your opinion and let the many panelists know of where Palestine should go. Support our efforts to empower our community and assert the Palestinians right of return. Join the many Palestinian Americans and their supporters in Chicago commemorating the 60th year of the forced exile of the Palestinian people. Be pro active, ask questions to the Panelists and discuss the current event. We must empower ourselves and make a strong network for Justice, Peace and Freedom. Be pro active. Enough talks, actions are required.
Hello, I support your cause very much, but I ask you to please, please come up with a plan that is different from releasing balloons. Balloons kill wildlife in terrible ways – eg sea turtles who think they are jellyfish – see
http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/balloons.htm
“In 1985, an infant sperm whale was found dead of starvation as a result of ingestion of an inflated Mylar balloon which had lodged in its intestines. Ribbons and strings tied to balloons can lead to entanglement… Scientists who work with stranded whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles have been looking at the stomach contents of these dead marine animals. These scientists have found balloons, parts of balloons and balloon string during numerous necropsies.”
and
http://www.ukrivers.net/balloon_fact.html
“The problems caused by mass balloon releases were first highlighted at a conference in Canada in 1989 on plastic and other debris found at sea… Balloon releases immediately began to be cancelled in response to these findings, even the Canadian government decided to cancel the release of tens of thousands of balloons in Ottawa to mark Canada Day. This wave of anti-balloon sentiment has continued to spread across the whole of North America and many states in the US have now abandoned balloon releases.”
I know you must care about wildlife and the environment, and also want good publicity for your event… please show your very caring hearts and find another plan, maybe some black flags instead?
Thank you for thinking of animals who depend on us to look out for them!
A well-wisher
USA
Ellie:
Don’t be an imbecile. Stifling peaceful protests and creative expression against sixty years of Israel’s occupation, murder, and apartheid for the sake of sea turtle is beyond horrific. Get your priorities straight and save human beings before you get your panties in a bunch over a baby humpback.
Fahed calm down, he has a right to his concern. Endangering a living soul will receive some bad press. But we have to take a stance against the apartheid system in Palestine. I agree this may not be perfect but its necessary at the moment. The flag idea is very good and should be carried out in extension to the current idea, and I also think we need to circulate the message of these children through mass-email, videos, etc.
Seriously, the VAST amount of junk floating in the ocean is due to US DoD dumping. I sure don’t see them cleaning it up in a reasonable manner. Let’s point fingers in the right direction, please.
After 40 years of working for Palestinian justice, this is my favorite activity taken up ever. Truly a stroke of genius.