Dear Friends of Tent of Nations UK,

I’m greeting you a week after having returned from Daher’s Vineyard as friends from around the world joined the Nassar family to mark 100 years of existence on that land that is so dear to them and to which they belong. Around 60 people from the Netherlands, the USA, Sweden, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and other countries were part of a 4 day programme on the farm which involved volunteering on the land, creating a collaborative mosaic, discussion groups, workshops including Dabke dance, Bible stories, Non Violent Communication, a taster of the new Tent of Nations wine (!) as well as a culminating festival with dance, music and speeches in Solomon’s Theatre. You can see some photos from the week on the FOTON:UK facebook page – more can be found on the Netherlands Friends of Tent of Nations website. As ever, hope, positivity and ambition for the future radiated from the family despite the struggle to keep the land continuing.

The international presence, support and solidarity that the family receive is invaluable to their ability to remain hopeful and move forwards with the strength that this gives them – Daoud is very clear about how much this means to them. As friends of Tent of Nations, you are all part of this important network of support.

Conscious of this, it would be wonderful to widen the network and give others too the opportunity to learn about and visit Tent of Nations, to understand their story, learn from their approach and give the family an even broader base of support.

What can you do?
One very valuable thing that we, as supporters in the UK, can do is to spread the word about the Tent of Nations project and the opportunities to visit and/or volunteer. I’d invite you to have a think about the networks that you have and where you might be able to share these opportunities. For example:
– Churches
– High schools and universities
– Palestine solidarity groups
– Local travel agencies

I am working on a flyer / poster which can be used for this purpose which I will share with you. Please let me know if you would like to discuss ways to get the word out / if you have any other thoughts regarding this which you would like to share with the network.

If you would like to host a talk in your area but do not feel able to give this yourself, do let me know and I’d be very happy to discuss if I or someone else would be able to attend and speak.  Alternatively, if you would like to give a talk yourself but would like to have a chat so you are up to date with the developments on the farm, do let me know.

If you do host a talk or event about Tent of Nations, please take photos and share these with me! They would be great for the facebook page and to encourage others to organise similar things.

If you have not yet liked the Friends of Tent of Nations UK facebook page, please do so and share with your friends and networks.

I’ll leave you for now with a recent blog from the Electronic Intifada with an update and some great photos from the Vineyard: Sewing steadfastness, harvesting hope

And a wee video which gives a bit of a flavour of the Celebrations and what visiting Palestine looks like: https://vimeo.com/167480398

Warm wishes to you all,

Ruth

Ruth Cape
Friends of Tent of Nations UK
e: info@foton.org.uk
www.foton.org.uk / www.tentofnations.org
www.facebook.com/fotonuk

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