Full Program

International Conference
'Experiences of unification of Left parties and movements in Palestine and across the globe'


Date: June 26th- 28th, 2009

Location: The Red Crescent,
El Bireh, Jerusalem Street,
Ramallah, Palestine


Day 1 – Friday, June 26th, 2009


9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Registration

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Opening

Facilitator: Iman Hamouri – Popular Arts Centre Ramallah - Director

Welcoming Speech on behalf of the Tayyar (Omar Assaf)
Welcoming Speech on behalf of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation


10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. Session 1 – International Experiences: Latin America

Facilitator: Eileen Kuttab – Institute of Women`s Studies – Director –
Birzeit University – Professor of Sociology

1. Mr. Oscar Vega Camacho – Grupo Comuna
"The Unity of the Bolivian Social Movements" (20 minutes)

2. Mr. Jorge Schafik Handal Vega – Farabundo Marti` National Liberation Front (FMLN) - Member of Parliament
"The Unity of the Left in Salvador" (20 minutes)

3. Mr. Juan Esteban Centurión – Party of the Movement towards Socialism (P-MAS) – Member of the National Direction
"The Unity of the Left in Paraguay" (20 minutes)
-
Questions and Answers (40 minutes)


11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Break


12:00 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. Session 2 – International Experiences: Europe

Facilitator: Rana Nashashibi – Palestinian Counseling Center – Director –
Birzeit University - Professor of Community Mental Health

1. Mr. Frank Puskarev - Die Linke – Secretary of the board
"The German Experience" (20 minutes)

2. Mr. Alain Pojolat – Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA) – Member of the Executive Committee
"The French Experience of Unifying the Left and the role of Local Committees"
(20 minutes)

3. Mr. Georgopoulos Sotiris – Coalition of Radical Left - Syriza
"The Greek Experience of Unifying the Left and the Role and organizing structures of the Youth" (20 minutes)

Questions and Answers (40 minutes)


1:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Lunch


3:00 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. Session 3 – Regional and Global Reflections

Facilitator: Nasif Moalim – Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD) – General Director

1. Mr. Emir Sadr – Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) - President
"The Development of Political Movements in Latin America" (20 minutes)

2. Mr. Daoud Talhami – Academic and Researcher
"Does the Global Economic Crisis Open New Avenues for the Left?"
(20 minutes)

3. Mr. Prabir Purkayastha – Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M)
"Unity and Coalition building of the Left in South Asia" (20 minutes)

Questions and Answers (40 minutes)



Day 2 – Saturday, June 27th, 2009


9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Session 1 Palestinian Left-Wing Parties Experiences

Opening from Gaza: Mr. Tayseer Mehesen - Researcher (5 minutes)

Facilitator: Dr. Abdel Karim Nasir – Birzeit University – Professor of Economics

1. Mr. Bassam Salhi – Palestinian People’s Party (PPP) - Secretary General
"Reflections on the unification of the Left from the PPP" (15 minutes)

2. Mr. Abdul Rahim Mallouh – Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) - Deputy to the Secretary General
"Reflections on the unification of the Left from the PFLP" (15 minutes)

3. Mr. Qais Abdul Karim – Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) - Member of the Politburo
"Reflections on the unification of the Left from the DFLP" (15 minutes)

Questions and Answers (40 minutes)

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 p.m. Break


11:20 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Session 2 Palestinian Experiences

Facilitator: Naser Abu Khdeir – Al Quds University – Professor and Activist

1. Dr. Tayseer Arouri – Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD) –
Head of Board
BIrzeit University – Professor of Physics
"Experiences of Unification processes of the Left after the Oslo Accords"
(15 minutes)

2. Mr. Talal Okal – Academic and Researcher - Gaza
"Experiences of Unification in Gaza"
(15 minutes)

3. Dr. Aziz Heidar – Al Quds University - The Institute for Area Studies (IAS) - Director
"Experiences of Unification in Palestine ’48" (15 minutes)

4. Mr. Fawz Khalifah – Activist
"Processes of Unification and Reasons for Division of the Left Before 1994
(15 minutes)

Questions and Answers (40 minutes)


1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Lunch


2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Session 3 Tayyar contributions

Facilitator: Jalal Khader – Sawa Center – Manager and Lawyer

1. Mr. Issam Aruri - Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center - Director
"Justifications and Future Horizons for the Tayyar" (15 minutes)

2. Mr. Farid Murra – Academic
"The Way the Tayyar Works" (15 minutes)

3. Mr. Tayseer Zeprie – Activist
"Political Program of the Tayyar" (15 minutes)

Questions and Answers (45 minutes)


4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Session 4 – Closing Session

Facilitator - Jamal Juma’, coordinator of the Palestinian grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

Recommendations and Final Statement (60 minutes)



Day 3 – Sunday, June 28th, 2009


Field Trips


First Group: Qalqiliya and Tulkarem Field Trip

Guides: Jamal Barham and Mohammed Othman
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. (7 p.m. back at the hotel)

Second Group: Jerusalem and Bethlehem Field Trip

Guide: Jamal Juma’
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. (7 p.m. back at the hotel)


Third Group: Jerusalem and Hebron Field Trip

Guide: Daoud Hammoudah
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. (7 p.m. back at the hotel)


Fourth Group: Jenin Field Trip

Guide: Mustafa Shata
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. (7 p.m. back at the hotel)



The Evening Program


Arrival Day – Thursday, June 25th, 2009

7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:
Introductory meeting at the Red Crescent Hotel with practical orientation and an overview of the political and economic situation.

8:30 p.m.:
Dinner at the Red Crescent Hotel with members of the Tayyar and representatives of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

Friday, June 26th, 2009

7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.:
Folklore night at the Cultural Palace - Ramallah.

9:00 p.m.:
Dinner at the Za`rour Restaurant with members of the Tayyar and representatives of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:
A meeting with the BNC (National Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Committee). Speech by Naomi Klein.

8:30 p.m.:
Dinner at the Salim Effendi Restaurant with members of the Tayyar, representatives of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, experts of the Health and Education sector and representatives of the Labor and Women Movement in Palestine.

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

9:00 p.m.:
Dinner at the Red Crescent Hotel with members of the Tayyar and representatives of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.