The children of ORFA and CADFA spread the word

Interpal held a reception on 23 July to welcome the Palestinian children of the Oxford-Rammallah Friendship Association (ORFA) to London. There were eight Palestinian children, accompanied by three adults. Also attending were four Palestinian children from the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association (CADFA) which is currently part of the twinning network in Britain. The Children were welcomed to Interpal by Dr Essam Mustapha, Interpal’s Vice Chairman, who said, “You, the children, are the new Palestine. The future of Palestine is in your hands”. The children have been given this chance to spread the word and tell people what the real situation is like for them and other children, who have grown up under military occupation.

 

The children of ORFA and CADFA also spoke at the function. One young girl thanked ORFA and Interpal for making this, “once in a lifetime opportunity” possible. “Being here in the UK made me observe how people are living normally and peacefully. Now I know what freedom is all about”. She is here to tell her story to children her age and families in the UK. A young boy also took the opportunity to speak. “We live a hard life in the camp. It is over-populated, and we suffer tremendously. At checkpoints we sometimes have to queue for several hours just to go from place to place”.

 

After sightseeing in London and Oxford, the children of ORFA attended cultural events which were organised with The Pegasus Youth Theatre Summer Project. They are staying with British families in the UK and building links at grass roots level between civil society groups and people in Oxford and Ramallah. Interpal offers all the support it can to ORFA and organisations of its type. The Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association (CADFA) is dedicated to promoting human rights in Abu Dis. Along with others in Palestine, people in Abu Dis suffer abuses of human rights as a result of the Israeli occupation, such as the construction of the Separation Wall.