From 23 to 29 September 2009, a delegation composed of civil society leaders and artists from the Euro-Med network of the Anna Lindh Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures will be visiting Palestine and Israel. The delegation will include representatives from Greece, Morocco, Austria, Poland, Cyprus, Finland, Tunisia, Portugal and Slovenia.

Early in 2009, the Anna Lindh Foundation and its National Networks launched the region-wide initiative 'Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges' as a response to the intercultural tensions and rise in confrontation, xenophobia and intolerance fueled by the recent Gaza War as well as by the deterioration of social cohesion due to the global economic crisis.

The initiative has led to projects in over 30 Euro-Mediterranean countries, including local activities led by civil society groups, artists and educators in Palestine and Israel, and to the development of around 15 regional actions bringing together Euro-Mediterranean organizations with Israeli and Palestinian groups.

Two specific cultural programmes have also been designed in cooperation with the Head of Network Institutions in Israel and Palestine.
On September 23, the "Border Line" activity will culminate in Israel with events to be held in Bat Yam and Jaffa. These will include an academic round table on Mediterranean identities organized by the Bat Yam Urban Mediterranean Institute and the Van Leer Institute, and a series of artistic performances (video art installations, a 'Polaroid station', a concert and more) to be held on the border line between the towns of Bat Yam and Jaffa.

In Palestine, a week long Theatre Festival (September 24 to 29) will be held in the cities of Gaza, Bethlehem, Hebron and Jenin. These will include performances addressing issues such as social relief, non-violent self-determination and coexistence. Furthermore, theatre workshops will be held, aimed at spreading the message of freedom of mobility and exchange with Mediterranean neighbours, as well as creating a platform of debate about the role of theatre in rebuilding bridges between people.

The Anna Lindh Delegation will hold as well meetings with the Palestinian and the Israeli National Networks, will visit facilities and projects of some of their members who have ran "Restore Trust" actions, and will meet several finalists of the Euro-Med Award for Dialogue 2009, including the winner Combatants for Peace.

A number of local actions have taken place in Palestine and Israel in the framework of “Restore Trust” Initiative, among which we can mention: “Return to Haifa", a theatre play produced and performed in Hebrew and Arabic by a mixed Jewish-Arab theatre group; "Strengthening Children Capacities", youth workshops on the culture of peace and summer camps involving children of Bureij-Gaza, aimed at offering psychological support to help healing post conflict traumas by means of drama, puppet shows and art performances; "Fifteen Years After", addressed to Palestinian and Israeli women as bridge builders and peace advocates, working together in the framework of the Jerusalem Link Network. And many others.

For more information on “Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges: Initiative, log on to: http://www.euromedalex.org/restoretrust

For Journalists:
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Press conference on the outcomes of the Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges Initiative in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Tel – Aviv: 23 September at 12:00
Caesarea / Kete Dan Hall
Dan Hotel Tel Aviv
99 HaYarkon Street

Ramallah: 26 September at 12:00 winter time
Best Eastern Hotel
Ramallah – Palestine

For more information, please contact: press.office@euromedalex.org