General Report on the Welcome to Gaza Convoy

Written by Project Director Harry Fear

Introduction
TheWelcometoGazaConvoywasdesperatelyneededinthemediacontextofthePalestineIsrael conflictandespeciallyinthecontextoftheGazaStriptoproducemediacontentthatthemainstream mediafailstomake.ItalsosentastrongandimportantmessageofresistancetotheIsraelioccupation thatevenordinaryinternationalcitizenscanposeaseriousmediareputationrisktoIsraelbycovering anduncoveringstoriesoftragedyandrepressionunderitsillegalanddecadeslongmilitaryoccupation. TheWelcometoGazaConvoywasthefirstofitskind,bringingtogether24individualmedia professionals,mediastudentsandmediaactivists,intoaprojectofexplorationandcollaborationfora coupleofweeksinJuly2013.Participantscomprisedadiversegroupof10menand14women,of variousreligious,ethnic,national,educational,economic,politicalandmediabackgrounds. The24participants,chosenbytheonthegroundorganisersinGaza,wereselectedfromamongover 120registrants,onthebasisoftheirmediaskillsandpoliticalawareness,willingnesstobringtechnical equipmenttoGazaandtotrainPalestiniansinmediaandadvocacy,aswellastheirwillingnesstogive eyewitnesslecturesontheirreturntotheircountriespostconvoy.WechoseparticipantsfromBritain, Ireland,theUSA,Canada,France,Italy,Denmark,Macedonia,Jordan,Egypt,Japan,China,Malaysia andSlovenia,aswellasPalestinianrefugeesfromthe1948Catastrophe.Mostparticipantswerein theirearly20sbuttheoldestamonguswas67,whiletheyoungestwasonly21. Secondarily,theconvoyhadbackgroundobjectives,whichweretofacilitatethereturnofthe participatingPalestinianstotheirhomeland,toprovideasocialspiritualglobalawarenessboostfor participantsandtofurtherempassion,activateandempowerthemforthePalestiniancause.

http://youtu.be/48B1uKye2UQ

OneofthemainobstaclesforinternationalsvisitingGazaisthecomplexityandinsecurityoftravelling aloneasafirsttimer.GiventhevastinterestamonginternationalactiviststovisitGaza,andgiventhe desperateneedformediaexposureworkinGaza,Iwantedtotrymostintelligentlytofacilitate meaningfulactivityforthisdemand. Theunstable,volatileandsensitivesecurityandpoliticalsituationinbothEgyptandGazaposeda seriousriskfactortothesecurity,integrityandviabilityoftheonthegroundmission.However,the securitysituationwaswellmanagedandanyissuesweregenerallyaddressedexpeditiously. ItsnowlateJulyandtheonthegroundprogrammeinGazaiscompletetheworkcontinues,tofinish producinganddistributingremainingcontent,includingpowerfulfilms,engagingphotoessaysand voluminousarticles.Thecontentsofarproducedanddistributedimpressedthepublicandthe organisersimmensely.Wewereimpressedbytheparticipantsabilitytogettogripsquicklywiththe toughproductionenvironmentthatGazapresents. Inordertosatisfythemediaproductionrequirementsandtosatisfytheneedforintegrationbetween participantsandPalestinians,we,asconvoyorganisers,puttogetherateamoftranslatorswhoacted bothprofessionallyandsocially.Theytranslatedandhelpedproducemediacontent.Theyadditionally providedlocalinsights(geographic,cultural,religious,economic,socialandpolitical).Among furtherroles,theyprovidedvaluableorganisationalandlogisticalsupport. Theorganisationaleffortrequiredtodirectandmanagethelongandextremelyintenseconvoy programmewasimmense.However,theorganisersrecognisedtheoverallnecessity,valueand successoftheprojectandplanonrunningsimilarprogrammesinthefuture. Therearealreadyover200registrationsforthenextconvoyprogramme.Strongparticipantsfromthis July2013programmewillbewaivedthroughtheapplicationprocessandwillbeimmediatelygranted participantstatus. Manyparticipantshavealreadyexpressedinterestinjoiningthenextprogramme,andoverwhelmingly participantsexpressedsatisfactionandfulfillmentwiththisconvoysprogramme,itsmediaproduction successesanditsabilitytoprovideeyewitnessinsight. Thewholemissionwasavoluntarynotforprofitmission.Allorganisers,translatorsandparticipants workedonaprobonobasisforthesakeofajustcause.

General Feedback
Mostparticipantsarestillworkingintensivelyfinishingupproduction,buttwoparticipantspostedthese publicfeedbacksontheirpersonalparticipationexperiences.

Denny Cormier: IcantellyounowwithoutanyhesitationthattheexperiencewaslifechangingItisnotlikelythatI wouldhavecometoGazaasasolitarytravelerWasthefirstconvoysuccessful[?]Inmyopinion yes,yes,yes. Icanhonestlysaythatconvoyorganizersmadethisfirsttimeexperiencevirtuallypainless.Andwe werejoinedbydozensoftranslatorsandfacilitatorsandsupporterswhowereeagertohelpandeager tointroduceustoGaza [T]heconvoyalmostimmediatelyputusintouchwiththegoodpeopleofGaza.Andthatwasthemost significantaspectoftheconvoy...Imethundredsofpeoplewithinthefirstfewdaysandhearddozens ofstories(astorytellersdream)withinthefirstfewdays.Someofthosestoriesbrokemyheart,butI neededtohearthem.SomeofthosestoriesintroducedmetothedignityandstrengthofapeoplethatI immediatelycametoadmire,andyes,toloveWevisitedthehomesofpeoplewhoseliveshadbeen shatteredduringIsrael'sOperationCastLeadandIsrael'sOperationPillarofCloudWevisited placesthatfewinternational[s](andAmericans)haveevervisited

Mennah Elsarrag: Itwasaninterestingandeyeopeningexperience.WedidsomegreatworkthereandIhopethatour convoywasjustasteppingstoneforotherstocontinueThankyoutotheorganizersandtranslators whospentdaysandnightswithustohelpmakeourcontentthebestitcouldbe.Youhaveallbecome myfriendsandImissyouThankyoutotheotherconvoymembers.Beforethistrip,wewereall completestrangers.NowwearefamilyAspecialthankyoutoHarryFearandNoorHarazeen.I knowwedroveyoubothcrazybuttrustandbelievethateveryoneofusaresogratefulforthe opportunityyouprovidedWithaheavyheart,IhadtosaygoodbyetoGaza,itspeople,andmy coworkers/friends.IknowthatonedayI'llgobacktocontinuetospreadthetruthaboutlifeunderthe siege. DuringmediainterviewsinGaza,thefollowingparticipantsprovidedtheseinsightsintotheir understandingofthesocialandmediaimpactoftheconvoy.

Ebbe Bertelsen: Sofarwehavebeenworkingonvideos,articlesanddifferentkindsoffeaturearticles.Wevebeen workingwiththefamiliesinNorthGaza[who]weretargetedduring[IsraelsOperation]CastLead Wevebeenworkingwiththeproblemswiththesewageinthewater.Wevebeenworkingwiththe Christiancommunity.Andnow,ourfinalprojectistoworkwithsomeofthevictimsofthelastwarin November2012,andwehopetofinishacombinedeffortintoabigvideoaboutthelastwar

Hannah White: TherearelotsofpeoplewhodolotsofverygoodworkinGazaandwevemetsomeamazing Palestinianjournalists[but]Ithinkwhatwehavebecausewearefrom16differentcountries[is]a widescopeofpeoplethatwecanreach,bothontheinternetandwhenwegohomeinpersonWeare averyinternationalconvoy.

Eileen Carr: IlivedintheWestBankforatimebefore,butnothingcouldhavepreparedmeforcominghereand hearingthepeoplesindividualstories.[]AndtheamountoftraumahereisjustincredibleThe differencebetweenthisconvoyandperhapsother[delegations]thathavecomeisthatwewillgoback toourownindividualgroupsmyselfImgoingtogobacktomanyuniversitiesandNGOs,andschools andpeaceprojects,andsharethosestoriesoflifeonthegroundhere. Twotranslatorspublishedfeedbackpiecesontheirparticipationwiththeconvoy:

Walaa: [Itwasa]wonderfulopportunityofworkingwithagreatgroup[Im]readyforanyothergreat opportunitylikethisand[to]workwithyouinthefuture.

Maysoon: During[these]twoweeks,Ispentthemostbeautifultime[s]inmylifewithyouand[Im]sureIwon't forgetthesedays

MycodirectorwrotethefollowingfeedbackasthefirstsetofparticipantsleftforEgypt.

Noor Harazeen ElevenparticipantsfromWelcometoGazaConvoywillbeleavingtheGaza[S]tripearlytomorrow morning,after[the2week]workingprogram,[duringwhich]19articleswerewritten,3shortfilmswere alreadyreleased,whileanother4areontheway,morethan1000photo[s]weretakenandalmost170 willbereleasedsoon,allabouttheGazaStripdailylife,theoccupation,fishermen,[the]rightofreturn, [a]ffectedfamilies,uncoveredstoriesfromthewar,GazanChristians,education,[the]Israeli occupationwarcrimes,[the]siege,resistance,[the]talentedyouthinGaza,thehope,the steadfastness,thestrength,theloveandthestrong[belief]ofonebeautifulfreePalestine!Iamso

proudofwhatwe[achieved],sohappythatfinallyajournalistconvoymadeabigchangeandlefta markinthememoryofPalestinians,and[thatit]willhelpraisingtheawarenessofthewesternworld [Congratulations]totheseamazing2[4]journalistsfrom16differentcountries,whosponsored themselvestocomeandexposetheIsraeliillegalcrimesinPalestine![Congratulations]forthe10 amazingnew[ly]graduatedEnglishtranslators

Diplomatic Status
InordertofacilitatetheparticipantsentryintoandstayinGaza,aPalestinianorganisationhadto sponsorthedelegation.IapproachedGazasDohaCentreforMediaFreedominGazaCityand proposedtechnicalcooperationtofacilitatetheproject,dubbedthefirstmediaconvoytoGaza.The centrequicklyacceptedandendedupsuccessfullybeingthesponsoringorganisation. Asthedelegationwasover15personsinsize,wewerealsorequiredtopartnerwithagovernmental ministry.WewereapproachedbytheMinistryofForeignAffairs,andgiventhemultinationaldiversityof theparticipants,werecomfortableacceptingtheirdiplomaticsupport.

Group Status
Travellingandworkinginmanagedgroupsovercamevarioussecurityrisks(includingtraveldangers) thatwouldhaveexistedshouldfirsttimershavetriedtomakesuchamissionindependentofan organisedconvoy. Whilelearningseriousadvocacyskillsfromthedirectors,andwhileinteractingwiththetranslatorsand their23activistjournalistcolleaguesfromdiversebackgrounds,membersexploredGazasphysical andsociospiritualeconomicrealityasasinglegrouporinsmallersubgroups.

Theysharedandlearnedtogetherinwhatwassometimesamediaproductionbootcamp,allwith seriousandguidedsecurityandsafetyprotocolsandmanagement.Participantswereablealsoto interactandpartnerwithkeyPalestinianorganisationsandfigures.

Organisers
TheconvoywasconceivedbyBritishfilmmakerjournalistHarryFearinsummer2012,andwasco directedbyPalestinianjournalistNoorHarazeen. TwofriendsofHarrys,MohanadNabhanandWalidRoukactedassupportorganisersintheplanning phasesandlateractedastranslatorstoo. NoorHarazeenorganisedthe10Palestiniantranslators,mostofwhomwereTranslationdegree graduatesfromGazaUniversity. Mostofthetime,duringworkinghours,wewerealsoaccompaniedbyatleastoneofthefollowing authoritiesstaff.First,MohammedAbedullahfromthegovernmentsofficialDelegationReception Committee.Second,FadyAbuOlbafromtheMinistryofForeignAffairs.

Example Media
Videos

http://youtu.be/_dpAtcXH2l

MyHomeRemains

http://storyonethousandone.com

Story#1001

Articles
TreadingWaterinaSeaofDespairhttp://ahmedhegazi.co.uk/2013/07/14/treadingwater/ HowNorthGazaSuffershttp://truestories.me/2013/07/08/hownortherngazasuffers/ ChildsPlayinGazahttp://www.rinaandolini.com/2013/07/childsplay.html

Photos

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