Mustafa Barghouti to address ‘First Global Anti-Apartheid Conference for Palestine’ in Jo’burg

In a historic move that echoes the global calls for justice and the end of oppression during the South African liberation struggle, the South African Anti-Apartheid Steering Committee (SAAASC) has announced the First Global Anti-Apartheid Conference for Palestine.

This pivotal conference responds to resounding calls from Palestinians, reinforced by the legacy of the World Conference Against Racism in Durban in 2001, and amplified by the urgent need to address Israel’s ongoing genocidal actions against Palestinians – especially in Gaza.

Since early 2022, South African social justice activists, faith leaders, and solidarity organizations have worked on hosting a global conference to galvanise global support for the Palestinian people and their struggle.

The conference, to be held from 10 to 12 May 2024 at the Sandton Convention Centre, will herald the Global Anti-Apartheid Movement dedicated to supporting the Palestinian struggle against Israel’s apartheid settler-colonial and apartheid regime. It reflects a collective aspiration to mobilise worldwide action, aiming to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people and to dismantle Israeli apartheid from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

The strategic Objectives of the Conference would be to lay the groundwork for intensifying global mobilisation, organisation, and coordination against Israeli apartheid. Its prime objectives are to:
* Develop comprehensive political, legal, public diplomacy, and media strategies aimed at isolating Israel’s regime of oppression;
* Foster global solidarity and action that will contribute to the dismantling of Israeli settler-colonial, apartheid, and genocidal practices and policies.
* Support the struggle of the Palestinian people for all their rights, including the right to self-determination, and the right to return.

“The conference is a testament to the enduring spirit of international solidarity that helped dismantle apartheid in South Africa and marks the beginning of a renewed, global movement against apartheid in all its forms. We stand at a watershed moment, ready to translate collective indignation into concrete actions for freedom, justice, and equality in Palestine and beyond,” said a spokesperson.

The First Global Anti-Apartheid Conference for Palestine is the birth of a global call to action. We invite those committed to human rights and justice around the world to join us in this historic effort to ensure that the principles of equality and freedom prevail for every individual, irrespective of their nationality or background.

The conference will consist of a number of panel discussions and workshops. Speakers at these include Declan Kearney, chairperson of Sinn Fein; Mustafa Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative; and Reverend Munther Isaac from Bethlehem.