Farihan prepares traditional Arab treats for a bake sale fund-raiser. Photo courtesy of Assad Bushnaq

Come experience a slice of Arab culture at Olympia’s first ever Arab Festival on October 6, 2012. You will meet Arabs and Arab-Americans living in our community and have a day to experience music, dancing, food, and stories from the diverse countries and cultures of the Middle East.

For years, Palestinian-American and Olympian Farihan Bushnaq attended and enjoyed the biennial Arab Festival at Seattle Center. She loved the entertainment, information, and food from the various Middle Eastern countries and, also, the chance to socialize with others who shared her Arab background. After retiring from her nursing job, Farihan asked herself, “Why not bring this experience to my community in Olympia?” She approached us at the Rachel Corrie Foundation for help, knowing our history of working for peace and human rights in the Middle East. We were enthusiastic and decided to make our 2012 annual Peace Works event a launch of Olympia’s first Arab Festival.

Cindy Corrie speaks at protest outside the National Building Museum in Washington DC. Photo courtesy of Jewish Voice for Peace

The Rachel Corrie Foundation proudly supports the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS seeks to hold Israeli companies, institutions, and their international collaborators accountable for human rights abuses committed against Palestinians under illegal Israeli occupation.
We celebrate several successes within the last year, including the National Building Museum’s cancellation of an award ceremony honoring Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar supplies heavy equipment used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure and is the focus of a long term education and boycott-divestment campaign by RCF, Evergreen State College students seeking to make their campus “Caterpillar free,” and other organizations nationwide. In September, the Corries delivered a petition to the museum – with thousands of signatures and 150 organizational sponsors – to rescind Caterpillar’s award.

As Middle East peoples engage in revolution, Israel’s stranglehold on Gaza continues. In a comprehensive November 2011 report, the Israeli human rights organization Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement concluded that Israel operates in breach of its obligations to Palestinians – especially Gazans – with inappropriate restrictions that control airspace, territorial waters, farmland, fishing areas, the population registry impacting where Palestinians can travel and live, the electric supply, the communications infrastructure, distribution of tax revenue, and movement of goods and people.

Projects

Alternative Radio’s David Barsamian inspires audience at Nov. 10 discussion, Uprisings: From Kashmir to Egypt to Wall Street. Photo courtesy of John Harvey.

• Presented Peace Works 2011: Solidarity in Action featuring Alice Walker, Sharif Abdel-Kouddous, Dr. Dalit Baum, Noura Erakat, and over 400 participants
• Participated in Move Over AIPAC conference & Washington DC actions
• Contributed to U.S. Campaign annual meeting in Washington DC
• Funded a water purification unit for Rafah, Gaza, kindergarten
• Supported 2011 Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament in Rafah
• Provided olive trees to Palestine farmers Engaged three RCF interns, two work study students, and countless volunteers.
• Educated the public and media about the Corrie family trial in Israel
• Led campaign to convince National Building Museum to cancel public ceremony for Caterpillar Inc.
• Supported local BDS efforts: TESC Divest and the Olympia Food Co-op
• Awarded the Rachel Corrie Memorial Scholarship at The Evergreen State College
• Managed Iraqi Student Solidarity Committee scholarship
• Educated U.S. members of Congress in district meetings with Corries, flotilla participants, Israeli Dorothy Naor, and local constituents
• Launched Gaza Pen Pal Project with UNWRA school
• Corresponded with key Iranian officials to support release of U.S. hikers held in Iranian prison.
• Supported Washington State participants on the U.S. Boat to Gaza
• Co-sponsored Maia Mural Brigade Delegation to Gaza
• Provided numerous Corrie family speaking events and interviews from at home in Olympia, Washington, to Istanbul, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Washington DC, Des Moines, Iowa, and McMinnville, Oregon – to name a few!