Newsletter April, May, June 2017

APN Secures Permanent Seats for Communities under War and Occupation in the Civil Society Mechanism tied to the Committee on World Food Security

After 7 years of effective mobilization, APN pushed the Coordination Committee of the Civil Society Mechanism to approve of a permanent seat for communities living under war or occupation. The decision was announced at the Coordinatin Committee during 4-6 May 2017

The Million Trees Campaign Plants 15,000 fruit trees in the Gaza Strip

In solidarity with farmers in the Gaza Strip and in an effort to build their resilience and improve their state of food security, APN planted 15,000 citrus and olive trees, on 421 dunams across Gaza. The initiative is part of the "We Plant to Revive" project organized in collaboration with the Palestinian Agriculture Development Association - PARC.

In Its Speech in Rabat: APN Calls for Ending the War as the Only Means to Eradicating Hunger and Achieving Development

APN Board member Ms. Zuayter was invited to speak at the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development in Morocco, organized by the morrocan minister Ministry in charge of General Affairs and Governance, the Economic and Social Commission of the United Nations (ESCWA) and the League of Arab States and in collaboration with UN organizations working in the Arab region.

APN Plants 770 Fruit Trees in the Central Jordan Valley in Collaboration with the Safwa Islamic Bank, the Jordan Ahli Bank and Bank ABC

In support of food security and providing smallholder farmers with a sustainable source of income, APN organized a number of voluntary activities with the Safwa Islamic Bank, the Jordan Ahli Bank and Bank ABC to plant 770 fruit trees in the Al Wadi and Ruweiha areas of Deir Alla and Ghor Al Mazra’a.

APN Heads to Rome to Speak on Monitoring the Implementation of Committee on World Food Security Policies

On 6/4/2017, APN General Manager Mariam Al Jaajaa spoke at the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome on “Monitoring the Implementation of Committee on World Food Security Policies.”

APN Cooperates with Farmers in Jerusalem on Numerous Innovative Projects

APN, collaborated with the Palestinian Rural Development Association in the North Western villages of Jerusalem, to carry out several development projects consisting of tree planting, constructing water wells and women empowerment activities.

Hope makers: a gap between appearance and reality

In April 2017, Ms. Razan Zuayter, as the founder of the Million Tree Campaign, was chosen among the 12 finalists selected from 65,000 contestants in the Hope Makers Competition.

APN Main Speaker at The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development’s preparatory meeting on environmental issues and regional priorities in Cairo

APN, Zain and the Ahliyeh For Agriculture Plant Hope for An Underprivileged Family in the Jordan Family

In May 2017, the Green Caravan headed towards a widow’s empty plot of land in the Darar bin al Azwar area of the Jordan Valley to plant 200 lemon, pomelo and clementine trees. A group of volunteers from Zain planted the trees with the help of local residents and children from the area. The activity was organized in collaboration with the Ahliya for Agriculture.

APN Speaks at the First National conference for Environmental NGOs

APN General Manager Mariam Al Jaajaa was invited to speak at the first national conference for environmental NGOs, organized by the Jordanian Federation for Environmental NGOs and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung on the 7th of May 2017. Ms. Al Jaajaa was asked to speak about APN's ability in harnessing all the productive components of society including youth and women.

The Million Tree Campaign stands with “Our Country’s Mothers” by planting the Iskaka Village in Salfit

APN, empowers female-headed households by planting 1,105 olive, fig and pomegranate trees in the Iskaka area in the Salfit governorate. The event was part of the "Our Country's Mothers" project organized in collaboration with the Salfit Development Association and other youth organizations in the area.

APN Presents its Work at the Environmental Justice Strategic Conference in Beirut

On June 9-12, 2017, APN Advocacy Officer Zeina Fakhriddin was invited to present APN's work at the Environmental Justice Strategic Conference held by the Environmental Justice Project and the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship in Beirut. The aim was to discuss both regional and global environmental struggles and share experiences in strategies for change.

APN Volunteers Head to Bayouda to Harvest Spring Livestock Feed

On the 5th and 12th of May, a group of APN volunteers headed to Bayouda to work with Farmer Abu Saddam, who has a field full of Palestine vetch that was ready for harvest. The activity was organized by APN in collaboration with the Institute of Creativity - Balqaa.

Two Meetings with the General Secretariat of the Conference for Palestinians Abroad

In April and May 2017, APN Board member Ms. Razan Zuayter attended meetings held by the General Secretariat of the Conference for Palestinians Abroad and presented the action plan for the Land and Water Committee she facilitates.

Land Revival Project Plants 2,235 Fruit Trees in Hebron

As part of the Million Tree Campaign, the Land Revival project planted 2,235 olive, citrus, and stone fruit trees in Hebron.

Conference on the Right of Return in Beirut

In May 2017, APN, represented by Mr. Hasan Al Jaajaa, attended a workshop on enhancing collaboration between members of the International Campaign for the Right of Return to Palestine, and on widening the campaign’s membership scope at the regional and global level.

APN Hosts Renowned Journalist David Barsamian

In April 2017, APN, in collaboration with the Palestine International Institute, organized a talk by the accomplished journalist David Barsamian on the subject of “The Foreign Policy of the Trump Administration.” Barsamian, a strong advocate of the Palestinian cause, is one of America’s most wide-ranging and respected award-winning independent journalists. He has published a wide collection of notable books with prominent laureates and public figures including Noam Chomsky, Tariq Ali, Edward Said, and others.

APN Gets Certified on Strategic Environmental Assessment

On 2-4 May 2017, APN attended a three-day intensive workshop on Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) organized by the Jordanian Federation for Environmental NGOs in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. 25 participants from different organizations attended the workshop, while APN was represented by its General Manager Mariam Al Jaajaa and its Advocacy Officer Zeina Fakhriddin

APN Plants Trees with Students from the National Orthodox School

In May 2017, as part of its Green Caravan Program, APN organized a tree planting activity that involved 60 volunteering students from the National Orthodox School in the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain Forest- Ghamadan.

APN General Assembly Meeting 2017

On 16/5/2017, APN held its annual General Assembly meeting. The meeting consisted of a quick review of APN’s recent accomplishments and the 2016 Annual Report, as well as a review of the budget and the Financial Audit Report for the financial year 31/12/2016.

APN Participates in the first consultative meeting on “Food Security Assessment and Monitoring in the Arab Region” in Beirut

On 10-11 April 2017, APN board member Ms. Razan Zuayter was invited to Beirut to attend ESCWA’s first consultative meeting on assessing and monitoring food security in the Arab world during which the results of the mapping of national food security policies and strategies were presented.

Ms. Zuayter Participates through Video-Call in the Gaza Forum for Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture

In May 2017, Ms. Razan Zuayter, President of the Arab Network for Food Sovereignty, digitally participated in the Gaza Forum for Urban and Peri-Urban agriculture.

APN Attends Various Local Meetings

APN attended several local meetings in April- June including meetings for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Jordanian Federation for Environmental NGOs as well as workshops on Pesticides Residues in Jordanian Produce and on Accountability Mechanisms for International Financial Institutions.