An opportunity to learn about the situation for Palestinians living under occupation
Are you a young, politically active Labour party member who wants to see the Palestine-Israel conflict first-hand and understand the issues involved? If so, this opportunity for a fully-funded visit to East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank with Travel2Palestine could be for you. There are two opportunities available.
Applications are open until Friday 15 July 2022.
“The trip organised by Travel2Palestine was excellent. It exceeded all expectations, which were already very high.
Harry Cross, Richard Green Fund delegate November 2019
Each day included a packed programme of tours, visits and briefings. The programme is wide-ranging and informative.
The visual impact of parts of life under occupation, such as the wall, checkpoints, divided Hebron and new settlement constructions was collectively very powerful. This trip is an effective way of promoting understanding and empathy about the Palestinian struggle.
Finally, this trip is an excellent opportunity to meet Palestinians and to hear their accounts of life under occupation. The trip builds cross-cultural understanding, solidarity and friendship which is personally enriching and which hopefully contributes to the struggle for peace, freedom and justice for Palestine.”
Harry Cross outside the Dome of the Rock on the Haram esh-Sharif / Temple Mount
If selected you will be part of a small group that will:
- See the wall, go through a checkpoint, talk to Palestinians and Israelis
- Visit Jerusalem, Ramallah and Hebron
- Meet Palestinians in villages affected by home demolition and nearby Israeli settlements
- Explore the existing challenges and the future with politicians and activists
You must be: aged between 18-30, a Labour Party member, and be prepared to commit to sharing your experiences by giving at least 3 talks to local groups and writing a blog about your visit on your return. You must oppose discrimination and racism. Your talks and blog must conform to Travel2Palestine guidelines.
We had two delegates who travelled with us in 2019. One travelled in September and the other in November.
Visiting Palestine had always been a dream of mine, and I was deeply honoured to be able to fulfil that through a place on a Richard Green bursary funded trip.
Before I went on this trip, I told myself through taking interest & doing my research that I had a pretty good knowledge of the ongoing situation. Still, nothing could prepare me for what I would learn or the emotion I would feel once I arrived on the ground as well as the lasting impact it would have on me.
Visiting The West Bank was a life-changing experience – the people I met left me inspired, the places I visited truly opened my eyes & I am proud that in 2020 I plan to connect with those incredible people that I met in Palestine to improve & further the friendships between the Scottish Labour movement, Glasgow as a city & the Palestinian people. Acting on that proud internationalism could not be more crucial than now.
Not only do I now feel more knowledgable about the country of Palestine & the ongoing situation, but I feel more confident in being able to present & speak to audiences about my own experience and about how they too can & should get involved. I am deeply honoured for the opportunity & I hope as more people have the chance to visit on this bursary that we can all carry on the great work Richard did.”
Eva Murray, Richard Green Fund delegate, September 2019
Unfortunately, we were unable to travel during most of 2020 (not surprisingly!) and all of 2021 but plan to have two new delegates for 2022.
These opportunities are funded by the Richard Green Bursary Fund for educational visits in memory of Richard Green. Richard contributed an enormous amount to the Labour family, both in his work for Labour politicians and later for the Labour Party.
About Richard Green
Richard’s family and friends have raised funds for two young people to travel to the West Bank in 2019 with more visits to follow.
Richard’s family chose Travel2Palestine because Richard (or Rich or Ric as many of his friends knew him) went on a Travel2Palestine visit in 2013.
This is what Richard had to say about the experience:
“Overall it was an extraordinary trip, with a fantastic mix of history, moving personal stories and seeing a beautiful country. While I think most people know about ‘the wall’ what consistently shocked me was just how systematic the oppression of the Palestinians was, both in East Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank. And despite that, the fact that pretty much universally all the Palestinians we spoke to still framed their struggle in universal terms (‘we just want our children to have the same chances as anyone else’) gives me a lot of hope.”
About Travel2Palestine
Travel2Palestine organises small, expert-led, group visits to Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank. Our aim is to help educate and inform people who are politically engaged on the situation in Israel and Palestine.
We started Travel2Palestine in 2011 to give people an opportunity to travel around Palestine in a way that would be extremely difficult to do as a lone traveller. We have taken more than 450 people to see the occupation and conflict for themselves.