Philly BDS invites you
to learn about “Philly, Don’t Orchestrate Apartheid.”
Despite Israel’s decades-long documented suppression of Palestinian voices and Palestinian human rights the Philadelphia Orchestra has made plans to perform in Israel this June. Despite the calls from the local community calling for the boycott of this trip, the Philadelphia Orchestra is claiming that their performance in Israel is a form “cultural diplomacy,” and not “a political mission.”
Inspired by the global cultural boycott that helped end Apartheid in South Africa, Palestinian civil society has called on the international cultural institutions to not perform in Israel. This cultural boycott is used as a means of popular non-violent activism to pressure Israel to end their occupation and apartheid policies.
Over 100 musicians, artists, scholars, union members and activists, as well as 33 social justice organizations have called on the Philadelphia Orchestra to cancel their planned June tour in Israel. Citing that such a tour would be regarded as the orchestra’s participation in the Israeli government’s, “Brand Israel propaganda strategy.”
What is a cultural boycott? How and why do they work?
What strategies are effective in a cultural boycott campaign?
A TEACH-IN on CULTURAL BOYCOTT
Saturday, May 5, 2018
UPENN, Houston Hall Bodek Lounge
4:00 – 6:00 PM
Panelists:
Dr. Lawrence Davidson, retired professor of Middle East history at West Chester University. He is an Advisory Board member of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
Hannah Mermelstein from Adalah-NY, The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel advocates for justice, equality, and human rights for the Palestinian people through educational activities and campaign-building, with significant experience in cultural boycott campaigns.
Karima Saab, a Palestinian American representing Philly BDS will talk about the group’s current campaign–demanding The Philadelphia Orchestra to cancel their upcoming performance in Israel. In addition, Karima will discuss the apparent misconnection present in the Palestinian-American community regarding activism as it is compared to non-Palestinian Activism in the Philadelphia area.
A moderated discussion will follow.
