NEWS DESK
PATRON:
MADONNA
DAME JUDI DENCH
ROYAL PATRON:
HH THE BEGUM
AGA KHAN
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THE AMERICAN FUND FOR CHARITIES
Supporting Good Causes Worldwide
JUNE 2008...
OUR 10K TEAM RAN FOR CHILDREN OF PEACE
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
At 9.35 am on 6th July 2008 Sports Coordinator Dominic Martin led a team of seven
runners - Emma Cohen, Yasemin Saltuk, Jason Rudolph, Maria Hodson, Clare Bolt, Ben
McGregor - to raise funds for Children of Peace. The eighth annual ASICS British
10K London Run started outside the legendary Hard Rock Cafe on Piccadilly. The route
took runners past or near central London's historic and iconic landmarks, including
the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Tower
Bridge and Tate Modern.
Taking part were olympic athletes and celebrities from stage and screen, as well
as tens of thousands of fun and recreational runners who will raise over a million
pounds for the hundreds of participating charities and other causes. Over 25,000
runners entered this great event and we are truly grateful to more than 80 Friends,
Supporters and Colleagues of Children of Peace who have helped our hard working team
to raise thousands of pounds to help the children in Israel and Palestine.
Eti Castro and Samach Zahout from the band Master-Peace have joined us. Eti is an
Israeli pop star and Samach a Palestinian hip hop singer who have formed the band
to promote a message of peace. See their video on YouTube.
JEFF GOLDBLUM & SIR DEREK JACOBI IN LONDON
Jeff Goldblum was the very first international star to agree to become a Friend of
Children of Peace. So when he came to London to perform in the celebrated David Mamet
play: Speed the Plow at the Old Vic theatre he was delighted to meet up with fellow
Friend of the charity - Sir Derek Jacobi. The play also featured artistic director
Kevin Spacey as Fox and Laura Michelle Kelly as Karen.
FOUR NEW PREFERRED PARTNERS
Four new organisations have affiliated to Children of Peace as Preferred Partners.
This welcome news confirms the growing impact of our work in the region and the recognition
by many leading organisations and grassroots communities in the Middle East of the
importance of our conflict resolution programme.
The new affiliates include some of the most important NGOs working in the region
to promote mutual understanding, co-existence, co-operation and conflict resolution.
The renowned Israeli child protection organisation - the National Council for the
Child has joined forces with Children of Peace to work on a number of key projects,
including the urgent need to alert the world to the growing problem of Palestinian
child beggars in Israel. In this edition of News Desk, Elizabeth Levy of the National
Council for the Child has written movingly of this distressing development.
We are delighted to announce that Physicians for Human Rights has affiliated to Children
of Peace. PHR is a humane and responsible organisation, representing teams of Israeli
doctors and paramedics who operate clinics across the West Bank to provide vital
services for Palestinians deprived of decent medical care and treatment. PHR play
a vital role in building bridges between Jews and Arabs - helping to overcome suspicion
and misunderstanding between the two communities.
The Rebuilding Alliance is based in California and works to assist West Bank Palestinians
to rebuild infrastructure, dwellings and key structures to aid in the redevelopment
of civic society in preparation for a Palestinian state.
Italian organisation Il Germoglio focuses upon peace and coexistence projects for
Israeli and Palestinian youth in the safe and welcoming environment away from the
conflict in Verona, Italy. You can read more about our new affiliates and Preferred
Partners by checking out our Partners pages.
CHILD BEGGARS IN ISRAEL
By Elizabeth Levy, National Council for the Child, Israel
Letters and calls from concerned citizens reach the Ombudsman for Children and Youth
of the Israel National Council for the Child (NCC) telling tales of young Arab children
on the streets and at busy intersections, selling small goods or begging, and at
the same time endangering themselves and those in vehicles around them. Reports tell
of children of very young ages, out at all hours of the day and night, in cold rain
and in burning heat, without food, perhaps even without shoes, for hours at a time.
The NCC refers each case to the relevant authorities (police, social services, and/or
local municipal children's services) however experience has shown that there is little
that can be done by these authorities to prevent the phenomena or care for those
involved. Responses from the authorities vary - some more cooperative than others
- although what is clear is that the majority of these children are residents of
the Palestinian Authority who have come over to help "supplement"their family's income.
The majority of calls concern specific areas in Israel, areas easily reached from
the border. The main areas include the "triangle"region, the North (Nazareth and
Shfaram areas) and areas around Jerusalem.
Interestingly, different trends have been noted in different areas. For example,
in the triangle area, the children tend to beg or sell items at busy intersections.
In the north, near Shfaram and Nazareth, there have been complaints of women carrying
infants begging for money. According to the Shfaram welfare authorities, there is
a high suspicion that these infants are "rented"from families specifically for this
purpose. Around Jerusalem, children hang around shopping areas and in the streets,
trying to sell small items like cigarette lighters, kitchen gadgets or chewing gum.
In many cases, the children are sent by "pimps"who await their arrival at the end
of the day and expect their earnings.
It is close to impossible to prevent children from slipping through the checkpoints
for these purposes. At the checkpoints, children are allowed to pass through without
an identification card, issued at age 16. Once in Israel, the Israeli authorities
are legally helpless and have no authority for treatment, detainment or care for
these children. According to Israel law, the police cannot detain children under
the age of 14.
Serious harm and abuse has already occurred to children in this situation. Many of
the children are not attending school and in addition, we know of at least one case
of a 6-year-old girl who was run over and killed at an intersection while begging
for change. The National Council for the Child (NCC), the leading NGO in Israel whose
purpose it is to protect the well being of all of Israel's children, is very aware
of this phenomena, its risk factors and the infringement upon the rights of these
children, regardless of whether they are Israeli or not, and is actively seeking
possible solutions for these children. A solution must be found.
To make a safe and secure donation through our PayPal account
to help with this work please Donate.
BASSAM ARAMIN BECOMES CHILDREN OF PEACE GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
The Trustees of Children of Peace are delighted to announce that the leading Palestinian
Peace activist Bassam Aramin has agreed to become a Goodwill Ambassador to the charity.
Goodwill Ambassadors are leading international public figures who act as advocates
for our work in a variety of forums - from conferences to advising governments, to
interviews in the media and other organisations.
Bassam is the recipient of many peace awards including an Award on November 7, 2007
in New York, the Dieschwelle Foundation Award in Germany, the Bremen Peace Award
in November 2007.
Having spent seven years in Israeli jails between 1985-1992, Bassam has since become
a notable advocate for peace and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. He
is a Member of the Palestinian Israeli Bereaved Family Forum, is Chairman of Al-Quds
Center for Peace and Dialogue and Co-Founder of Combatants For Peace Organisation
(of Israelis and Palestinians) in 2005.
Bassam has given more than 70 lectures in Israel since 2006 in schools, universities
and meeting houses. In 2007, he tragically lost his beloved ten year old daughter
Abir in a tragic incident involving the IDF and has courageously maintained his search
for peace and reconciliation.
We are honoured that this very special man has joined us in our work to protect all
of the children in the region. Bassam is 40 years old and married with five children.
DOMINIC MARTIN BECOMES SPORTS COORDINATOR - MADELEINE McGIVERN OUR VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR
Dominic Martin - a Friend of Children of Peace has agreed to act as organiser for
a number of fund raising events involving sporting activities. Dominic is the Chief
Sub Editor of the Stage Newspaper and an active supporter of the charity.
Dominic is currently setting up the Children of Peace London Fun Run team which will
follow an agreed route with national organisers each year right up to and including
the 2012 London Olympics. It will mean that a lot of national interest will focus
on our charity.
If you would like to support the Fun Run by either participating or by sponsoring
the team or an individual runner, then please contact Dominic Martin via our email
button, bottom right.
We are also pleased to announce that the Trustees have appointed Madeleine McGivern
as our Volunteers Coordinator. We will be providing more information about this new
service in the next News Room update.
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THE ARCHIVES
