In Partnership with Healthworkers for a Free Palestine, ACT UP London, MedAct
During this discussion we will consider health as the embodiment of wider violent systems and the devaluation of life and health as a tactic of colonialism. Whilst Palestinians struggle in the most profound way to maintain their existence, our more privileged selves have also been living it, passively through our phones. This compounded with political failure after political failure has compromised our own mental, emotional and in some ways, spiritual health. Whilst our government's military budget drastically increases, healthcare services continue to be under-resourced and precarious. How do these issues relate? How can we advocate for health justice? And can we embody this resistance as a process of healing?
Health Workers for a Free Palestine (HW4FP) is a UK-based health justice collective born from the desire to stand in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle for liberation from occupation, apartheid and settler-colonialism. We are an explicitly political group organising boycotts, direct action, political education, and other forms of disruption. We ground our actions in the political framing of health justice, which must also be an anti-zionist, anti-imperialist, feminist, anti-capitalist, and anti-racist politics.
Medact supports health professionals from all disciplines to work together towards a world in which everyone can truly achieve and exercise their human right to health.
ACT UP - AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is an international, grassroots political group working to end the AIDS pandemic.
Community Guidelines
We convene here together from diverse backgrounds, cultures, traditions, and political experiences with the shared objective of advancing the struggle for Palestine. We ask all participants help us to create and maintain the space for a respectful discussion, exchange, and collaboration, by keeping the following principles in mind:
- Prepare yourself before attending. Have you slept and eaten well? Do you have someone to talk to afterwards?
- Please do your best to arrive on time for sessions, and be fully present.
- Please let our team know if you are attending alone and would like to be introduced to others,
- Assume the best intent and stay open-minded in any conversation, keeping in mind the diversity of experience and opinions of the participants.
- Respect the religious and cultural obligations of any participant, and if you are unsure of any cultural or religious boundaries that some adhere to, ask. A dedicated space is available for those observing prayer.
- If you feel overwhelmed at any point during an event our library is available as a quiet breakout space. Please let a member of our team know whether you would like to be accompanied or need additional support.
- We do not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, antisemitism, or any other form of discrimination.
- To make everyone feel comfortable, including the speakers we ask not to film during the event. Photographs are allowed with permission.