Bethlehem /PNN/
Palestinian communities in several European countries commemorated the 47th anniversary of Land Day with a series of activities and events, with wide participation from community members, politicians, parliamentarians, and European solidarity activists.
In Sweden, the Palestinian Vision Association held a cultural event in the city of Borås to mark Land Day in cooperation with the municipality and ABF Foundation. The event was attended by Nicholas Malik, the international relations representative of the Social Democratic Party, journalist and writer Lena Fredrikson, and Swedish activist Gunner Olafsson, who spoke about their experiences in Palestine, emphasizing the depth of Swedish-Palestinian relations.
The event featured a mural of Palestine by artist Yahya Al-Ashmaawi, followed by a performance by the Iliya Folk Arts Group, affiliated with the association.
The opening speech was delivered by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Vision Association, Mohammed Karaz, who spoke about the importance, meanings, and implications of celebrating Land Day, and the Palestinian people's insistence on their land and their legitimate and fixed rights.
He said, "In the Palestinian Vision Association, we commemorate the 47th anniversary of the Palestinian Land Day, not just to recount historical events or mourn the past, but as a new battle in the ongoing war to regain Palestinian rights in all forms of resistance. The land has been and still is the center of the conflict and the core of our existence and future. Our survival and development are linked to preserving and engaging with our land," emphasizing that the Palestinian people are the only ones with the right to the land and will not accept any relinquishment of it, here or there.
In the German capital Berlin, the Mosaic Center organized a political festival, attended by activist Mohammed Baraka, a member of the Knesset and the chairman of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, along with a wide range of members of the Palestinian and Arab community.
At the beginning of the festival, Thaer Hajoo, the chairman of the center, welcomed the attendees on behalf of the administrative board of the Mosaic Center, emphasizing the importance of commemorating Land Day, which reaffirms the Palestinians' adherence to their land, their homeland, and their determination to continue their legitimate struggle until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved under an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
During the festival, Mohammed Baraka delivered a political speech about Land Day and the ongoing fascist practices of the occupation, including displacement and killing of our people.
The festival also featured artistic performances by the Mosaic band, which presented a show of Palestinian folklore and songs.
In Italy, the Palestinian community in Rome issued a statement stating that Land Day has become a symbol of national unity and the Palestinian people's struggle to defend their land, a day of resistance and struggle against the apartheid wall, settlement, violence, and the violation of their legitimate rights.
The community emphasized in its statement that Land Day is a symbol of solidarity with the Arab world, all honorable people, and lovers of freedom, and the right to self-determination and national independence for the Palestinian people based on United Nations resolutions and international legitimacy.
