Annual Advocacy report 2021-22

At our AGM on September 12th, we launched our 2021-22 annual report, outlining some of the successes, challenges and new opportunities taken up during September 2021 – September 2022.

Foreward: By Charlotte Marshall, Director.

We are delighted to offer our members and supporters this annual report, detailing the successes, challenges and work undertaken between September 2021 and 2022.

As the world emerges from a turbulent two years of the pandemic, we are pleased that despite challenges, our advocacy and campaigning work in the churches has gone from strength to strength. Successes this last year include the Carlisle Diocesan Synod Motion on Palestine that we worked hard on for over a year with the support of our partner Kairos Palestine, new memorials passed by the Methodist Conference concerning their continuing investment in HSBC, and calling for more action regarding BDS, a very successful Lent course on Cry for Hope which saw hundreds engaging online, and a significant theology conference which led to a statement that was picked up across the world.

This year has also been a landmark one for Palestine in many ways. After years of calling for the world to recognise Israel as an apartheid regime, others have finally joined this call, with the likes of B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International all launching significant reports outlining the legal and moral evidence that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid under international law. Our own partners Sabeel Jerusalem and Kairos Palestine have also released reports and articles about apartheid, focussing not just on the act of it, but challenging the theological justification for Israel’s continuing repression by some Christians and churches around the world. In the Autumn we will be building on this work, launching another online series on the topic of apartheid with international speakers.

As we write this, the World Council of Churches is meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, where amongst other significant topics of global concern, our partners have raised the question of the churches support for justice in Palestine. First and foremost, we exist to echo this call for solidarity and practical action in our churches across the UK, and to that end we have continued to engage at all levels to bring that voice to our church leaders. Regardless of the outcome of the meeting in Karlsruhe, our job continues to be to challenge the church to respond to the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people and stand on the side of truth, justice and equality.

As we reflect on the successes and challenges of the last year, and look to building on these for the future, we extend our very great thanks to you – our members – for your continuing support in all areas of our work, and we look forward to partnering with you for a free, equal and just peace in Palestine and Israel in the coming year.

Sabeel-Kairos 2021-22 Annual report

You can also read our Chair of the Board’s report from our AGM here: Chairs report for AGM 2022