News 11 Oct 2024
News
Process to respond to the call for HIAP to join the BDS Movement and become an Apartheid Free Zone
Background
On 7 June 2024, HIAP Spring 2024 Residents collectively withdrew from the HIAP Open Studios as a call for action to HIAP to publicly extend solidarity for the Palestinian struggle for decolonization and to support the political, civil and human rights of all Palestinians. The call included a series of recommendations to HIAP, including committing to participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) Movement and to becoming an Apartheid Free Zone (AFZ).
You can read the Residents statement, and HIAP’s responses here:
https://www.hiap.fi/event/hiap-open-studios-spring-2024/
Approach
Following the staff’s return from Summer, and with the start of our new Director, a process for deciding if HIAP will join the movement was agreed with the HIAP Board in August.
HIAP is a not-for-profit Association with Members. As such a decision of this nature would need to be made with them. The final decision to join the BDS Movement and become an AFZ will be made during the HIAP Members Meeting in November 2024. We will publish the results of the decision on our social media and website.
The process includes:
1. Ensuring HIAP’s Board, Members and Staff fully understand what becoming an AFZ and joining the BDS Movement means in practice. Including inviting Sumud (The Finnish Palestine Network) to meet with staff and board members.
2. Meeting with and confirming the position of HIAPs local, national and international partners on the issue through open dialogue.
3. Committing to clear public communication throughout the process.
4. Putting in place a policy regarding HIAP’s engagement with political movements to ensure the organisation and its staff are able to respond to future requests by residents and stakeholders with confidence.
Communication
We are sharing our process in the interest of continued transparency and communication. Please note we are a small entity with no dedicated communication capacity, and so at this point we are unable to respond to questions submitted via social media. We commit to publishing an FAQ with the decision in November, as well as an outline of how we will ensure any decision is then embedded into our working practices and programme.
Thank you for your understanding.
We would like to thank Sumud as well as our collaborators and peers locally, nationally and internationally who have provided their expertise and guidance.
If you would like to find out more about the BDS Movement and Apartheid Free Zones, you can refer to this website: