Netherlands

Education
Culture
Gender

*VM* Cultural Diversity for Dialogue - English Edition

A National Network Activity has been organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation Dutch Network Member New Women Connectors in the framework of the Anna Lindh Foundation Virtual Marathon

Education
Culture
Gender

*VM* Cultural Diversity for Dialogue - French Edition

A National Network Activity has been organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation Dutch Network Member New Women Connectors in the framework of the Anna Lindh Foundation Virtual Marathon

Education
Culture
Youth

*VM* Cultural Diversity for Dialogue - Lecture

A National Network Activity has been organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation Dutch Network Member New Women Connectors in the framework of the Anna Lindh Foundation Virtual Marathon

A Different Jewish Voice (Een Ander Joods Geluid)

National Network
Netherlands
Address

Marius van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 40
1054 SP Amsterdam
Netherlands

Telephone
0031(0)206795850
E-Mail
eajg@eajg.nl
E-Mail (2)
r.nethe@eajg.nl
E-Mail (3)
m.wieselmann@eajg.nl
Mobile Phone
0031(0)643751788
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2001
Fields of Activity
  1. Human rights
  2. International/Cultural relations
  3. Research
General Information
A Different Jewish Voice is a group of concerned Jews who aim to contribute towards achieving peace in the Middle East. A Different Jewish Voice does not question Israel’s right to exist but at the same time wants to stimulate public debate and encourage dissenting points of view regarding the State of Israel and the Occupied Territories. It is because of our solidarity with Israel and our concern for its continued existence, that A Different Jewish Voice supports peace initiatives in Israel and Palestine. Structure of our organization: 6 member Board and a part-time staff of 5. Yearly budget: €120,000. Sources of funding: private supporters and funds. We publish factsheets and position papers aimed at politicians and policy makers, contribute to the public debate by writing op-eds and starting campaigns, and organize conferences and debates. We try achieve our goals by cooperating with Israeli peace and human rights groups and like-minded pro-peace groups in the Netherlands and Europe.
Mission and Objectives

As A Different Jewish Voice we wish to:
- Contribute to the public debate and critical opinion making on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories;
- Break the taboo among Jews that they cannot utter criticism on the state of Israel and do not either accept this from other people;
- Support peace initiatives based on a felt connection with the fate and survival of Israel. Starting point here are the generally accepted principles of equality, tolerance and humanity as anchored in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and aiming at a sustainable peace in the Middle East that must be reached without oppression and/or discrimination from either side in any form whatsoever.
- Perform any further action that relates to the items mentioned in the broadest sense or that might be conducive to them.
A Different Jewish Voice stands for:
- Dialogue and mutual respect instead of violence and abuse of power.
- Equal opportunities and rights for all people.
- Complete withdrawal of settlers and the military from the occupied territories, according to UN resolutions 242 and 338, in exchange for peace and security.
- Realizing a viable Palestinian state next to Israel; Jerusalem as the capital of two states.
- A balanced solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees. A condition is that Israels recognizes its co-responsibility of the emerging of this problem. Only then negotiations can be started on the question how Israel can contribute to repairing this injustice without endangering its own existence.

Main Projects / Activities

We aim to reach politics, the public and the media. We try to do so by organizing the following activities and implementing the following projects:
- We publish factsheets and position papers on issues relating to Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aimed at politicians and policy makers.
- We organize campaigns and conferences to get the public involved in promoting for instance Dutch support for a Palestinian UN membership or in promoting a different Dutch foreign policy, aimed at building a strong support for a two-state solution and an end to the Occupation.
- We try to influence the debate within the Jewish community on Israel by organizing debates and lectures, writing op-eds and by bringing progressive Israeli voices to a Jewish audience.
- We cooperate with European Jewish and Israeli groups in promoting an alternative Jewish view on the conflict among EU policy makers and the European public.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

A Different Jewish Voice (Een Ander Joods Geluid) promotes a more thorough and balanced knowledge of and debate on Israel and Palestine in the Netherlands: in the Jewish community but also in the Netherlands as a whole. We believe that by giving Israelis and Palestinians, who are striving for a peaceful and just solution of the conflict, a platform in the Netherlands and Europe, we can end the current status quo. As a Jewish organization of whom many members and supporters have family and friends in Israel and who feel a deep connection (historically, culturally or religiously) to the region, we have a personal stake in letting Israeli and Palestinian voices being heard. We also wish to contribute to a peaceful and lasting dialogue that will close an artificial gap between being 'pro-Israel' and being 'pro-Palestine'. Because we wish to bridge these differences and support an honest debate that will hopefully bring peace a little bit closer, we believe we can contribute to the overall goals of the Anna Lindh Foundation and its pan-European Network.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

We believe that there is a real need to foster more understanding of the Middle East in Europe - and not only when it comes to Israel and Palestine -, now that the region has seen tremendous turmoil and strife in the last couple of years. We also believe that civil society organizations are the ones who can promote this understanding - but for that, we need to cooperate.
For the last couple of years A Different Jewish Voice has cooperated closely with activists and organizations in Israel and Palestine, as well as NGOs in the Netherlands - consisting of Dutch Israelis, Dutch Palestinians, organizations within the Jewish community, but also Christian groups and others. Over the years, we've also learned that contributing to a lasting change will mean that we will have to go 'European' and expand our work so that our voice and the voice of pro-peace Israelis and Palestinians can be heard in Brussels and other places. For this, we are looking for partners across Europe - and we believe the ALF Network can help us forge new alliances across Europe and Israel/Palestine. We believe that by joining the ALF Network, we become part of a growing alliance to bring peace, mutual understanding and dialogue to the doorsteps of ordinary Europeans, and as a Jewish organization committed to this, we wish to become part of the ALF Network.

Contact (1) Full Name
Raymond Nethe
Job Title
Fundraising and constituency
Head of the organisation
Mr. M. Wieselmann
Contact (2) Full Name
Max Wieselmann
Job Title (2)
Director

A World of Neighbours

National Network
Netherlands
Address

Cabralstraat 1
128-1
1057 CD Amsterdam
Netherlands

Telephone
+31626218187
E-Mail
rikko.voorberg@aworldofneighbours.org
E-Mail (2)
rikkovoorberg@gmail.com
E-Mail (3)
rikkovoorberg@gmail.com
E-Mail (4)
rikkovoorberg@gmail.com
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2022
Fields of Activity
  1. Human rights
General Information

A World of Neighbours Stichting is an European NGO, based in the Netherlands. Led by Network Director Rikko Voorberg (parttime), assisted by a coördinator and communications manager (both parttime), several free-lance workers (video, fundraising, digital platform and Young AWoN). Almost 60 volunteers are part of the AWoN Team investing in vision, mission, mutual support, sharing best practices and more. Main funder is Church of Sweden, assisted by Lutheran World Federation, HIAS and Islamic Relief Worldwide. Our budget is about € 200.000 per year. Projects are: Practitioner support operations, Annual Meeting, Learning & Exchange, Network Expansion & National Networks, Monitoring & Evaluation, Young AWoN and AWoN Connect Platform. We host Montly Learning & Exchange Events, on-call Help My Case Meetings, Research Projects on Practitioner Practices, Annual Summit and more.

Mission and Objectives

Vision
A World of Neighbours envisions convivenz (living together) in a diverse, humane and welcoming Europe. A society which is mutually transformative in its relationship between receiving communities, people on the Move, practitioners and broader society.

Mission
A World of Neighbours’ mission is to empower practitioners through maintaining an interreligious and cross sectoral peer-to-peer support network of practitioners. A World of Neighbours fosters a 'community of practice' among those working on the front lines of accompaniment of people on the move, and social cohesion.

Strategic Goals
1: Provision of mutual support and collaboration amongst practitioners in support of people on the move
2: Enabling influence and advocacy to effect change by and for people on the move and practitioners

Strategic Objectives
1: Build collaboration and partnership between practitioners at both Local and European level
2: Build capacity & skills of practitioners through sharing knowledge and good practice
3: Creating a structure by which practitioners can empower each other and provide mutual care and support
4: Reduce xenophobia amongst receiving communities
5: Improve rights for, and public policy towards people on the move

Main Projects / Activities

1. Support for Practitioners
2. Knowledge program (Learning & Exchange)
3. The Annual 'Summit'.
4. Network Expansion and National Networking.
5. Young AWoN
6. Monitoring and Evaluation
7. AWoN Connect Platform

1. Support to Practitioners.
An important element of supporting Practitioners are the Home Groups. A 15 week program with 6 plenary calls and dozens of individual calls where training, peer support, sharing promising practices and exploring collaborations are central. Staff and board support the practitioners in their work and personal challenges. For the future, this includes training practitioners in fundraising and establishing and/or contributing to national networks.

2. Knowledge Program (Learning & Exchange).
A program with monthly webinars, Help-My-Case Meetings and supporting research-based practices. Lectures cover AWoN's Research Team, the vision and work of the Practitioners themselves. There is also room for current topics such as the new Migration Pact, Humanitarian Corridors and the new Rwanda Politics in the UK or how to talk to young people about the situation in Israel and Palestine. Experts from inside and outside the network are requested for this.

3. The Annual Summit.
This is the main meeting of A World of Neighbors, which always takes place in a relevant migration country. 2023 it was Hungary, in 2024 it will be Greece. It is a combination of a retreat, knowledge sharing, set annual program, visit and support to local practitioners and a public event with researchers, politicians, refugees, practitioners and faith leaders. The event results in a joint manifesto on a specific theme and a blueprint on how to conduct these conversations in one's own context with similar stakeholders.

4. Network Expansion and National Networks.
The future vision of A World of Neighbours involves 60 practitioners representing all European countries and relevant border countries on continent, all major religious groups and both refugees and born Europeans. They are under contract with AWoN to work together for a welcoming Europe, to support each other and to be the connecting force between the AWoN network and national networks. Anyone can join AWoN with associated benefits, the 60 practitioners work for the benefit of all those working around migration in Europe.

5.Young AWoN.
A network of young Europeans, with and without refugee history, who unite from various European countries and diverse (faith) backgrounds to support each other in making cross-cultural and multi-religious connections in view of AWoN's vision - a welcoming, diverse Europe.

6. Monitoring and Evaluation.
Together with the AWoN Research Team, AWoN is working on gathering information about the needs and contributions of Practitioners, and on measuring and collecting data on the outcomes and impacts of the work done by AWoN Practitioners. Research shows that reflection on one's own and others' work gets lost due to the high workload, while it is essential for work and for funding.

7. AWoN Connect Platform.
A LinkedIn for Humanitarian Workers, that was the dream that is now starting to take shape in an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Here practitioners in Europe (and beyond) can find each other, gain insight into who is doing what work, share questions and receive information about relevant funds.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

A World of Neighbours Practitioners Network (AWoN) is the only multi-faith, cross-sectoral network of migration practitioners of its size in Europe. AWoN aims at building a more tolerant society, rooted in mutual transformation, understanding, and respect. We are guided by a vision of conviviality – living together – in a diverse, humane, and welcoming Europe, with migration practitioners playing a crucial role in achieving this.

AWoN’s primary innovation is the creation of a Network and community of practice to affirm and support migration practitioners. Additionally, AWoN recognises religious communities as receiving communities, engages with both faith-based and non-faith-based organisations, and ensures the presence of practitioners with refugee experience themselves. This means that the entire ecology of migration is in the room, getting a shared sense of reality and creating the best possible outcomes.

1. AWoN is the only multi-faith, cross-sectoral network of migration practitioners in Europe.
2. AWoN is the only network with a clear aim to meet the unmet needs that practitioners have in order to do their work in a productive and healthy way.
3. Actionable research is created through the cooperation of the Practitioners Network and the Academic Research Network.

One of the greatest challenge of the Euro-Mediterranean region and European politics is unable to meet the needs of both host societies and people on the move. Day in, day out Migration Practitioners work tirelessly to do what's necessary on the ground at the borders, in the cities, in politics and wherever relevant. The unique cooperation between researchers and practitioners grounds the work firmly into reality, the mutual support that is created by A World of Neighbours brings resilience to the urgent work that is threatened by compassion fatigue, criminalisation and (secondary) trauma.

To the Network on our Country we bring a unique interfaith diapraxis, a European network of friends and colleagues that are eager to work together towards a diverse Europe with unique skills and dedication in every corner of the ecology of migration.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

The growing mistrust and polarisation in society as the ALF Network states on its website is the daily experience of the Migration Practitioners. Even between colleagues in the work across Europe there's the possibility of competition and suspicion. At AWoN we work hard to build trust across borders, religions and cultural backgrounds - and we realise how hard we need every other organisation working towards this cause. Last months many interfaith and intercultural have fallen apart, some of our practitioners said that AWoN was their only interfaith network left. The unique combination of Jewish, Islamic, Christian and non-religious backgrounds working towards one goal: a diverse and welcoming europe, a society of 'convivenz' is helpful and challenging. We could use the wisdom and partnertship of the ALF network to do better what we do and to grow towards a truly beneficial network for all people involved in the work of migration and integration in Europe.

Additional Information
Contact (1) Full Name
Rikko Voorberg
Job Title
Network Director
Head of the organisation
Rikko Voorberg
Contact (2) Full Name
Jean Duff
Job Title (2)
Head of Fundraising

Abraham Path Initiative

National Network
Netherlands
Address

Mathenesserdijk 416-D
3026GV Rotterdam
Netherlands

Telephone
+31645486382
E-Mail
elsi@abrahampath.org
E-Mail (2)
martina@abrahampath.org
Mobile Phone
+31645486382
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2015
Fields of Activity
  1. Arts
  2. Environment/Sustainable development
  3. Heritage
  4. International/Cultural relations
  5. Youth and education
General Information
The Abraham Path is a cultural walking route that retraces the journey of Abraham, the legendary ancestor of over half of humanity, who is known for his hospitality and kindness toward strangers. The route follows a range of independent walking trails, unique to each geography that the route crosses. These trails are largely the fruit of local initiatives, developed and maintained by a wide range of local organizations and enthusiasts. As a European NGO based in the Netherlands, Stichting Abraham Path Initiative (API) is an independent NGO committed to cultivating Abraham Path along with partner organizations. The initiative is a non-profit, non-religious and non-political organization, and works in partnership with the US based 501(c)3 NGO Abraham Path Initiative.
Mission and Objectives

Abraham Path Initiative’s mission is to inspire understanding, prosperity and hope throughout the Middle East and Europe. It pursues this mission through projects in the field of socio-economic development, education and cultural dialogue between the Middle East and the rest of the world, Europe in particular.
API wants to dust off the footsteps of Abraham, the legendary spiritual forefather of most people living in the Mediterranean basin, and half humanity. By dusting off Abraham's footsteps, we shed a light on our shared values, hoping to show how much we have in common, and that no matter how many things divide us, what unites us is far greater.

Main Projects / Activities

The organization's activities could be grouped in three main categories: walk - hospitality - story; we have supported walking initiatives across the Middle East, where our main achievements have been supporting the Masar Ibrahim trail in the West Bank (www.masaribrahim.ps) and more recently, the Sinai Trail in the south of the Sinai peninsula, in Egypt (www.sinaitrail.org). Other countries in which we have helped build walking initiatives include Turkey and Jordan. These are all places where Abraham supposedly walked, and his legacy carries on. Hospitality services have sprung in the projects we've supported. Since then, foreign and local walkers have been flocking in these ancient lands. The exchanges have allowed for beautiful and inspiring story-telling in the media, that is depicting a different, more nuanced and definitely more positive, reality of the Middle East in Europe, US and the world.
Besides walking initiatives, API supports project Mosaic Stories (www.mosaicstories.org), which aims to collect and protect intangible cultural heritage along the Abraham Path cultural route through research, storytelling, and education. API also supports project Footsteps, an educational platform that uses the Abraham Path to engage students and faculty from around the world in immersive experiential education.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

We can actively contribute to the Network in the Netherlands by:

participating in meetings, helping to generate ideas,

providing our knowledge and expertise, based on our work and background,

providing a fresh and different perspective on the Middle East,

providing an innovative approach on the connection between culture, nature, sports and development, etc.

actively engaging our partners in the Middle East, Europe, the United States and Brasil.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

We think that we belong in Anna Lindh's networks, where we can exchange ideas and find partners in an environment of shared values. We believe that the Abrahamic values of hospitality, generosity and kindness to strangers, which help guide the core of our work, are shared all over the Mediterranean, in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, and serve as a bridge connecting our common heritage, reminding us of how much we have in common. We believe that the ALF network is a place that welcomes and caters to this philosophy, so we think that Abraham Path Initiative can greatly contribute to it.

Contact (1) Full Name
Elsi Rizvanolli
Job Title
Manager of Partnerships and Fundraising in Europe
Head of the organisation
Stefan Szepesi
Contact (2) Full Name
Martina Sedlakova
Job Title (2)
Program Manager