DNTA - Appeal - for our Nablus volunteers

Appeal - for our Nablus volunteers

This appeal was fully funded and is now closed - thanks to all who subscribed
Emergency Appeal Launched to save Dundee visit

Rami and Rafiq seeing Dundee from the other side of the Tay

Help! We organised a really good programme and two young volunteers-Rami and Rafiq-came from Nablus to help us celebrate 30 years of twinning. Through no fault of theirs-or ours-the funding has been lost and we are in danger of having to send them home early.

Press Release

The recent financial collapse of the Scottish charity, Edinburgh University Settlement, is threatening to wreck the Dundee visit of two Palestinian volunteers from our twin city of Nablus.

Rami Issa and Rafiq Zein Eddin arrived in Dundee on 23rd October and have since been working with the Dundee/Nablus Twinning Association (DNTA) to stage a series of events commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of Dundee's twinning with the Palestinian city on the West Bank.

Their 6 month programme in Scotland was funded by a grant from the British Council paid through the longstanding Scottish charity, Edinburgh University Settlement (EUS). The grant was due to be paid in instalments over the 6 months of the programme. Only the first instalment has so far been paid.

Within a week of Rami and Rafiq's arrival in Scotland, EUS unexpectedly collapsed, reportedly owing £4 million. It was placed into the hands of receivers, Price Waterhouse Cooper. The rest of the British Council grant has now been seized, along with other EUS assets, to pay off the charity's creditors.

The seizure of the funds now threatens to force the volunteers to return home with two-thirds of their programme not completed.

DNTA have launched an emergency appeal to raise the £3,000 needed to save the original 6 month program

DNTA Convener, Fraser Patrick commented:

"In a matter of weeks, Rami and Rafiq have already helped to launch a successful Nablus exhibition in the Wellgate Library, delivered awareness raising presentations to local school and university groups and participated in a busy Arab souk in Broughty Ferry. They have received a warm and enthusiastic welcome wherever they have gone in Dundee. Their programme to date has been an outstanding success.

We will now be launching an emergency appeal to local funding bodies and supporters to raise the £3,000 needed to save this excellent programme. Both Rami and Rafiq gave up educational and employment opportunities to spend six months in Scotland building ties of friendship and solidarity between the two cities. They deserve better than to see their commitment cast aside through no fault of their own"

Ends

What went wrong?

Our funding came through the Edinburgh University Settlement which is a 105 year old charity. It went into bankruptcy just 4 days after Rami and Rafiq arrived here. We had received one month's funding but the rest is presumed lost-it is certain that nothing will be finalised before the project is due to complete.

What are we doing?

Fortunately the visas, insurance and return tickets are all valid until the end of the project-31st March 2011. Our aim is to raise £4,000 to enable Rami and Rafiq to stay here until then so that they can complete their programme.

How much do we need?

The balance to complete the project is £4,000. This will cover hosting costs and some programme costs such as travel to speaking venues. If there is a surplus from this appeal it will be used to benefit people and projects in Nablus.

The Programme of Activities

There is so much that Rami & Rafiq can do that we sometimes work them too hard. They have already spoken in schools, universities and churches. They will be speaking in others. They constructed an exhibition in Dundee Central Library and helped run our souk on 20th November.

If we can fund their stay, they will be involved in these and other activities including community and school learning projects. We have an exciting project to link schools in Dundee with schools in Nablus via video conference. Rami and Rafiq are ideal for helping to get this off to a successful start.

Meeting Rami and Rafiq

If you have not already had a chance to meet Rami and Rafiq this can be arranged. They are keen to meet individuals and groups to describe their lives in Nablus and answer your questions. Please contact us .