DNTA Strategy Meeting 2017

These notes are a summary of key items from the DNTA Strategy Meeting held on 2nd December 2017.

All members of DNTA were invited and several joined committee members in a wide-ranging discussion of ways to develop an effective programme for our twinning activities.

Aims

It was agreed that the current general aims of the Association as written in the Constitution are still relevant and broad enough to cover all foreseeable activities. These are:

1. To promote and foster friendship between the people of Dundee and those of Nablus.
2. To broaden mutual understanding of the cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities of the linked cities.

Activities to achieve the above aims

There were three areas agreed for future activities:

1. Organize our own events
2. Support/work with other groups
3. Produce/publish material

Suggestions for specific activities for the coming year included the following:

Organize our own events

• annual exhibition to focus on 70th anniversary of the Nakba and the arrival of refugees in Nablus
• anniversary lecture - invite Wendy Alexander to talk about Dundee University’s links with Nablus
• Noted that 2020 will be the 40th anniversary of the twinning - need to start soon on preparing for this landmark
• Develop series of regular talks in Madigan’s or similar venue. This could be bi-monthly or 5/6 times a year Aim is to start in February and invite Ian Barron to talk on the Trauma Project
• Offer to give talk, with film, to local groups. Nick interested in showing film to students in D&A college
• Maintain DNTA presence at selected local events - eg Dundee Flower and Food Festival
• Organize visit to Nablus in 2017, possibly to coincide with Nablus Festival in April

Support/work with other groups

• support the Dundee Photographic Society in their objective of mounting an exhibition in Nablus as part of the Nablus Festival.
• support the work of Dundee University in its developing links with An Najah university. This to include meeting with Palestinian students in Dundee and St Andrews.
• promote volunteering in Nablus, by putting information and links on our website about Project Hope and others

Produce/publish material

• new booklet on Nakba and its effect on Nablus - to coincide with annual exhibition
• establish a register of groups who are already involved with Nablus
• booklet on the history of the Dundee-Nablus twinning - to be ready for 40th anniversary in 2020

Conclusion

This was a worthwhile meeting which enabled us to think through various aspects of the twinning. Several new ideas were generated and we had the opportunite to meet each other over a jointly-provided lunch.

Thanks to the Methodist Church for hosting the event.

Implementation

The committee of Dundee-Nablus Twinning Association will work out how to implement these priorities in a programme for the coming months.