Breakfast With All For Peace

On March 2nd, Maysa Baransi-Siniora, co-director of All for Peace Radio Station met with several organizations and UN agencies in order to present her work and the current situation facing the radio station…

On March 2nd, Maysa Baransi-Siniora, co-director of All for Peace Radio Station met with several organizations and UN agencies in order to present her work and the current situation facing the radio station. As a winner of the Intercultural Innovation Award, a partnership between the UNAOC and the BMW Group, All for Peace receives a one-year support from the World Intercultural Facility for Innovation (WIFI) Team.

The meeting was organized by the UNAOC and the BMW Group in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE), that hosted the event in its headquarters. In her welcome remarks, Margot Steinberg, Director of Individual Giving at IIE outlined different programs that the Institute conducts in the Middle East. In addition to the Goldberg Prize, one of their most well know initiatives, IIE also delivers programs and works with global universites in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that reach over 7,000 students, scholars, and professionals.

Following her words, Jean-Christophe Bas, Senior Advisor at the UNAOC pointed out the nature of the Alliance as a promoter of cultural understanding deliverin at the grassroots level and as a soft diplomacy tool. He explained the scope of the collaboration between the UNAOC and the BMW Group and the purpose of the meeting which he framed in the support provided from the WIFI to winners of the Intercultural Innovation Award.

Participants included Jordi Torrent, Media and Information Literacy Manager, UNAOC; Aziz Abu Sarah and Scott Cooper, co-founders of the Middle East Justice and Development Initiative (MEJDI); Rachel Steinberg , International Engagement Program Director, One Voice Movement; Rochelle Roca-Hachem, Programme Specialist for Culture, UNESCO; Gabo Arora, Advisor, MDG Advocacy Group, UNDESA; Suzanne Bilello, Senior Public Information and Liaison Officer, UNESCO; Margot Steinberg, Director of Individual Giving, Institute of International Education; and Jale Sultanli, Director of Development, Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution.

Following presentations, Maysa Baransi-Siniora explained how the radio station operates. As the only Palestinian/Israeli outlet in the Middle East, All for Peace counts with more than 100 volunteers and journalists that offer nuanced and diverse perspectives of the conflict in the region.

Two months ago, the Police prohibited the radio station’s FM broadcasting in Israel. Following the order, the radio station petitioned the Supreme Court and launched a public campaign to raise awareness to the violation of freedom of the press and expression that they claim to be taking place. Indeed, on Wednesday February 29th, Israeli troops shut down two other Palestinian TV stations in the West Bank, Al Watan and Al-Quds educational television (see NYT article).

ABOUT ALL FOR PEACE

Founded in January 2004, All for Peace Radio (AFP) is the only and longest-standing independent joint Israeli-Palestinian media outlet in the Middle East, broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to vast areas in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, via the 107.2 (Hebrew) and 87.8 FM (Arabic), online www.allforpeace.org, on Facebook, Icast and beyond. The radio station is dedicated to increasing the positive role of the media in strengthening democracy, civil societies on both sides and engaging in cultural exchange in Israel and the PA.

The radio station’s “Bridging Border Project” aims to utilize cultural radio programming and music as a means to bridge between otherwise completely-alienated groups in Israel and the PA and Introduce independent and open media dialogue that braves the current climate and offers moderate, less heightened and clear of propaganda cultural content, current events’ analysis and personal stories.