Salaam. We are Palestine Community Foundation. A non-governmental organisation aimed at Palestinians and non-Palestinians alike; promoting Palestinian culture, advocating for justice and building a sense of community around Palestine in the UK.
Salaam. We are Palestine Community Foundation. A non-governmental organisation aimed at Palestinians and non-Palestinians alike; promoting Palestinian culture, advocating for justice and building a sense of community around Palestine in the UK.
Sign up to our monthly email newsletter:
We were founded in 2018 by Razan Shamallakh, who decided there was a need for better cohesion among the British Palestinian diaspora.
“Preserving a Palestinian identity was extremely important for my parents. My siblings and I attended Arabic school every Sunday, we had playdates with other Palestinian families, we travelled to the Gaza Strip every summer and attended summer camps and dabke workshops. When the situation in Gaza became worse and the borders closed, we travelled to the West Bank for the summer and attended a summer camp in Ramallah. My father taught me Palestinian poetry and had me recite these poems on stage and teach dabke to children raised in London.”
“I began to think of a need for a “home” for Palestinians in the UK since it is difficult for us to travel back home. I began to think of a need for a safe space for like-minded people, Palestinians and non-Palestinians alike. A need to educate future generations to come. A need to celebrate the culture of Palestine. A need for a community. A need to raise the voice of Palestine.”
Together with her father Rajab Shamallakh, who was chairman of the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK (APC UK), and a small team of dedicated people, Palestine Community Foundation was born.
Rajab was inspired by memories of his student days in 1980s London, when the Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) office doubled up as a space to organise, meet fellow diaspora and create meaningful action. We hope through PCF to replicate this sense of feeling and purpose for a new generation.
We will bring people in the UK from all walks of life together under the Palestinian flag. This is regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, culture or gender; whether you’re a well-versed activist or an individual wishing to educate themselves further on Palestinian issues.
We recognise there are a large number of organisations, big and small, working on the Palestinian cause. We want to support all of their amazing work by building a stronger community around Palestine. We are always open to collaboration with others on campaigns and events. Just drop us a line at info@palestinefoundation.org.uk.
We will promote knowledge and awareness of Palestine, from information on human rights violations to the lyrics of traditional folk songs. Because both things are core to the Palestinian story.
We believe that peace can only be achieved through justice, and justice can only be achieved through understanding.