Rotterdam, the Netherlands – The Palestinians in Europe conference convened this week for their 15th annual gathering in the Netherlands‘ second largest city, Rotterdam. The event brought together thousands of Palestinians under the slogan “100 years on, a victorious nation and unbreakable determination”.

Saturday’s conference coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government pledged its support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, at the expense of the Palestinian indigenous population. 

Many key issues related to the Palestinian cause were discussed in the conference, such as prisoners, the Israeli siege of Gaza, illegal settlements in Palestinian territories and the conditions of Palestinian refugees in the camps and across the diaspora. 

The conference was attended by participants from all over the European continent, representatives of Palestinian associations, institutions and organisations both from within Europe and beyond.

For the first time, the event hosted dual conferences in English and Arabic, as well as one dedicated to Palestinian children. 

The sessions highlighted the importance of the Balfour Declaration Apology campaign launched in the UK in February 2017 and discussed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS).