Programme

Venue of the Congress:
Kudlichgasse 3-5, 1100 Wien

Friday, 13th of June

11:00–12:30 – Registration and welcoming sandwiches

12:30–13:00 – Opening and Program Introduction
Opening Words by Dalia Sarig, Samy Ayad, and Ronnie Barkan

Support Message from Roger Waters (video) and from Bernhard Heitz, Bishop emeritus

13:00–13:15 – Live Contact with Gaza
Zoom connection with Dr Mohammad Salha, medical director Al Awda hospital (North Gaza)

13:15–14:15 – Keynotes: Why This Congress Now?
Speakers: Ghada Karmi, Ilan Pappé, Rima Hassan, Francesca Albanese (online)

Moderation: Haim Bresheeth

14:15–14:30 – Coffee Break

14:30–16:15 – From Convivencia to the Bund and Anti-Zionism: Jewish Historical (Co)Existence

Jewish traditions of coexistence, resistance to Zionism and their relevance today

Speakers: Yakov Rabkin (zoom), Donny Gluckstein, Haim Bresheeth, Awad Abdelfatah.

Moderation: Rahma Zein and Host: Maya Rinderer

16:15–16:30 – Coffee Break / Food for Thought
A short break to reflect

16:30–18:00 – From Ethnic Cleansing to Genocide: Is One Democratic State (ODS) Still Possible?

Examining the shift from historical expulsion to the ongoing genocidal practices

Speakers: Ilan Pappé, Ghada Karmi, Ramzy Baroud

Moderation: Peter Eisenstein and Host: Gülmihri Aytaç

18:00–19:00 – Dinner

19:00–20:30 – Repression and Silencing of Pro-Palestine and Palestinian Activists: The Threat to Democratic and Civil Rights

Experiences of censorship and political repression, and the struggle to protect freedom of expression and other civil rights.

Speakers: Katie Halper, Rahma Zein, Wieland Hoban, Astrid Wagner

Moderation: Ronnie Barkan and Host: Dr. Med. Shadi Abu Daher

20:30–21:00 – Open Mic
Activists and participants are invited to speak (please pre-register to speak)

Moderation: Naama Farjoun and Martin Weinberger

21:00–22:00 – Get-together and an Open Jam Session
Ilona Abdelfattah (Guitar/Vocals), Karam Moghamis (Oud), and others.

Saturday, 14th of June

09:30–10:00 – Opening & Registration

10:00–11:30 – From Pride to Denial: Arab Jews and Integrating in the Arab World

Complex experiences of Arab Jews in relation to their identity and erasure. The Zionist state as a European supremacy project within the Arab world.

Speakers: Iris Hefets, Reuven Abergel, Camille Levy Sarfati

Moderation: Naama Farjoun and Host: Sali Attia

11:30–11:45 – Coffee Break

11:45–13:15 – Reclaiming Anti-Fascism and Fighting the Instrumentalisation of Antisemitism

Reclaiming anti-fascist traditions while confronting the false and manipulative accusation of antisemitism to silence dissent.

Speakers: Tony Greenstein, Stephen Kapos, Wieland Hoban, Wilhelm Langthaler

Moderation: Stefan Kraft

13:15–14:15 – Lunch

14:15–15:45 – Decolonisation and Liberation: The Relevance of Historical Models

Reflections on liberation struggles and what we can learn from them.

Speakers: Ronnie Barkan, Ramzy Baroud, Roshan Dadoo

Moderation: Haim Bresheeth and Host: Dieter Reinisch

15:45–16:00 – Coffee Break

16:00–17:30 – Against Zionism and Imperialism: The Move to Ending Impunity, Implementing Sanctions

Strategies to confront impunity and build international pressure through sanctions and political action.

Speakers: Peter Eisenstein, Haim Bresheeth, Tarkan Tek, Irina Vana
Moderation: Stéfane Jouteux and Host: Michael Kösten

17:30–17:45 – Coffee Break

17:45–18:45 – Open Mic
Activists and participants are invited to speak (please pre-register to speak)

Moderation: Naama Farjoun and Marco Wanjura

18:45–19:45 – Dinner
Buffet and time for informal exchange

19:45–22:00 – Get-together and an Open Jam Session
Ilona Abdelfattah (Guitar/Vocals), Karam Moghamis (Oud), and others.

Sunday, 15th of June

Taking Action Together: workshop day
Statements and reflections by activists and supporting groups followed by workshops

9:00–9:30 – Registration and coffee

9:30–11:00 – Voices from the European Left (90 mins)

11:00–11:30 – Break

11:30–13:30 – 3 parallel workshops
Topics will be chosen based on audience survey results

13:30–14:30 – Lunch break

14:30–16:30 – 3 parallel workshops
Topics will be chosen based on audience survey results

16:30–17:00 – Break

17:00–18:00 – Feedback, discussion on workshops

18:00–18:30 – Conclusion

Workshop Moderators

Axel Magnus, unionist, descendent of Holocaust survivors
Roba Darwish, Palestine Solidarity Linz
Topoké, teacher and anti-imperialist from Congo
Franziska Markus, Austrian Jews for decolonial Anti-Zionism (OJDA)
Martin M. Weinberger, Germanist, Initiative Palästina Solidarität
Haim Bresheeth
, filmmaker, photographer and a film studies scholar
Ronnie Barkan
, Israeli dissident
Naama Farjoun
, activist for justice in Palestine and a pediatric physiotherapist
Yoav Shemer Kunz
, Political scientist at the University of Strasbourg
Gabriela Kaplan
Stéfane Jouteux
, trade unionist with CGT, France

Suggested Topics for the Workshops

  1. Challenging the Zionist narrative in mainstream media

  2. Building a broader alliance with trade unions and political parties

  3. Visions for decolonisation

  4. Defending our democratic rights in Europe

  5. Securing international sanctions

  6. Fighting the instrumentalisation of “antisemitism”

  7. Organising against all forms of racism, islamophobia and antisemitism

  8. Strengthening the European movement against Zionism

  9. Moving from words to action (focus on UK, Ireland, Spain, Norway, France)

  10. Focus on Austria – building alliances for Palestine and the importance of constitutional neutrality

Frequently asked questions: