23rd, March 2012
On the 23rd March, a group of 20 men and women visited the JAI to hear about the work of the Olive Tree Campaign. The group were from England and were represented different Methodist Quaker Churches in the UK.
The group wanted to visit Palestine as they had heard about it from members of their churches who had been before or through a connection with a YMCA in England. They were on a one week visit which involved visiting the Apartheid Wall were they were touched by the stories written by the women presented on plaques on part of the wall. They wanted to do something practical to help and so they got in contact with the JAI to who gave them an olive tree which they then planted in the Tent of Nations.
Their visit to the JAI provided them with some background information on the Olive Tree Campaign (OTC) undertaken by the JAI in conjunction with other organisations in Palestine. The OTC Officer for the JAI explained how the plantation of olive trees is important for religious and cultural reasons as well as to benefit the agricultural industry in Palestine. The history and importance of gaining international support for the campaign was explained to them and the group were provided with details about sponsoring a tree when they enquired about how they could help spread awareness of the campaign when they returned home.