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Social AFZ
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Cultural Place
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Restaurant / Bar / Cafe AFZ
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Shop / Local Business
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Public Institution
Apartheid Free Zones
Overview
The Apartheid Free Zones campaign promotes the creation of spaces of proactive solidarity with the Palestinian people. Inspired by the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, the Apartheid Free Zones (AFZ) campaign seeks to cut links of complicity in Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights, especially those related to the UN-defined crime of apartheid.
As citizens and people of conscience, we want to ensure that the spaces that we participate in do not contribute to the maintenance of an apartheid regime or profit from grave human rights violations.
Take a look at our AFZ toolkit and learn more about this amazing community organising strategy, and how to foster new AFZ in your city, cultural center or other community space!
If you want to create an AFZ in a cultural or social center, you are advised to read this handy checklist and contact us to get all support needed!
Inspired by the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, the Apartheid Free Zones (AFZ) campaign seeks to foster the creation of spaces free of Israel’s apartheid, including settler colonialism and military occupation, that oppresses the Palestinian people. As citizens and people of conscience, we want to ensure that the spaces that we participate in do not contribute to the maintenance of an apartheid regime, benefit from grave human rights violations, or become influenced or shaped by any of the former.
Take a look at our AFZ toolkit and learn more about this amazing community organising strategy, and how to foster new AFZ in your city, cultural center or other community space!
Image: Apartheid Free Zone in Bristol, UK, during South African apartheid
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20240519195134im_/https://bdsmovement.net/sites/default/files/BRO%2041242-im-ph-5-01.jpg)
Apartheid Free Zones allow all kinds of organisations to effectively support the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and basic rights. They also offer an opportunity for individuals to build support among organisations in their community.
This is a non-exclusive list of different AFZ that have already been created:
- Academic and cultural AFZs:
Universities, institutes, music festivals, theatres or film festivals can be spaces free of Israeli apartheid, racism, and racial discrimination! By declaring their spaces as AFZ, they can commit to adhering to the PACBI guidelines for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel or decide not to participate in or promote any activity/project/event that pinkwashes, greenwashes or otherwise legitimizes or normalizes Israeli apartheid. These spaces can in parallel promote Palestinian heritage and culture as yet another form of nonviolent resistance. - Local business:
Wouldn’t it be lovely to do your shopping in a store free from apartheid? Local business can also become AFZs by committing not to sell products from Israel’s illegal settlements or from any Israeli or international company that profits from violations of Palestinian human rights. Check if your corner store is selling, for instance, dates, herbs, wine or vegetables from the illegal Israeli settlements and explain to the owner and customers why this is unacceptable. Use this as an opportunity for raising awareness. Ask owners to declare their shops an AFZ and ask if you can distribute some brochures or materials in the store. Fair-trade stores tend to have a philosophy of just trade relations, encourage them to join the campaign! Note that you can also engage with shops that do not (yet) offer any Israeli produce. These may be easily convinced and help create a critical mass of AFZs at the initial stages of your campaign. - Social Apartheid Free Zones:
Are you part of a social movement? A community of neighbours? Does your BDS group meet in a squat or a social centre? Invite them to become AFZs and strengthen bonds of solidarity between diverse justice struggles! Enhancing mutual support is a fundamental aspect of the AFZ and a great way for broadening the scope of BDS campaigns and other Palestine solidarity activism. - Apartheid Free Local Governments:
Through the approval of motions in their plenaries, city councils commit to giving no recognition, aid or assistance to the Israeli apartheid regime. This will contribute not only to defending Palestinian human rights but also to improving public institutions, strengthening democracy and ensuring that taxpayers’ money is not used for supporting human rights violations. Motions have different formats and asks depending on the scope of commitments city councils are willing to make. Check out our toolkit to learn more and get ideas about how best to run municipal campaigns. - A community approach for combating racism, repression and discrimination:
Israel uses the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) as a lab for the development of lethal arms and repressive security technology that are exported afterwards as “field tested”. Israeli military and security companies promote and sell their equipment and services (tested on the Palestinian civilian population) to governments, including local authorities, across the world. Police training and cooperation, surveillance systems used in “Smart cities”, and lethal crowd control methods are some of the services offered to local authorities by these companies.
AFZ is about creating spaces free of racism, repression and racial discrimination in Palestine and elsewhere. Talk to your local government, organise municipal campaigns to ensure that your local security model is not done in cooperation with institutions complicit in the Israeli apartheid regime.
In our toolkit you can find some ideas, model motions and other resources for fostering AFZ in your city, cultural institution, university or community center. Check it out!
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20240519195134im_/https://bdsmovement.net/sites/default/files/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-20%20at%2001.40.10.png)
The Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice, and equality urgently needs meaningful and visible solidarity. Organisations that advertise themselves as Apartheid Free Zones and display a sticker or poster about the initiative convey an important message of international support to Palestinians. They also create a positive conversation in the community about Palestinian rights and how the struggle to achieve them is connected to domestic struggles for justice and rights.
As more and more organisations in cities or communities declare themselves Apartheid Free Zones, a real and deep culture of solidarity is built.
More than 250 spaces across Europe have declared themselves Apartheid Free Zones. These include cafes, restaurants, cultural centres, and even book shops and cinemas in several countries.
Dozens of local councils across Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, France, the UK, Italy, Belgium, Chile and Australia have passed resolutions supporting BDS or pledged to do no business with complicit companies targeted by the BDS movement.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20240519195134im_/https://bdsmovement.net/sites/default/files/ELAI-cas_0.png)
Local authorities and local governments have historically played a key role in upholding human rights and extending solidarity. In Spain, more than 30 local authorities have voted to declare themselves to be Apartheid Free Zones as part of a broader community organising effort that is taking place in their city or region.
There are specific things that local authorities can do to support BDS such as pledging not to award contracts to companies that are complicit with Israeli violations of international law or divesting any shares it holds in Israeli or international companies.
In December 2014, the Olive Declaration was adopted as the concluding document of the International Conference of Governments and Civil Society Organizations in Support of Palestinian Rights. It calls on local governments and councils to adopt ethically responsible measures and to not give support to companies or institutions that help Israel to violate Palestinian rights.
Initiatives involving local councils must take into consideration that these councils are not private bodies but institutions of the state. It is important, therefore, to check out our Local Government campaign hub for more information and ideas.
Impact
Milestones
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20240519195134im_/https://bdsmovement.net/sites/default/files/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-20%20at%2001.40.10.png)
More than 100 spaces across the Spanish State have declared themselves Apartheid Free Zones
Dozens of local governments across the world have passed resolutions in support of BDS
Take Action
Apartheid Free Zones are a powerful concept through which we can build a culture of solidarity with Palestine in our communities. Together we can end Israeli apartheid!
Register
Spread the word
Tell the world your space is an AFZ
Tweet
Tweet/Share the statement on your social media channels and make sure the logo is visible to everyone online and offline
Use our AFZ stickers
Fostering AFZ
Reach out
Ensure visibility
Track progress
Set milestones you want to achieve and celebrate and publicly advertise them. You could, for example, announce the first 20 Israel Apartheid Free Zones in your community and celebrate this with an event in one of these spaces.
Get in touch
Register AFZ
Register here if you want your business, cultural association or organization to become an AFZ and appear on our global AFZ map.
Guidelines
Read the PACBI guidelines for cultural AFZ here:
https://bdsmovement.net/pacbi/
Links to the regional campaigns:
Italy: https://bdsitalia.org/
Belgium: www.apartheidvrijezone.be
Spain: https://boicotisrael.
Norway: https://
Greece: https://www.facebook.