FAQ's on Al-Awda’s Mission and Structure

1. What is Al-Awda’s mission?

2. Does any political group or faction back Al-Awda?

3. How is Al-Awda structured?

4. How many members are subscribed to Al-Awda?

5. Who can join Al-Awda’s list serves and action committees?

6. How do I join?

7. Are there annual membership fees for joining Al-Awda?

8. Where does Al-Awda get funding for its campaigns and educational programs?

9. How can I donate to Al-Awda?

10. Who sets the agenda and plans of action of each committee?

11. How do local committees handle financial matters?

12. How do the committees coordinate their activities?

13. Who are the current members of the steering committee and how do I communicate with them?

14. How are members of the steering committee elected?

15. Are the action committee lists moderated?

16. Do I have to have email to join Al-Awda’s committees?

1. What is Al-Awda’s mission?

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, is a broad-based, non-partisan, global, democratic association of grassroots activists and organizational representatives. Our objective is to educate the international community to fulfill its legal and moral obligations vis-à-vis the Palestinian people. Al-Awda develops, coordinates, supports and guides, as needed, global and local grassroots initiatives for action related to Palestinian rights. Our advocacy includes the right of Palestinians to return to their homeland, and to full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International law and implementation of United Nations Resolutions which uphold these rights.
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2. Does any political group or faction back Al-Awda?

The answer is a resounding NO. Al-Awda is not backed by any political group or faction. However, that does not mean that individuals who are members of Al-Awda do not have their own political and factional sympathies. People from all and every faction are welcome to work with us on Palestinian rights including the right to return campaign. These are the common denominators.
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3. How is Al-Awda structured?

Al-Awda structures are developing with increasing participation and are reviewed routinely. The steering committee is composed of grassroots activists not necessarily affiliated with any organizations. To help achieve its goals, Al-Awda set up action committees. These action committees elect representatives to the steering committee from within their ranks. The functions of the steering committee are to coordinate the activities of the various committees as well as manage Al-Awda's general activist and news lists.
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4. How many members are subscribed to Al-Awda?

Al-Awda's membership subscriptions currently total about 3000 individuals. This has continued to grow since it’s founding in April 2000. As of 18 November 2000, seven hundred and fifty-eight, and six hundred and sixty-five individuals are subscribed to Al-Awda and Al-Awda News, respectively. Al-Awda has established thirty-two international and local grassroots action committees in various stages of development. The current total membership of Al-Awda's action committees is 1500 individuals. The only criterion for membership of Al-Awda is commitment to its mission. There are no annual membership fees. Al-Awda is registered in Pennsylvania, and a federal non-profit exempt status application is currently under review.
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5. Who can join Al-Awda's list serves and action committees?

Anyone committed to Palestinian rights including the right to return regardless of political, religious, ethnic or organizational affiliation may join Al-Awda.
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6. How do I join?

accommodation in Gdansk To join Al-Awda UK's email list, please send a blank message to Al-Awda-London@yahoogroups.com . To join Al-Awda’s List serves and action committees in the USA, please visit http://www.al-awda.org/committees.htm .
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7. Are there annual membership fees for joining Al-Awda?

There are no annual membership fees for becoming a member of Al-Awda. The only criterion for membership of Al-Awda is commitment to its mission.
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8. Where does Al-Awda get funding for its campaigns and educational programs?

Al-Awda relies on its grassroots volunteer activists and donations for maintaining its campaigns and educational programs. Plans are underway to submit grant applications to various foundations to secure long-term funding.
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9. How can I donate to Al-Awda UK?

To help us achieve our educational mission, send a donation to PRRC - London, BCM Box 7223, London WC1N 3XX - UK
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10. Who sets the agenda and plans of action of each committee?

The UK committee sets its own agenda and plans of action. Committee members answer to each other and arrive at decisions by democratic process. We are all participants and we answer to each other and anyone else who asks. Like all Al-Awda’s action committees, the UK committee is an activist forum. We are in contact with each other each and every day and night of the week.
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11. How do local committees handle financial matters?

The steering committee elects a treasurer and a secretary. The secretary is responsible for issuing receipts for all deposited money collected on behalf of Al-Awda. Al-Awda maintains transparency and accountability. We recommend that donors ask for receipts for any funds donated. Al-Awda strives to avoid possible misuse of Al-Awda and the right to return campaign while giving local action committees freedom to spend money raised locally on local projects. These committees are responsible for collecting funds but the steering committee issues receipts for funds collected. The elected reps of local action committees submit relevant financial information to Al-Awda. Local committees can raise funds using Al-Awda name only if such information is handled through the steering committee, the secretary or treasurer.
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12. How do the committees coordinate their activities?

The elected steering committee acts to coordinate the activities of the various action committees. Additionally, overlapping memberships among committees facilitates coordination and communication. Members may join several committees with the exception of local grassroots action committees, which are restricted to those in their areas, and to steering committee members who may join to facilitate coordination.
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13. Who are the current members of the steering committee and how do I communicate with them?

Questions, comments or suggestions to the steering committee may be directed at any time to PRRC@mail.com. Members of Al-Awda's email list may send their inquiries to al-awda-sc@yahoogroups.com at any time.

The current steering committee members are:

· Susan Abulhawa, Chair Al-Awda Pennsylvania

· Aisling Byrne, Co-Chair Al-Awda London

· Zahi Damuni, Ph.D., Co-Chair Al-Awda Events, zahi@al-awda.org (Tel: 717-832-1155)

· Benjamin Doherty, Chair Al-Awda Chicago, b-doherty@pobox.com (voicemail 312-896-5899)

· Nihaya Dugan, Co-Chair Al-Awda Events

· Lina Fatom, Co-Chair Al-Awda DC

· Richard Fawal, Chair Al-Awda Texas

· Samia Halaby, Co-Chair Al-Awda NY/NJ

· Abbas Hamideh, Co-Chair Al-Awda NY/NJ

· Hanna Hanania, Co-Chair Al-Awda Students

· Khalid Hijazi, Co-Chair Al-Awda North Carolina

· Musa Al-Hindi, Chair Al-Awda Speakers

· Rania Masri, Co-Chair Media

· Rajaie Qubain, Co-Chair Al-Awda North Carolina

· Firas Qumsiyeh, Co-Chair Al-Awda Students

· Mazin Qumsiyeh, Ph.D., Co-Chair Media, mazin@al-awda.org (Tel: 203-397-0067)

· Amjad Taha, Co-Chair Al-Awda London

· Margaret Zaknoen, Co-Chair Al-Awda DC

[Elections for representation on the steering committee will take place shortly in San Francisco (2 reps), Wisconsin (1 rep) and Massachusetts (1 rep).]
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14. How are members of the steering committee elected?

The Steering Committee is composed of elected representatives from each action committee with a total of at least fifteen members. Committees with more than thirty members are entitled to two representatives. Once elected, the steering committee selects amongst itself the chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer to serve renewable one-year terms. Members who have served on their committees for at least three weeks elect al-Awda’s action committee representatives. The elections are carried out in an ordered manner that ensures overlap and continuity on the steering committee. Its chair or another member of the steering committee publishes the election timetable for each action committee. Each elected representative serves for a renewable one-year term. A vice-chair will also be elected by each committee to serve as its chair in case of absence of the elected chair. Each member of a committee may nominate or second the nomination of one candidate. All members whose nomination is seconded, and then accepted by the nominee, are automatically placed on the ballot. Members may not nominate themselves. The closing day for nominations is one day in advance of the start of the elections. Elections take place by secret ballot in a poll conducted electronically and monitored at a specific site by three members of the action committee who are not themselves running for election. Polling is open for two days to ensure maximum participation of the committee's membership. After confirmation by the election monitors, the results of the elections are relayed and confirmed jointly to the committee and Al-Awda. Should the number of members nominated be equivalent to the number needed for representation on the steering committee, these nominees will be considered automatically elected.
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15. Are the action committee lists moderated?

No they are not for members who have introduced themselves. However, it is left to the discretion of each committee's elected chairs to determine whether circumstances warrant moderation in cases where an individual posts messages unrelated to the functions of the particular committee. Individuals can appeal such moderation to the steering committee by writing to Al-Awda-SC@yahoogroups.com .
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16. Do I have to have email to join Al-Awda’s committees?

We intend to continue to translate Internet-based discussions to actions on the ground. Regional, country, state and city committees may meet regularly enough so that individuals who prefer not to use and/or do not have access to email may coordinate with members of the committee by phone for example.
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