Zackie Achmat is a veteran South African political activist and a leading authority on the role of boycotts in the anti-apartheid movement. Mazin Qumsiyeh is founder and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University and the author of Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment, which chronicles non-violent protest in Palestinian history.
We spoke about the history of boycotts in both places, the ethical dilemmas they create, and whether or not they work.
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Mazin Qumsiyeh
Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh is founder and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University (palestinenature.org). He and his wife (a cofounder and also full time volunteer at PIBS) plan a trip based on invitations to meet people and give tailored talks to suit audiences (churches, Rotary Clubs, environmental groups, museums, scientists, etc) to be able to gain long term support for a) Palestine, b) (secondary) to our institute (palestinenature.org). Support can be financial, in-kind, volunteering (in person or remotely), mobilizing, etc. Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh previously served at US universities including Tennessee, Duke and Yale. He has published over 180 scientific papers, over 30 book chapters, hundreds of articles, and several books including “Sharing the Land of Canaan” and “Popular Resistance in Palestine” on topics ranging from environmental impacts of colonization to environmental and climate justice to cultural heritage to human rights to biodiversity conservation to cancer. He oversaw a number of projects ranging from formulating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to empowerment projects with farmers, women, and children that benefitted tens of thousands. He is laureate of the Paul K. Feyerabend Foundation Award the Takreem Award, Peace-Seeker of the Year Award, among others.
Zackie Achmat
Zackie Achmat is a veteran South African political activist and a leading authority on the role of boycotts in the anti-apartheid movement.
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