Thousands of Palestinians gather at 11th annual "Palestinians in Europe" Conference

The 11th annual “Palestinians in Europe Conference”, organized by the General Secretariat of the Palestinians in Europe Conference and The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), was held on Saturday in the Belgian capital, Brussels, and was attended by several Palestinian representatives and influential figures, under the theme “The Signs of Return are Blossoming”.

The conference is considered one of the biggest Palestinian gatherings held in Europe annually and is an indication of the Palestinians’ dedication to their identity, which the occupation is seeking to erase.

President of the Conference and PRC General Director, Majed al Zeer, commented on the title of the conference and said, “The title of the conference is very symbolic and it reflects the desire and belief of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and towns from which they were forcibly expelled in 1948. Local, regional and international political environments are changing and this is an indication from the global Palestinian community of their desire to return.”

The events of the conference, which included a number of workshops, discussion sessions and lectures, as well as folklore and a Palestinian bazaar, continued until 10 pm occupied Jerusalem time.

Some of the most prominent figures taking part in the conference were leader of the El-Nahda Party in Tunisia, Rashid al-Ghannushi and the Palestinian journalist and President of Al Sharq Forum, Wadah Khanfar.

The conference also included a speech by former prisoner and Palestinian Legislative Council representative, Muhammad Abu Tir, in which he spoke about the conditions in Jerusalem and the violations it endures at the hands of the Israeli occupation.