Representativ es from 43 Countries to march to Israeli border

Media Advisory for                                For more information contact:
December 23rd, 2009                              Blair Fitzgibbon 202-503-6141
                                                                          Medea Benjamin (Cairo) 0189561919
                                                                          (Gaza) 0599501519

*Telephone Press Conference Call December 23rd, 11 AM EST USA*
REPRESENTATIVES FROM 43 COUNTRIES TO MARCH TO ISRAELI BORDER

One Year After Invasion Of Gaza 1,300 People to Participate in
March as Part of Global Effort to Lift Devastating Blockade

For TV/WEB Satellite Coordinates of Live Feed, email Blair@Fitzgibbonmedia.com

Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, former Italian Vice President of European Parliament Luisa Morgantini, French Senator Alima Boumediene–Thiery leading Syrian comedian Duraid Lahham, author and Filipino Parliament member Walden Bello, and 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein

On December 31^st, over one thousand representatives from 43 nations around the globe will convene at the Gaza/Egypt border as part of the Gaza Freedom March. The event is in response to a growing global initiative, to lift the crippling blockade on Gaza in order to allow food, medicine and rebuilding supplies to enter the Palestinian territory. 

Amongst the 1,300 international delegates participating in the March are some prominent names, including Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, former Italian Vice President of European Parliament Luisa Morgantini, French Senator Alima Boumediene–Thiery leading Syrian comedian Duraid Lahham, author and Filipino Parliament member Walden Bello, and 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein.

Organizers will hold a telephone news press conference call on December 23^rd at 11 AM EST to preview the March.  Satellite coordinates to stream live footage for the media will be provided the night before the crossing.

Call-In Number: 1 + 785-424-1051 – conference ID: “GAZA” – this is a US phone number – reporters can call in internationally.

The international delegates, including international diplomats, doctors, lawyers, students, religious leaders, war veterans, women’s groups, and members of the Jewish community, will enter Gaza via Egypt during the last week of December. In the morning December 31, they will join Palestinians in a non-violent march from Northern Gaza to the Erez/Israeli border. On the Israeli side of the Erez border will be a gathering of Palestinians and Jews who are also calling on the Israeli government to open the border.

WHO:  The call will be with the following organizers and activists: Gaza Freedom March Lead Organizer – Medea Benjamin, Pulitzer Prize winning author – Alice Walker, Former Vice President of European Parliament – Luisa Morgan Gini.

WHEN: December 23rd at 11 AM Eastern (USA).

For more information please visit www.gazafreedommarch.org
 

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