International Conference on Question of Jerusalem Convenes in Jakarta, 14-15 December Followed by Civil Society Forum, 16 December
The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will convene an International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem in Jakarta, at the Hotel Borobodur on 14 and 15 December 2015, under the theme “Addressing the present and shaping the future of Jerusalem”. The opening session will begin on Monday, 14 December 2015, at 9 a.m. in Sumba Room, on the third floor of the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta. Retno L.P. Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, will open the Conference. Statements will be made by a representative of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Fodé Seck, Chairman of the Palestinian Rights Committee; Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Riad Malki, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine; and Said Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, as well as diplomatic representatives of States.
The opening session will be immediately followed by a press conference at the same location.
In the afternoon and on 15 December, international, Indonesian, Palestinian and Israeli speakers will discuss the current situation in Jerusalem, how to enhance international efforts for a halt to unilateral Israeli actions, and possible ways forward for Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Among the speakers will be Makarim Wibisono United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
On 16 December, the Committee will hold a Civil Society Forum, on the subject of "Civil society action in support of justice in Palestine and ending the occupation". The speakers from the United Nations, Palestine, Indonesian and regional civil society will inform participants about the key issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (borders, refugees, Jerusalem, water, settlements etc.), the current situation on the ground including the humanitarian hardships and the human rights violations the Palestinians are enduring, and provide civil society with a venue to plan further action in support of Palestinian rights.
The conference will be open to the media. For media inquiries, interview requests, and to register to attend please contact the Meeting Secretariat at: dpr-meeting@un.org. Accreditation will be held on 13-16 December starting at 8 a.m in front of the conference room.
The meeting will be webcast. Meeting updates including the programme of the event and press releases will be posted online at www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/ calendar.htm and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/unispal. A Chairman’s summary, as well as a full report, will be issued after the conference.