The Palestine Solidarity Twinning Project is a collaboration between the Landworkers’ Alliance and the Union of Agricultural Workers’ Committees (UAWC), and aims to build grassroots solidarity with farmers and landworkers in Palestine by connecting them with LWA Members here in the UK.
How did the project take seed?
Following a workshop at the 2024 LWA AGM on how we might stand in solidarity with farming communities in Palestine – in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and surge of violent aggression in the West Bank since October 7th 2023 – a proposal was formed to set up a farm-to-farm twinning project.
The initial idea put forward by LWA members was this: “To create person-to-person, land-to-land connections, particularly to share the realities of farming under occupation with LWA members and the wider community in the UK. With Palestine in the hearts and minds of many in the alternative food and farming movement, this could be a vehicle for solidarity.”
Shortly after the AGM, LWA members reached out to the La Via Campesina member organisation in Palestine – the Union of Agricultural Workers’ Committees (UAWC) – to see if they would be interested in collaborating on the project.
In July 2024 the foundations were laid for an LWA/UAWC ‘Solidarity Twinning Project’ which would pair LWA members here in the UK, with similar land-based projects and groups in Palestine.
Pilot phase (July 2024 – May 2025)
From summer 2024, the project embarked on a pilot phase, in which a handful of LWA members were paired with UAWC-affiliated projects to share stories, experiences, skills and knowledge, and where possible to raise awareness and support for farmers and peasant communities in Palestine who are facing ongoing land-grabs, aggression and genocide.
The pilot phase has now been completed, and LWA Members have been offering ongoing support with their twinned projects in Palestine. There have been some really good connections made, with strong relationships developing, and UK projects sharing updates and amplifying the voices and stories of their twinned projects in Palestine.
There have been numerous expressions of interest from LWA Members (and non-members) to engage with the next phase of the project, and we are now in the process of linking these farms up with relevant projects in Palestine.
Want to get involved?
Once the pilot phase is complete and participants are able to reflect on some of the successes, obstacles and lessons from the project so far, we want to encourage other LWA members to get involved and be ‘twinned’ with projects and farms in Gaza and the West Bank.
You can express your interest in getting involved in the next steps of the Palestine Solidarity Twinning Project by clicking the button below and completing the form.
The Palestine Solidarity Twinning Project is an LWA member-led project, supported by the LWA Internationalism Working Group.
If you would like to contact the group, please email international-solidarity@landworkersalliance.org.uk
Further reading
