Universal Peace Federation Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace
NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN - www.peacefederation.org - www.iifw.nl

September 2006

Dear Sir/Madam

Middle East Peace Initiative: September 25-29 and subsequent months - Invitation to apply

We would like to extend an invitation to you to apply to take part in one of our up-coming Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) Fact Finding Tours for European politicians and opinion leaders. As on previous occasions, we will meet politicians, experts and commentators in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Conscious of the present situation and the urgent need for expressions of international concern and direct experience on the ground, we have planned four MEPI Fact Finding Tours over the coming months: September 25 - 29, October 21 - 25, November 12 - 17 and December 5 - 10. These plans have to be sensitive to the current situation and, within reason, can be flexible to suit individual diaries.

We will be based in Jerusalem with day visits to other areas. At the same time, we will be responsive to requests for activities that necessitate other arrangements in small groups. We have been in regular contact with numerous politicians and senior Middle East commentators in Israel and contacts from the Palestinian Authority. You can be sure that these will be packed and informative visits.

The Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) has organized 22 visits to the Middle East during the last four years. During those occasions, the groups were either addressed by or could meet many current and former Knesset members, including Ran Cohen MK, leading media figures, including Middle East TV analyst with Israel TV 2, Ehud Ya’ari, and leading Palestinian Legislative Council members, including Dr Emil Jarjoui. We could also meet campaigners for dialogue and reconciliation from both communities and visit positive projects that are building peaceful relations for the long term development of the region.

The Middle East Peace Initiative has several short term goals for these visits:

To inform participants of the perceived prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, with a range of informed opinions from both Israelis and Palestinians;

To facilitate dialogue between influential figures in Europe, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, by arranging appointments, briefings and visits;

To show prominent international participants those constructive projects and activities that are contributing to building peace and are worthy of support from European individuals and institutions;

To facilitate visits to the holy places of the three Abrahamic faiths to promote interfaith and intercultural understanding.

We would also like to raise the profile of significant European representatives with the leading figures and thinkers in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The opinions, concerns and fears of Europe need, in these troubled times, to be expressed directly to those most involved in the search for a resolution to the conflict.

This visit will be sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). For more information about UPF please view their websites. There will be an informative presentation on the UPF and MEPI during the visit.

The Universal Peace Federation is aware that you are being invited at a time of uncertainty and will make all arrangements through an experienced agency who are accustomed to maximizing safety. However, we ask that you travel accepting that we are entering an area of tension and conflict and that all participants secure their own insurance arrangements prior to their visit.

We look forward to a productive fact finding tour that can contribute to the search for progress towards peace in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Yours sincerely,
Drs. W. A. Koetsier
Secretary General
UPF/IIFWP-NL

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