Tamaas commits to adhering to the Palestinian international call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and to complying with the guidelines of the Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).
We stand in total solidarity with the people of Palestine, who have suffered under Western imperial and zionist powers for almost a century since the 1948 Nakba. We condemn the ongoing genocide against Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state; and recognize their right as an occupied people to resist their oppressors. We add our voice to those calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
In our organisational and individual capacities as representatives of arts and cultural institutions, we commit to not crossing the international picket line for Palestine. Specifically, we commit—where applicable—to:
• Boycott any cultural product commissioned by an official Israeli body;
• Boycott any cultural product funded by an official Israeli body, even if not commissioned;• Boycott any cultural event that is partially or fully sponsored or funded by an official Israeli body;
• Refrain from participation in any form of academic and cultural cooperation, collaboration, or joint projects with Israeli institutions, including suspension of all forms of funding and subsidies to/from these institutions;
• Refrain from hosting or circulating any events or cultural products operating under the auspices of “normalisation”, or which advance a false symmetry between oppressed and oppressor;
• Directly support and platform Palestinian academic and cultural institutions directly without requiring them to partner with Israeli counterparts as an explicit or implicit condition for such support.
To assist in complying with this call, here are some examples of our commitments:
• Not to lecture or perform at or in cooperation with complicit Israeli cultural institutions or events.
• Not to extend recognition to Israeli cultural organisations by exhibiting, presenting, and showcasing their work (e.g., films, installations, literary works).
• Not to host a cultural event if it is partially or fully sponsored by an official Israeli body or a complicit institution.
• Not to promote a cultural product (e.g., film, artwork, book) if it is commissioned by an official Israeli body or non-Israeli institution that serves Brand Israel or similar propaganda purposes.
• Demand an end to institutional or university exchange programs or satellite campuses with Israel.
We urge all artists, writers, cultural workers, and cultural institutions to take action now. If you too are considering endorsing PACBI or have questions about how to get organised, please reach out.
More information at bdsmovement.net/pacbi.