Embassy of the State of Palestine

The General Delegation of Palestine, in partnership with the United Nations Information Centre, the Council of Arab Ambassadors and the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, hosted an event observing the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the Australian Federal Parliament in Canberra.

The main speaker at this event was Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, in addition to Chris Sidoti, former Australian Human Rights Commissioner and current Member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Other speakers included the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, the Director of the UN Information Center, the Ambassador of Lebanon and Dean of the Council of the Arab Ambassadors, the Ambassador of Indonesia and President of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Heads of Missions Group in Canberra, and the co-chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine: Maria Vamvakinou MP (Labor), Senator Janet Rice (Greens), and Hon Mark Coulton MP (Nationals).

All speeches focused on the brutal ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, and every speaker called for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire. Click Here to read the speech delivered by His Excellency Izzat Abdulhadi, Ambassador of the State of Palestine and Head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.

The event was very well attended by members of the International Diplomatic Corps, MPs and Senators, representatives from a range of civil society organisations including unions, human rights and advocacy groups, student organisations and universities, community and faith-based organisations, and others. The attendees showed huge solidarity and support to the Palestinian people.

Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese delivering her speech. Speakers (behind, Left to Right) Senator Janet Rice, Ambassador of Indonesia, Ambassador of the State of Palestine, Maria Vamvakinou MP, Director of UNIC, Ambassador of Lebanon, Chris Sidoti, Hon Mark Coulton MP

The Palestinian Ambassador presenting gifts of traditional Palestinian handicrafts to the two main speakers

Mr Chris Sidoti delivering his speech

H.E. Ambassador of the State of Palestine delivering his speech.