Contemporary Palestine: Living Reality and Advocating for Change
Mr Constantine Dabbagh, Executive Director of the Middle East Council of Churches, and Mr Rifat Kassis, Special Adviser to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches
Monday 12 July 2010
Mr Constantine Dabbagh is a Palestinian Christian and Executive Director of the Middle East Council of Churches or MECC Department of Service for Palestinian Refugees in the Gaza Strip. Constantine is an outstanding leader within Gaza and within the Palestinian NGO community, through the provision of Christian funded and delivered health care, education and community services which care for the Muslim population of Gaza. Constantine was born in Jerusalem in 1938 and in the midst of fierce fighting in 1947, fled as a refugee to Gaza. During his life and career he has worked for United Nations Emergency Force (Peace Keeping Force) in Gaza and United Nations in the Republic of Congo (now Zaire), consistently advocating non-violence amidst living conditions that are approaching a humanitarian crisis.
Mr Rifat Kassis is a Palestinian Christian and human rights activist who has held a range of positions within human rights and advocacy organisations within Palestine and internationally. He is currently the Special Adviser to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; a Consultant to the International Centre of Bethlehem, a Member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Welfare of Children, the International President of Defence for Children International, and the General Director Defence for Children International – Palestine. In addition, Rifat Kassis has authored two books, Palestine: A Bleeding Wound in the World’s Conscience (co-authored with Dr Mitri Raheb) and Christian Community: Facts, Figures and Trends.