65. Day of the Trees in Palestine
Day of the Trees in Palestine – Planting in Ramallah
On Saturday, January 15th, 2005 the Ecumenical Accompaniers were invited by Jean Zaru to participate in planting two large olive trees in the garden surrounding the Friends Meeting House in Ramallah. The reason for this activity was the official “Day of the Trees” in Palestine. Zaru, clerk of the Ramallah Quaker Meeting and a member of the EAPPI’s Local Reference Group, had asked the Ramallah municipality to donate the trees, which they did and on top, sent three men to help carry and plant the heavy trees.
The earth was wet and slippery from the rain but just perfect for planting the trees that were 12-15 years old. Everybody joined in, EA’s and municipal workers, pushing the heavy and muddy clay-like earth around the roots of the trees and decorating them with a ring of stones in the end.
The planting did not take long but the trees took up a good deal of space in the garden. It was a straightforward and rewarding feeling of planting trees as opposed to hearing about and looking at uprooted trees, currently a daily event in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Katja Tolstrup from Denmark
EA, Ramallah
Click here for the related article "Quaker Meeting in Ramallah."
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Two olive trees lie waiting to be planted outside the Friends Meeting House in Ramallah.
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A view of the Friends Meeting House in Ramallah on the day of the tree planting, coinciding with the Palestinian Day of the Trees.
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EA Katja Tolstrup, Jean Zaru, and EA Andy Hall (l. to r.) following the planting.
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EAPPI Local Reference Group member and clerk of Ramallah Meeting Jean Zaru (left) and EA Katja Tolstrup from Denmark (right).
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Ecumenical Accompanier Andy Hall from the United Kingdom (right) speaking with Jean Zaru, the clerk of Ramallah Meeting and a member of the EAPPI's Local Reference Group, at the entrance to the Friends Meeting House.
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Ecumenical Accompaniers Katja Tolstrup from Denmark (left) and Andy Hall from the United Kingdom (right) working together during the planting day.
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Everyone stands ready to plant, including members of the EAPPI and the Ramallah Municipality.
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Members of the Ramallah Municipality and Quaker staff just before the planting.
