A March and a Ceremony to Mark PRCS’ 47th Anniversary and the Death Anniversary of its Founder

(Al-Bireh - 18/1/2016): PRCS marked on Monday the 18th of January 2016 its 47th anniversary and the 11th memorial of the passing away of its forefather, Dr. Fathi Arafat. A large march started at President Yasser Arafat’s mausoleum and ended at PRCS’ Headquarters, where a massive ceremony was held to celebrate “Preparedness and Defiance”.

Numerous personalities as well as national and community leaders took part in these celebrations alongside a large crowd comprising PRCS’ staff and volunteers from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the Society’s theatre, Dr. Younis Al Khatib, PRCS’ President, said: “PRCS turned 47 on the 26th of December 2015. However, the years have not reduced the Society’s generosity, readiness, or defiance of the dire conditions under which it operates due to the occupation in Palestine and to a harsh working environment in the Diaspora. The humanitarian conditions in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon remain very difficult and the complex Syrian crisis has severely impacted Palestinians in refugee camps in Syria.

During the current popular uprising which started in Palestine 3.5 months ago, PRCS’ teams offered assistance to approximately 15 000 wounded persons while more than 352 violations were committed against the Society. 150 PRCS’ medics and volunteers were injured and the Society’s ambulances were obstructed and attacked on 202 occasions during that same period”.

 The unique role played by PRCS and the support it has always provided to Palestinians and their aspirations has led occupation authorities to make false accusations against it, he added. “However, facts on the ground as well as the support you have all shown us have compelled Magen David Adom to apologize before the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and to recognize the neutrality of our National Society”.

The Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Dr. Layla Ghannam, also took the floor on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas. She commended the humanitarian work carried out by PRCS. “We are proud of PRCS and wish to pay tribute to the leaders of this pioneering Society which is active in the fields of health and culture while also playing an intellectual and spiritual role. I am sure that Dr. Fathi Arafat is smiling down on us today and is reassured that we are following in his footsteps. At the beginning of the popular uprising, we paid tribute to PRCS staff and volunteers  for their efforts and sacrifices. One can see the freedom-fighters and revolutionaries in them every time they provide assistance to injured Palestinians arrested by occupation forces”.

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Arafat’s family, Dr. Nasser Al Qudwa  said: “Three achievements were made by PRCS with the help of Dr. Fathi Arafat and the Society’s founding fathers: (1) awareness was raised about humanitarian work, IHL and the Geneva Conventions; (2) PRCS moved from caring for Palestinian combatants to caring for the entire Palestinian people, especially in Lebanon; and (3) after it returned to Palestine, PRCS became an integral part of our life as Palestinians and of the Palestinian condition. This is something that we, as Palestinians, are extremely proud of”.

Dr. Younis Amr, President of Al Quds Open University, lauded efforts made by PRCS, commended its cooperation with his university and distributed commemorative plaques to all PRCS’ Emergency Medical Centers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Dr. Amr also recalled the grant offered by his university to PRCS’ staff since 2003 and the support it provides to graduates of PRCS’ Total Communications Schools for the Hearing Impaired.

The ceremony featured a number of artistic interludes presented by PRCS’ Tourath (Heritage) Troupe for Popular Arts and the Dar Al Fonoon wal Tourath (House of Arts and Heritage) Troupe from Nablus.