London - A group of students came together in London yesterday to donate their blood in support of the "Blood Relations" project.
The Jewish, Muslim and International students were supported by Palestinian Seham Abu Awwad and Israeli Robi Damelin, members of the Parents Circle Families Forum (PCFF), an Israeli/Palestinian organization of bereaved families who work together for peace and reconciliation.
The Israeli Ambassador H.E. Daniel Taub, who came to participate in the blood drive, welcomed the initiative. "As a combat medic in the IDF I learned that issues of life and death can help bridge the divide. I am very moved to see people reaching out to each other in such an important and creative way."
Ali Abu Awwad, Spokesperson and Project Manager said on behalf of the Parents Circle Families Forum: " ‘Blood Relations' seeks to provide a catalyst for dialog by demonstrating two peoples' shared humanity through the common bond of blood. It is incumbent upon us to stress the need for an ongoing dialog towards peace."
The donations in London follow a series of joint Israeli Palestinian blood donation events with PCFF in Israel at the end of September.
Earlier in the week, Seham Abu-Awwad and Robi Damelin addressed Members of Parliament at Portcullis House on their work on peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. Saatchi & Saatchi hosted the UK premiere of the ‘Blood Relations' short film which can now be viewed here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GZxLcGSCow and opened the ‘Impossible Brief' exhibition, which will be free for the public to view for the rest of the month.
The ‘Blood Relations' project was borne out of a global challenge ‘The Impossible Brief', launched by BBR Saatchi & Saatchi Israel at the 2010 Cannes Advertising Festival where creative minds from all over the world were invited to present ideas that would bring Israelis and Palestinians closer together. The winning idea submitted by Jean Christophe Royer of BETC, Paris, inspired the birth of ‘Blood Relations', an initiative that seeks to bring the two peoples closer together through the shared act of giving of blood.
Visit www.bloodrelations.org for more information and to virtually donate blood in support of the project.