Join the movement: Build an apartheid free zone
Across our shared spaces – where creativity, resistance, and solidarity intersect – a new call to action echoes the struggles we have always supported. The unfolding genocide in Gaza is just the latest terrible chapter in a century of injustices, crimes, and violations of international law. The perpetrators, along with the dense network of interests and agents that support and enable them, must be stopped. It is time for concrete actions, and if those cannot be expected from the ones in power – though they are already overdue – individuals and organisations of conscience must organise to increase the pressure on the occupation and its accomplices.
This is why BDS Netherlands is launching a campaign to create Apartheid Free Zones (AFZ) across the country. This initiative wants to be more than just a response to global injustices, it is about reinforcing the very principles that bind our communities together.
What is BDS?
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) is a global movement rooted in the same spirit that once helped dismantle apartheid in South Africa. Since 2005, it’s been a rallying point for those who refuse to stand by while Israel continues its occupation, colonisation, and apartheid against Palestinians. BDS is not just a tactic, it’s a commitment to global justice, echoing the calls of over 170 Palestinian organisations who asked the world to act.
The AFZ campaign is about more than making a statement – it’s about making sure our spaces don’t get co-opted into supporting oppression
Why the Apartheid Free Zone Campaign Matters
The AFZ campaign is about more than making a statement – it’s about making sure our spaces don’t get co-opted into supporting oppression. It’s about creating environments where freedom, justice, and equality aren’t just buzzwords, but lived realities. By declaring our spaces as Apartheid Free Zones, we commit to resisting any ties to the systems that perpetuate apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.
This campaign is especially urgent now. As the situation in Gaza becomes increasingly dire under the weight of a relentless siege, our solidarity with the Palestinian people must translate into concrete actions. Being part of an AFZ means we’re not just spectators, we’re active participants in the struggle against injustice.
How to Join the Movement
To make your space an Apartheid Free Zone, you’ll need to commit to the principles laid out in the AFZ manifesto that will soon be published on BDS NL platforms. This document will provide all the information regarding the campaign and list all the minimum criteria required to be onboarded as Apartheid Free Zone under BDS’s framework, and some practical instructions. It’s a straightforward process that will connect you to a community of spaces and individuals committed to make a positive and intersectional change.
Why This Matters to Us
Our scene has always been about more than just art, music, or politics – it’s about building a world that reflects our values. By becoming an Apartheid Free Zone, we’re not only resisting the status quo, but we’re also contributing to a global movement for justice. This is a way for us to take what we stand for and put it into practice.
If you are reading this, and you are part of a cultural space like a cinema, a squat, a bookstore, a theatre, an art gallery, a community centre, a music venue, or similar, contact us at ard.ccn@docp.nl. We will give you further details and inform you about all the necessary steps to join as a new Apartheid Free Zone.
If you are an artist, a member of a collective, a writer, a musician, a filmmaker, a performer, a teacher, a student and you are just interested to know more about the project and be part of the community, we invite you to contact us too. We need people like you to expand the community and provide an audience to all the Apartheid Free Zones that will join. Your contribution is equally important.
Let’s be the change we want to see in the world.
Free Palestine!
Contact: ard.ccn@docp.nl