Press Releases

As part of the "UNRWA and its Services are Our Right Until Return" campaign series, and in partnership with community-based organizations in the Global Palestinian Refugee and IDPs Network (GPRN), 15 organizations in Palestine and Lebanon implemented an online cultural contest on social media platforms during March – Ramadan 2025 – targeting Palestinian refugees in camps.

The contest focused primarily on the younger generation of Palestinian refugees, posing 30 questions during Ramadan about the Israeli-US campaign to dismantle and liquidate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The main objectives of this initiative are: to highlight and raise awareness on the colonial dismantlement campaign against UNRWA among Palestinian refugees; and to activate the role and voices of Palestinian refugees to defend their right to UNRWA and its services.

The online questions were spread out during the period of Ramadan and winners received monetary prizes. approximately 2170 refugees participated in and benefited from the initiatives, including 1180 women and 990 men. The following partner organizations and members of the GPRN implemented the online contest:

1. Ibdaa’ Organization – Dheisheh Refugee Camp
2. Lajee’ Center – ‘Aida Refugee Camp
3. Nur Shams Rehabilitation Association – Nur Shams Refugee Camp
4. Psychological and Social Development Association – Al Jalazon Refugee Camp
5. Al Awda Center – Tulkarm Refugee Camp
6. Al Majd Association – Jenin
7. Women’s Center – Al Arroub Refugee Camp
8. Women’s Center – Askar Refugee Camp
9. Child’s Cultural Center – Al Fawwar Refugee Camp
10. Yafa Cultural Center – Balata Refugee Camp
11. ‘Aidoun Center – Mar Elias Refugee Camp
12. Al Houla Association – Burj Al Shamali Refugee Camp
13. Nuwat Association – ‘Ein Al Hilweh Refugee Camp
14. Al Karmel Club – Shatila Refugee Camp
15. Kangaroo Club – Nahr Al Bared Refugee Camp

This initiative is an extension of a series of activities developed by BADIL and the GPRN to highlight the importance and necessity of UNRWA and its services as a right stilled owed to Palestinian refugees until their exercise their right to return. Other activities in BADIL’s campaign to defend UNRWA include a brochure on “The International Responsibility to Protect Palestinian Refugees and UNRWA”, online webinars and seminars, short films and brainstorming sessions with the Palestinian refugee community. The importance of these community initiatives lies in their ability to amplify the voices of Palestinian refugees wherever they reside, their rejection of the dismantling of UNRWA and the abolition of the Palestinian refugee issue, in response to the ongoing Israeli-US campaign to dismantle the agency.