...The University reversed its position [against the conference] after receiving a flood of emails and letters from concerned students, faculty and community members from across Canada and the world...

November, 28th, 2003.

Pro-Palestinian activists won an important victory this week as
the University of Toronto administration accepted the demands of
the Palestinian Solidarity Conference organizers and provided a
space for the conference to be held on U of T property, with the
basis of unity for the conference upheld as the fundamental
principles upon which the conference has been organized. The
University reversed its position after receiving a flood of
emails and letters from concerned students, faculty and community
members from across Canada and the world. University
administrators were meeting throughout the week to deal with the
uproar that their initial decision to cancel the conference had
caused, and a student protest and sit-in at the office of student
affairs on Wednesday Nov 26th, was instrumental in getting the
university to accede to our demands.

The university has provided a space at 40 St. George Street
(Between Harbord and College) at the Bahen Centre for Information
Technology for the conference to take place.

People who support the conference are being asked to meet at 40
St. George St. (and NOT in front of OISE as was previously
announced) at 10:30am for the conference registration. We
suspect that Zionists will likely try to disrupt the event, and
we encourage our supporters to show up on time and to display
restraint and discipline in the face of Zionist provocations.
The conference will be kicked off at 11:00am with a presentation
from U of T students who led the campaign to overturn the
university's decision, and which will also serve as a chance for
organizers to thank all of those groups and individuals who
rallied to defend our rights and for our supporters to make
statements in support of the conference.

As part of the agreement between the University and the
conference organizers, a registration form has been jointly
authored by the organizers of the conference and the University
of Toronto which states that all participants attending the
conference must:

1.) Agree to abide by the University of Toronto's Policy on the
Disruption of Meetings;

2.) Sign a document which outlines that "discussion in the
conference shall be in accordance with the Universitys Statement
on Freedom of Speech and that making homophobic, racist or sexist
comments are inconsistent with the responsible exercise of free
speech";

3.) Be advised that the conference organizers subscribe to the
original basis of unity for the conference and that "this event
has been planned in a manner which is consistent with these
principles".

The original 6 point basis of unity is then listed on the form,
and attendees of the conference are required to sign the form to
attend the conference.

The conference organizers feel that this agreement, which was
reached after a week of pressuring and negotiating with the
University, will achieve our goal of having a successful
conference which will provide a safe space for anti-racist,
feminist and pro-Palestinian activists and which will also be
free of Zionist provocations and disruptions. It is a clear and
resounding victory, not only for us, but for all student
activists, and it will allow us to carry out our fundamental
goals of discussing the criminal activities of the Israeli state
and working to build a solidarity movement in support of the
Palestinian people here in Toronto.

We would like to take this opportunity to offer our most sincere
thanks to all of the many individuals and organizations which
have supported us in this struggle and we once again invite all
of our supporters to join us in participating in this important
event.

In Solidarity,

The Palestinian Solidarity Conference organizers.

Email: conf...@al-awda.ca