Who we are
Sumud is an intersectional organisation that works in Finland for ending Israeli apartheid, occupation, colonialism and genocide and for the realisation of Palestinian human and political rights.
As part of the global movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people, our goal is to end Finnish support for Israeli colonialism and apartheid and turn it into support for democracy, decolonisation and human rights.
We support the Palestinian civil society call for boycotts, divestments and sanctions. We also support the BDS call’s demand for Israel to end occupation and colonisation of Arab lands, grant equality to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and implement the right of Palestinian refugees to return.
We do not take a position on the specific political arrangement in which these rights are realised (such as one democratic state, confederation or other arrangement), except that it has to respect international law, guarantee the rights of all people who live in or have been exiled from Palestine, and be supported by Palestinians. We recognise that the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank alone would not realise the rights of all Palestinian refugees nor the rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Sumud does not take sides in party politics in any country.
Sumud is opposed to all forms of colonialism, racism – including antisemitism and islamophobia – as well as sexism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and all other forms of bigotry.
We recognise the right of all peoples to armed resistance as laid out in international law, but we do not advocate for nor condemn armed resistance per se. We are opposed to violence against civilians. We do not support or fundraise for armed resistance or any other violent activities in any context, and will not take part in activities that do. Our own activities are non-violent.
We recognise civil disobedience and non-violent direct action to be important forms of solidarity work. However, Sumud does not take part in or fund any activities that violate Finnish law, including forms of civil disobedience or non-violent direct action that do so.
We work with a lot of organisations and communities in Finland – Palestinian, queer, peace, art, music and other groups and individuals. We have chapters in different cities in Finland.
If you agree with us, join us to help free Palestine!
