Apartheid Free Zones
The Apartheid Free Zone (AFZ) is a space that supports the Palestinian struggle for freedom and human rights.
The Apartheid Free Zone participates in targeted boycotts – including cultural and academic boycotts – imposed by the BDS movement and will continue to do so until Israel complies with international law and human rights principles.
You can identify Apartheid Free Zones from the above sticker.
Apartheid Free Zone is a global BDS campaign to mobilise businesses and communities to support boycotts and sanctions imposed by the Palestinian-led BDS movement. Hundreds of places across Europe have declared themselves Apartheid Free Zones. In Finland, the campaign is organised by the Finnish Palestine Network Sumud.
How can your business or other space become an Apartheid Free Zone?
Any company, community or space can become an Apartheid Free Zone (AFZ). An Apartheid Free Zone will publicly declare its involvement in the campaign and actively seek ways to cut off cooperation with those who support the apartheid regime in Israel. For example, a shop, café, library, university, museum, art gallery, event, concert venue, association, community space or public administration space can declare itself an Apartheid Free Zone.
An Apartheid Free Zone commits to
1) the principles of the global BDS movement and targeted boycotts, including answering new BDS calls for targeted boycotts in the future.
2) The cultural and academic boycott of Israel as defined by the BDS movement (PACBI).
3) to act in an anti-racist manner.
Additionally, the Apartheid Free Zone
1) publicly declares itself an Apartheid Free Zone.
2) displays a sticker stating that it is an Apartheid Free Zone.
3) is added to a list on the sumud.fi website where all Apartheid Free Zones are visible (name of the space and city it’s located).
4) is added to the global Apartheid Free Zones list on the BDS movement’s website (name of the space and city it’s located).
Download our info package here:
Want to hear more or get involved?
Submit your email if you want to register your space an Apartheid Free Zone or hear more about the campaign, and we will contact you.
Apartheid Free Zones in Finland
Over 100 places in 16 cities around Finland have joined the Apartheid Free Zone campaign! Below you can find a list of them by city.
What should an Apartheid Free Zone boycott?
Apartheid Free Zones boycott companies, products and brands that have been targeted for boycott by the BDS movement.
You can find a list of companies under targeted boycott here.
Many other companies support Israeli apartheid in one way or another. Don’t they all need to be boycotted?
The BDS movement’s strategy is to target boycotts, pressure and sanctions at specific companies and products in order to maximise the impact. Apartheid Free Zones are lending their support to these targeted boycotts and campaigns. You can read more about the effectiveness of targeted boycotts here.
However, we also encourage and assist the Apartheid Free Zones, within their means, to boycott other products and companies involved in Israeli apartheid.
What if we make a mistake?
Everyone can make mistakes. If it turns out that you have inadvertently bought or sold products on the boycott list or otherwise supported Israeli apartheid, the most important thing is to correct the mistake. The campaign aims to give every space the opportunity to change its actions to be more ethical and thus support the Palestinian human rights struggle. It is better to join the campaign and make a single mistake than not to support the campaign at all.
You can always contact the campaign team to ask for support for different challenges.
