Participants

Hege Bae Nyholt is a member of the Norwegian Parliament, representing The Red Party, and is Chair of the Standing Committee on Education and Research. Hege has been an activist in the solidarity movement all her life. She was staying in Bethlehem in 2000 at the time of the second intifada and has worked in […]

I am a 55-year-old teacher from Gothenburg, Sweden. I have four fantastic children however only one remains at home. Three of them are my own but the oldest is found family, she is Palestinian from the Shatila refugee camp in Beirut. She lived with us for several years but now she has her own family

I am from Bergen, on the west coast of Norway. As a social worker I am concerned about children welfare. It is important that we speak out about the situation for children in Gaza, and for me the possibility to join the Freedom Flotilla for a week feels like a good opportunity to contribute to

Jørgen is from Norway, lives on a sailing boat, and works as a professional chef in Oslo. Jørgen has been active in demonstrations against the Israeli occupation all his life. He is supporting the Freedom Flotilla in solidarity with the people living in Gaza and dedicates his own participation in this year’s mission to a

Herman Reksten was Captain of the Freedom Flotilla fishing vessel Al Awda (The Return) which sailed  in 2018, his third attempt to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.  He is a Norwegian citizen and a sailor. Herman first participated as a sailor in Ship to Gaza Sweden’s mission with Estelle in 2012, and a second time

Gerd von der Lippe is a professor of Sports Sociology and an author. She has been working on research projects in cooperation with university colleagues in Gaza, and several invitations to present papers on women’s lives in Norway. She is a former Norwegian National Champion at 100 m, 200 m and 400 m sprint and

I am a language instructor, translator, businessperson, and a volunteer clown therapist in hospitals, in refugee camps and in earthquakes as well as in areas struck by different natural disasters. Why support the Freedom Flotilla Coalition? Because it talks about hope and hope is what we need to feed our souls on. Handala is hope.

Wendy has been working in the field of social work for the past 35 years working with children, families, newcomers, survivors of abuse and women’s groups. She is currently an Advocate/Counsellor at the London Abused Women’s Centre and coordinates their anti-human trafficking initiatives. She is a founding member of Canada Boat to Gaza and a

My name is Thomas Høiseth. I am 60 years of age and I am educated psychologist. At the present time I am head of an outpatient psychiatric Clinic in Bergen, Norway. As a psychologist I am well aware of what violence, suppression and harassment does to a human being, especially to children. The occupation of

Arne Birger Heli from Norway was the ship’s mechanic for one of the 2018 Freedom Flotilla boats – Al Awda (The Return) – across the Mediterranean headed for Gaza when it was overtaken by Israeli forces in international waters. That trip was Arne’s first attempt to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza. He has