Madrid, 15 November 2025
The sixth conference of the Union of Palestinian Communities and Institutions in Europe was launched in Madrid, with broad participation from representatives of Palestinian communities and institutions, as well as public figures from across Europe.
The conference opened with a minute of silence for the souls of the martyrs of our Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and the martyrs of all just causes around the world, followed by a youth welcoming speech addressed to the guests and supporters from Spanish progressive forces and parties. As well as a speech by Dr. Majed Al-Dibsi, Vice President of the Union. He emphasized the importance of this national gathering in strengthening the role of Palestinian communities, supporting the resistance, and reinforcing Palestinian identity in the diaspora. He also outlined the main objectives of the conference, its programs, and its role in serving members of the communities through a unifying national framework for Palestinians across Europe.
The President of the Union, Dr. Fawzi Ismail, provided an overview of the conference’s activities and agenda, which includes discussing reports from the previous term —since the last conference held in Berlin in 2022— as well as setting work plans and programs, and formulating the Union’s vision for the coming phase and its challenges. The program also features specialized sessions addressing political, social, and cultural issues relevant to Palestinian communities in Europe.
During the opening session, director of the Al-Awda Health Association in Gaza delivered a recorded speech about the difficult health situation in the Strip, explaining the escalating challenges and the near-collapse of the health system as a result of the aggression and blockade, and calling on Palestinian communities to strengthen solidarity and humanitarian support.
The Iranian ambassador and the first secretary of the Russian embassy also took part in the opening session, delivering messages of support and solidarity to the Palestinian people. Likewise, Archbishop Atallah Hanna from Jerusalem sent a special message to the conference, praising the role of Palestinian communities in defending the rights of the Palestinian people and stressing that their connection to their homeland forms a fundamental pillar in sustaining the Palestinian cause.
Ahmed Sakina, representative of the “Palestine Conference in Europe,” delivered a speech underscoring the need to unify efforts among various Palestinian institutions across the continent and to work together to strengthen Palestinian presence in European forums.
Also attending the opening was Spanish MP Ione Belarra, who expressed her support for the Palestinian people’s right to freedom and stressed the importance of strengthening solidarity between the Spanish and Palestinian peoples. The Deputy Mayor of Rivas (Madrid), the hosting city, welcomed the event and expressed the city’s pride in hosting this conference.
A number of Spanish progressive parties and forces also participated, including Izquierda Unida (United left) represented by its head of external relations, Frank Pérez; the Deputy Head of External Relations of the UGT (General Union of Workers) trade union; the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain; representatives of the Basque Left; J. Carlos Ríos of the Andalusian Left; and a representative of the BDS movement.
The opening session also featured remarks and interventions from several Palestinian organizations and institutions active across Europe, all of whom stressed the importance of unity among communities and the complementarity of their roles to strengthen the Palestinian presence in Europe and serve the national Palestinian cause.
