The Accompaniment Programme is an international programme under the auspices of the World Council of Churches, the world’s largest ecumenical organization. In Norway, four organizations operate the programme: YWCA-YMCA Global, the Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations, The Christian Council of Norway and Norwegian Church Aid, which acts as the national coordinator.
Click here to visit the Accompaniment Programme’s international webpages.
Presence
The Accompaniment Programme was started in the autumn of 2002, following a request for international presence and solidarity in the occupied Palestinian territories. During the following six years, approximately five hundred companions from sixteen nations have participated. To date, Norway has sent over seventy companions.
Location
The programme concentrates on local Palestinian communities that are hard hit by the Israeli occupation. The programme currently has six teams in various locations on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. Approximately twenty accompaniers from various countries are present at any given time.
Preventing violence
The goal of the programme is to accompany Palestinians and Israelis who oppose the occupation of the Palestinian territories using peaceful means, in favour of an equitable solution of the conflict on the basis of international law and relevant UN resolutions. Through their presence, the accompaniers aim to prevent violence, demonstrate solidarity with the local population and report violations of human rights. The accompaniers should inform the public of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories during their presence there and in the period after.
The role of an accompanier:
- Participates in peaceful demonstrations against the occupation together with the Israeli peace movement
- Accompanies Palestinians who are being threatened by settlers
- Observes military checkpoints and reports violations of human rights
- Participates in peaceful activities in the refugee camps, and visits affected families
- Demonstrates solidarity with the churches and with Christians
- Disseminates information to networks and media in Norway
- Holds lectures and speeches upon return to Norway
Want to know more?
Contact Ida Suhrke coordinator for the Accompaniment Programme in Norwegian Church Aid, e-mail: 
, tel. (+47) 911 51 362