The UCC PIN steering committee voted at our April meeting to take the pledge and become an Apartheid-Free organization. A year ago when our steering committee held 'listening sessions' with three of our Palestinian Christian partners, the plea we heard consistently was to ground our analysis of Israel in the reality of its being an apartheid state and to promote the language of apartheid in our congregations. Adopting the pledge is one way to keep faith with our partners' plea.

This newly launched Apartheid-Free initiative has been developed by a coalition of denominational PIN representatives, with congregations and other religious organizations or entities especially in mind. Similar to the UCC's Open and Affirming process, the Apartheid-Free initiative creates an opportunity for congregations to organize: first, to educate themselves, in this case, about the systemic injustices against Palestinians and the complicity of our government in funding Israel's occupation; and then, to take a stand for human rights, adopting for themselves, as an articulation of that stand, the Apartheid-Free pledge.

UCC PIN will be promoting this initiative, working to engage and resource UCC congregations and conferences across the nation in adopting the pledge as their own and supporting their solidarity work and advocacy. Go to the initiative's website to learn more and find resources about taking the pledge and living into what it means to be Apartheid-Free.

 Apartheid-Free Pledge

We affirm our commitment to freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian people and all people;

We oppose all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression; and

We declare ourselves an Apartheid-Free _________ [community/ congregation/ organization] and to that end, 

We pledge to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.