Source: UCLG Working Group on the Middle East
The Dunkerque Forum +10 aimed to analyse the last 10 years of European decentralized cooperation with Palestine. This process involved a joint reflection on the mid and long-term perspectives to contribute to the improvement of living conditions of local populations and contributing to the construction of a Palestinian State.
4 Palestinian Ministers and Marilyse Lebranchu came to take part in the exchanges. Over 400 participants from 15 countries met in what was a positive ambiance. All participants expressed their will to follow the necessary steps through a Shared Declaration.
Over the last 10 years, the number of participating towns and cities has significantly increased. Over 500 European local authorities, among which 40% were French, committed to undertake some form of cooperation with Palestinian towns and cities. Furthermore, the process has become truly European with the arrival of German towns and cities, traditionally twinned with Israeli towns or the Netherlands or Norway. Previously, decentralized cooperation came above all from French, Italian and Spanish towns and cities.