UPDATE: This campaign was closed after we collected ten scholarships for students at BirZeit University. May the memory and legacy of activists like Patrick Newton and Jim Graff live on and continue to inspire us!
DEDICATION TO PATRICK NEWTON – Thursday, November 25th, 2004
It is with great sadness that Voice of Palestine brings you the news that Pat Newton passed away early on the morning of November 25th, 2004, in his sleep. Pat had fought a difficult battle with brain cancer for the last nine months. Pat personified the meaning of international solidarity, and supported the struggle of the Palestinian people for the last 20 years. He was the secretary of the Canada Palestine Association and a founding member of the Voice of Palestine. He was the technical operator for the Voice of Palestine radio show for the entire 17 years it has been on the air. Pat was also active in the trade union movement, and was a shop steward with CUPE Local 15 at Vancouver City Hall for many years. His memory is an inspiration to all those who value global justice and a better world.
Our November 30th radio show was dedicated to Pat and honoured his contribution in supporting the Palestinian struggle.
PATRICK NEWTON / JAMES GRAFF MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Canada Palestine Association set up an annual scholarship in Patrick Newton’s name at BirZeit University, near Ramallah in the West Bank. The scholarship takes care of everything for one year for a student from one of the refugee camps. The scholarship is part of the Challenge Fund program at Bir Zeit and you can read more about it at:
http://www.birzeit.edu/friends_alumni/giving/scholr/p/2598
Although we were only hoping to raise enough for a single one-year scholarship, the response was so overwhelming we have collected enough for eight scholarships as of December 2009. In August 2007, the scholarship was renamed to also honor the late Jim Graff of the Near East Cultural and Educational Foundation, who died from cancer in October 2005, and had worked tirelessly to help us implement this project.
(Updated Dec. 25, 2010) We continue to honor the memory of both Pat and Jim and are now collecting funds for the tenth scholarship.
Donations are tax-deductible and should be made out to “Near East Cultural and Educational Foundation”, noted that it is for the scholarship fund and mailed to:
CPA
930-12th St.
New Westminster, B.C., Canada
V3M 4K6