What is the Lagna ?

The Egyptian Popular Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising (the "Lagna") was created on the 12th of September 2000, two weeks after the second Intifada started. At first, 360 intellectuals and public personalities signed a fundamental text stating the main objectives of the "Lagna". It is aimed to gather all representatives and activists of the Egyptian civil society, the professional unions, the political parties. For four years now, it has been coordinating and organizing collective actions of solidarity.

It started with two petitions: The first one was addressed to the Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and stated the urge to cut diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. The second one was presented to Kofi Anan, general secretary of the United Nations, and asked for the application of the UN resolutions and the protection of the Palestinian people. These two petitions collected more than 100,000 signatures.

The "Lagna" started first in Cairo but the mobilization and the solidarity network have spread all over Egypt, in the Delta region in particular. Today, the "Lagna" has 12 local committees in the country which organize concerts, exhibitions, meetings and political rallies.

In four years, the "Lagna" has organised 25 convoys of medicine and food, for a total cost of 15 millions of Egyptian pounds. Each convoy is an act of popular and political solidarity, coordinated by a delegation of the "Lagna", whose members are representatives of the Civil society in Egypt. When convoys were blocked at the border, protests turn into sit-in in front of the Red Crescent office, the UN office and the ministry of Foreign Affairs. A hunger strike was held for ten days, in order to pressure the officials and lift the ban on the convoy.

The "Lagna" helps also the wounded Palestinians who are treated in Cairo Hospitals. It provides them with money, medicine and housing.

The "Lagna" is currently organizing a convoy and an international march of solidarity to Rafah, at the border of Egypt and Gaza.

The Egyptian Popular Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising
12 November 2004

	The Egyptian Popular Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising (the "Lagna") was created on the 12th of September 2000, two weeks after the second Intifada started. At first, 360 intellectuals and public personalities signed a fundamental text stating the main objectives of the "Lagna". It is aimed to gather all representatives and activists of the Egyptian civil society, the professional unions, the political parties. For four years now, it has been coordinating and organizing collective actions of solidarity. It started with two petitions: The first one was addressed to the Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and stated the urge to cut diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. The second one was presented to Kofi Anan, general secretary of the United Nations, and asked for the application of the UN resolutions and the protection of the Palestinian people. These two petitions collected more than 100,000 signatures. The "Lagna" started first in Cairo but the mobilization and the solidarity network have spread all over Egypt, in the Delta region in particular. Today, the "Lagna" has 12 local committees in the country which organize concerts, exhibitions, meetings and political rallies. In four years, the "Lagna" has organised 25 convoys of medicine and food, for a total cost of 15 millions of Egyptian pounds. Each convoy is an act of popular and political solidarity, coordinated by a delegation of the "Lagna", whose members are representatives of the Civil society in Egypt. When convoys were blocked at the border, protests turn into sit-in in front of the Red Crescent office, the UN office and the ministry of Foreign Affairs. A hunger strike was held for ten days, in order to pressure the officials and lift the ban on the convoy. The "Lagna" helps also the wounded Palestinians who are treated in Cairo Hospitals. It provides them with money, medicine and housing. The "Lagna" is currently organizing a convoy and an international march of solidarity to Rafah, at the border of Egypt and Gaza. The Egyptian Popular Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising 12 November 2004
Demonstration in al-Arish, near the egyptian-palestinian border (2002) - Written in arabic: "Stop the siege of palestinian people"

Press conférence, at the Lagna Hq, after a hunger strike

Convoy to Rafah, egyptian-palestinian border* (2002)*