منظمة المرأة العالمية للسلام والحرية-فرع فلسطين
Edith Ballyntine
The Exceptional Leader and the Human.
A Tale of a Great Woman
The Icon of Wilpf International.
Talking about the special woman and thinker Edith Ballyntine,forms a tavestry of talk that is written with heart pulse and the “celtum” of the spirit. It is a protracted address with numerous details.
The writer becomes undeceive as to where from to commence from Edith the thinker,the politicion and the lady of the biding free word,or commence from Edith the woman of a philanthropic feeling shrouded with lofty characteristics that evinced in herself a captivating gift of innovation and empathy.
Further, the unique lady who possesses a human spirit,the glow of justice for humanity in her innate nature and her readiness for sacrifice are all qualities that interweave in a sublime spirit that one can use to set light to the avenues of pulchritude to a creative lady who have disciplined herself to the genuine norms.She has also formulated from her concept a message and a pathway and from humanity an outreach a clad of justice.
I have known Edith when I was very young through int.meetings for peace.I was invited to Sweden in 1988 to attend an important meeting hosted by Swedish wilpf and the democratic women.
After the conference,Tyra,the president of wilpf Sweden asked me to think about forming a wilpf section in Palestine.
In 1988 we met in Geneva when his excellency president Yasser Arafat declared the two states solution in in his speech in the U.N.I organized a special meeting with president Yasser Arafat for Edith.we met him and he highly respected her,and she told him about our attempt to establish a section in Palestine,he fully supported the initiative.
Edith gave an authorizing letter to me to establish wilpf,and since then we worked hard to be recognized as full member.
We open the office in Jerusalem,and Edith headed a delegation for this event.
It is extremely hard to shed light on all our activities,because it is historical and intensified.
I remember the first meeting I attended where I met Edith as observer group,that was in the executive meeting held in paris.I was empressed by the many women who work hard with deep concern.Then I asked myself”:can I be the same’
And the answer appeared in the commitment and keeping on in the path of freedom and justice.
Edith was awareded the Palestine peace Award from president Yasser Arafat,an she was the first woman who received this award.
Edith developed wilpf with special spirit of objectivity,
Holding the message of sisterhood and sincerity.
Her remarkable stance was when wilpf with other organsations called for emergency meeting to stop the war in Iraq.She played a very vital role with great patience and strong stance.
She visited Palestine many times,and she was the first woman to meet President Arrafat when he was under siege.
And when he was sick,she called him saying the following:”oh dear president,be with us,stay with us,we all love you,you are the symbole of Palestine”.
She also visited my family and had a very important meeting with my father,discussing the politics and the future of Palestine.
She was for me the mother and the Muallim(The teacher),and the image of how a woman should be.
Finally:The revival of the reminiscence Intifadah,the important historic work of the palestinian struggle,and the planned war and genocide,and the endless suffering of the Palestinians,made her very angrey,and she gave her message to wilpf generations to keep on until victory.
We miss our distinguesed lady Edith,specially with these difficult times,if she were with us we will be stronger.
Her word and statements has come to be a sward against the tyranny.
And ,and a taste in the outreach of the revolutionary struggle in the coinage of the spirit of revolution.
A reminiscence that will never fade away,a tattoo carved in and our spirit and on the road of wilpf,and in every voyage towards dignity and liberty.