VIPFA Launches Inaugural V.I. Palestinian Friendship Day

The Virgin Islands Palestinian Friendship Association (VIPFA) hosted the first V.I. Palestinian Friendship Day celebration at the St. George Botanical Gardens on St. Croix on Sunday.

“This is our first year celebrating V.I. Palestinian Friendship Day,” said Ahmad Hussein, president of VIPFA. Nov. 29 was proclaimed by the governor as Palestinian Virgin Islands Friendship Day, highlighting the community’s strong ties. To, which they are “very grateful for,” said Hussein. Nov. 29 also coincides with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, which was established by the United Nations in 1977. “We chose this date to bridge the history and the roots with the Virgin Islands Friendship,” said Hussein. “Now we will celebrate this occasion every year,” he said.

Hussein said that the mission of VIPFA is to preserve and celebrate this day every year and, at the same time, integrate their roots, history, and tradition with the Virgin Islands community as a whole. In an attempt to do so, VIPFA donated some books that they brought back from the West Bank to the Florence Williams Public Library in Christiansted. A presentation was conducted for Amy De Sorbo, the director of the Division of Libraries and Museums, showcasing a selection of books and brochures.