Profile
| Country/Territory | Italy |
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| Website | http://www.ventoditerra.org |
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| Founded | 2003 |
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| In their own words | “We work in border territories and we consider development cooperation as a complex relationship among equals. We suggest an idea of community development related to the concept of social, economic and cultural growth.” |
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Funding
- Vento di Terra (VdT) does not release financial information, reflecting a lack of transparency and accountability.
- From 2014-2017, VdT was an implementing partner on a € 2.2 million grant from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for “Strengthening and networking of educational and psychosocial support services for minors and women in marginal areas of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.” Other implementing partners include the Bisan Center for Research and Development and the Remedial Education Center. (See more about the Bisan Center below.)
- In 2016, VdT received $87,000 from the Italian government to refurbish a school in Area C of the West Bank.
- From 2013-2014, Vento di Terra recieved €95,576 from the European Union for a project to “promote the uniqueness of Bedouin culture at regional and international level.”
- In 2013, VdT implemented two projects funded by the UNDP—for $151,000 and $90,000, respectively—for education-related refurbishments to schools in the West Bank.
Activities
- Despite claiming to “invest in social and educational services to support a peace culture in the heart of the conflict,” VdT pushes the Palestinian political narrative and blames Israel exclusively for the situation. VdT repeatedly argues that the sole impediment to Palestinian development is Israeli policy.
- In May 2018, VdT signed an “Urgent appeal” to Prime Minister Gentiloni and Foreign Minister Alfano calling to “Stop the deliberate killing of civilians in Gaza.” The appeal accused Israel of “ferocious military campaigns” and “collective punishment,” while turning Gaza into an “open-air prison.” The appeal ignored the violent nature of the protests, which included Molotov cocktails, arson, and attempts to breach the border fence with Israel.
- In October and November 2017, VdT held a series of conferences on the “resistance of the Bedouin communities for the right to education in Palestine.” The conferences featured Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom, a leader at the time of the Israeli NGO Rabbis for Human Rights.
- In July 2017, VdT was a signatory on a statement titled “Jerusalem: international law must be respected” calling for the Italian government to “suspend all agreements for economic and military cooperation with Israel until the restoration of international law.”
- In July 2017, VdT joined the campaign “#we4gaza” that aimed to “bring international attention to this slow genocide.”
- In February 2017, VdT participated in a museum exhibit on the children of Gaza at the Diocesan Museum of Milan illustrating the “traumas suffered” in Gaza. The museum also held a conference featuring VdT on the “situation of minors in Gaza.”
- In 2010, VdT constructed the Khan al Ahmar Rubber Tire School with contributions from Rabbis for Human Rights, Pax Christi, and ICHAD.
- In 2010, VdT activist Annalisa Portioli represented VdT as an applicant for participation in the national coordination committee for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2.
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