BENJI DE LEVIE = founder and chair = المؤسس ورئيس المجلس
sociologist specialising in non-Western societies
currently retired
worked, among other things, as a community development worker, cultural worker, social counsellor, employment coordinator, director of the AMVJ Open Youth Centres, and director of the Rotterdam-West Employment Foundation and the Entrepreneurship Centre
served on the boards of organisations active in areas such as open youth work, the trade union movement, a political party, cultural and neighbourhood organisations, and international solidarity
served as editor of publications in many of these fields, as well as publications on cultural anthropology
has been involved in the Palestinian cause since 1967 and, from the mid-1980s onwards, also served on the boards of numerous organisations, including NPK and docP/BDS; he is still a board member and/or initiator of foundations and organisations such as Palestina, Nederland-Gaza, ISRAA, Al Maktabah and Rotterdam voor Gaza
is an ambassador for Rotterdam voorbij Discriminatie (“Rotterdam Beyond Discrimination”)
NAZHA RUSTOM = founder and secretary = المؤسس وأمين السر
holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Human Resource Management
currently Chief Diversity & Inclusion at De Nederlandsche Bank
previously worked, among other roles, as a Strategy Execution Consultant at ABN AMRO and, at the same bank, as a Diversity & Inclusion Strategy Consultant, Reorganisation Consultant and HR Transaction Officer; she also worked in customer service roles at various companies
has been/is active as a volunteer in, among other things, a parents’ council, as a reading buddy for children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, as a study coach for students in pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO), with COA and the Dutch Council for Refugees, and was co-founder of an empowerment team for women from non-Western backgrounds
lawyer and qualified first-degree general economist
currently retired
worked, among other roles, as a computer programmer and systems designer; at the Municipality of Rotterdam he served as a project manager in areas including policy on undocumented migrants, employment, Het Nieuwe Rotterdam, and the E2H project of the Stichting Kennisinfrastructuur Mainport Rotterdam, as well as working as a lobbyist in The Hague
was director of a computer service bureau, the Rotterdam City Archives, and the municipality’s Education Department
served, among other positions, as a board member of the Preparatory Committee for Arts and Cultural Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the IFIP Foundation, Bureau HALT, the Rotterdam Conservatory, Historic Ship De Delft, HES Rotterdam, and various service clubs
was, among other things, the owner of a bookshop and an art gallery, organiser of the first Krimpenerwaard Art Market, and developer of an extensive website about the history of Katendrecht
Virtual Nakba Museum 