BNSCP Statement of Commitments
Non-Political Commitment:
In accordance with Sister City International guidelines and Resolution 631 of the City of Boulder and in keeping with the legal requirements of being a 501c3 corporation,* Boulder- Nablus Sister City Project (BNSCP) is explicitly committed to being a non-political organization.
In practice this means at a minimum:
- No activities current or planned by BNSCP will advocate for or against particular political positions and/or policies. BNSCP will not take a side on any political question nor candidate in the US, Palestine or any other related political situations.
- The BNSCP board of directors will ensure that all projects will continue to be carefully selected for their humanitarian, cultural, and artistic contribution and exchange.
- BNSCP will provide information about our counterpart organization and members in Nablus.
- BNSCP will explicitly prohibit the use of our modes of communication or resources from being used as a platform for political advocacy. The Board of Directors of BNSCP will monitor the use of BNSCP programs to guard against the manipulation of messages that promote any anti-Israeli or anti-Palestinian perspectives. If such messages are found, the Board of BNSCP will take corrective actions.
- BNSCP board of directors will maintain editorial control over all official communications and monitor posting to BNSCP website and will exclude inappropriate and insensitive materials. BNSCP will avoid the posting of images promoting or glorifying violence.
- Blog and other potential postings on BNSCP website, FaceBook page, or other forums will include the disclaimer: “This letter/report/ photo/presentation was prepared or offered by _________________ in her/his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this letter/article/presentation/photo are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Boulder-Nablus Sister City Project.”
- BNSCP will make sensitivity awareness training a prerequisite for delegations to either city to promote understanding of how messages may be interpreted, and thus potentially evoking unintended threat, fear and/or sadness.
- In keeping with the spirit of Boulder Council Resolution 1178 (Inclusive Community) BNSCP will continue to promote inclusivity in all its projects, as well as fostering environments where people of different backgrounds and beliefs feel welcomed. This will include the continued nurturing of relationships and incorporating feedback from those who might feel uncomfortable with the Sister City relationship, it’s activities or projects. This will be designed to increase transparency and overcome cultural insensitivities and blind spots. Delegations to either city will be encouraged to interact with each city’s diverse populations of differing faiths and points-of-view.
- BNSCP will amend the application submitted to City Council to ensure it is complete and sensitive to the many populations in the city of Boulder.
- If desired, BNSCP will work with others to build an explicit process and/or governance structure where concerns may be raised and addressed.
Human Rights Commitment:
While Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Council, and other neutral agencies have not found a systemic pattern of human rights violations by Nabulsis, we are committed to investigating any potential violations associated with our projects and relationships in Boulder or Nablus. We formally state here and in our application an unequivocal support for human rights, and solicit from those with whom we work likewise a declaration of support for human rights.
In practice this means at a minimum:
- In addition to Resolution 631’s requirement that an authorized representative sign a commitment to international human rights standards, the BNSCP Board of Directors and principal counterparts in Nablus will sign the same.
- If desired, the Board of Directors of BNSCP will work with members of the wider Boulder community to develop a set of standards for identifying and assessing potential violations and indicators for progress in human rights and inclusiveness in both Nablus and Boulder.
- In the annual report to City Council, BNSCP will devote a specific section on the relationship of our activities to human rights.
*Being ‘501(c)(3)’ means that a particular nonprofit organization has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt, charitable organization. “Charitable” is broadly defined as being established for purposes that are religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering of national or international amateur sports, or prevention of cruelty to animals and children.
