The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) held an honoring ceremony for Dr. Abdel Hamid Afana, the Director of Training and Research Department of GCMHP, for electing him as the President of the (International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) in Denmark. The ceremony was attended by GCMHP and PCHR Board of Directors and a number of human rights organizations in Gaza Strip.

Mr. Raji El-Sourani commenced the ceremony by expressing his deep respect and regard for Dr. Afana for this key international position emphasizing that this position is a genuine international recognition of the high level of professionalism and appreciation for Dr. Afana and Gaza Community Mental Health Programme.

Mr. Sourani considered this election as an outstanding step at the international level for Palestinian NGOs, which are important structure of Palestinian civil society. Additionally, Mr. Sourani praised GCMHP for its pioneer role in mental health and human rights at both local and international level emphasizing that this achievement would have not been possible without the consistent efforts and commitment by GCMHP administration and staff for more than 15 years. At the end of his speech, Mr. Sourani handed Dr. Afana PCHR's badge of honor, as appreciation for his election.

Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj, Director General of Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, delivered a speech thanking the Palestinian Center for Human rights for this ceremony. He said that PCHR and Mr. Sourani are inspirers for the Palestinian human rights movement and committed to defending human rights and the just cause of Palestine. Dr. El-Sarraj congratulated Dr. Afana for this new position stressing that he will an ambassador of GCMHP and Palestinian people at the IRCT and all international circles.

Dr. Afana thanked PCHR for this ceremony expressing his gratitude and appreciation for their hospitality and praised their remarkable work and achievements in protecting and defending Palestinian human rights. Dr. Afana also said that his election for this position is a great honor and constitutes an additional responsibility to represent Palestine and its just cause as well as exposing the Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights worldwide.

Dr. Afana thanked Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj and GCMHP for all of their support throughout his work at GCMHP for the last 15 years. He also described the Programme as his home providing him limitless opportunities which contributed greatly to his achievements and success

At the end, Dr. Afana expressed his happiness that this ceremony comes from a friendly NGO (PCHR), describing this initiative as setting an important model to for NGOs cooperation on complementary basis not competition.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme