BDS targets Australian festival for Israeli Embassy sponsorship

Sydney Festival refuses to bow to BDS movement's demand to cancel partnership with Australian Israeli Embassy.

By Israel National News

January 28, 2022

Originally published on 01/03/2022

The BDS movement has targeted the Sydney Festival for partnering with the Israeli Embassy in Australia through a $20,000 donation, the Spectator reported.

The event, which showcases local and international artists, is using the funds to put on the dance “Decadence” by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, which will take place at the Sydney Opera House as part of the 2022 Sydney Festival in January.

The BDS movement has been partially successful in its attempt to boycott the festival for the grant, convincing a certain number of performers and organizations to drop out as a protest against the Israeli Embassy being a sponsor.

But the Sydney Festival said that it would not be caving to pressure from BDS. The sponsorship agreement with the Israeli Embassy will remain in place.

“The festival is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring a culturally safe space for all artists, employees and audiences,’ the festival said in a statement.

A spokesperson added that “all funding arrangements with embassies and cultural organizations” will be reviewed with the aim of ensuring that “any continuance of these partnerships is compatible with maintaining a welcoming and culturally safe environment moving forward.”