Vanderbilt’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine hosted Palestine Awareness Week from March 18-24, with various events to promote Palestinian history and culture with a speaker event on March 29. A pop-up exhibit was also staged at the Vanderbilt Divinity School on March 25 in partnership with 615 Youth for Palestine.
All of these events were put on to increase awareness about the history and culture of Palestine, as well as educate people about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
SJP Palestine Awareness Week
SJP hosted a series of events to educate about Palestinian culture and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Palestine Awareness Week featured a tatreez workshop, a lecture about Palestinian history and a comparative discussion of the prison systems in Palestine and the United States. SJP also hosted an interfaith Iftar and shabbat on March 22 in partnership with Vanderbilt Jewish Voice for Peace and the Muslim Students Association.
A representative from SJP, granted anonymity for safety and privacy concerns, said the events were chosen to allow the Vanderbilt community to learn about the “current oppressive systems and genocide” within Palestine and hear from Palestinian perspectives.
“We were very pleased to see many new faces at our events, which is ultimately proof of the success of this week, as we were able to educate and engage in conversation with numerous students on Palestine,” the representative from SJP said.
SJP created an “Apartheid Wall” exhibit that was displayed in Rand Yard as a part of Palestine Awareness Week. A sit-in protest in response to the cancellation of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction amendment was staged at the exhibit beginning on March 18 until the display was moved to the Student Life Center for SJP’s fundraiser gala.
“The wall signified the physical wall that divides the stolen and occupied lands of Palestine, slicing through Palestinian communities and land,” the representative from SJP said. “The illustrations on the wall depicted the history of the occupation and attempted ethnic cleansing of Palestine, and having it displayed in a central location on campus ensured that students were able to easily access and learn from it.”
A Night for Palestine
SJP held a gala on March 24 in the SLC to “commemorate Palestinian resilience and culture.” All ticket proceeds — totaling almost $10,000 in combination with donations to the event — were given to Palestinian families currently in Gaza to fund resources for food, housing, medical expenses and any other needs.
The gala featured Palestinian food and desserts, poetry readings and dabke performances — a Levantine folk dance. Students read poems by Palestinian writers, including Mohammed el-Kurd’s “Context.” Taken from el-Kurd’s book “Rifqa,” the poem discusses the ways in which groups manipulate language when describing the violence in Gaza.
“Violence is not children / taking on dragons. / For me, it has always been apologies. / Running to catastrophe with context, commissioning / compassion, turning / heroes into humans. This is a refuted revolution,” the poem reads.
A representative from SJP called the gala an “incredible success.”
“Being able to bring together so many people to teach them about the history of the brutal occupation while still highlighting the resilience and beauty of Palestinian culture was so important,” the representative said.
Divinity School exhibit
Divinity graduate students in collaboration with 615 Youth for Palestine hosted a pop-up exhibit on Palestinian history and culture at Vanderbilt Divinity School on March 25. Featuring informational posters and interactive tables, the exhibit aimed to educate viewers from the Vanderbilt community on Palestinian culture, history and ties to the city of Nashville.
“In the midst of what’s happening in Palestine — the efforts to erase our people’s culture, history and background — our aim is to humanize the Palestinian people and keep aspects of our traditions alive. We had a great turnout and are grateful for all those who showed up!” 615 Youth for Palestine said in an email to The Hustler.
The exhibit featured cultural artifacts and posters of traditional Palestinian dress, literature and music. Other posters covered Palestinian history from the time of the Roman Empire through the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
First-year Warishah Zaidi called the experience of learning about Palestinian culture and history “beautiful.”
“Throughout the display, I was able to get a glimpse of the pride and resilience of Palestinians in my own community, and it was very refreshing to be able to experience that,” Zaidi said.
Nahla Adbo speaker event
SJP hosted Nahla Abdo, a professor of sociology at Carleton University, for a conversation on March 29 about the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Abdo labeled the violence in Palestine as a genocide promoted by Israel, citing recent United Nations reports of imminent famine in Gaza.
Abdo also discussed the global history of imperialism, claiming that the U.S. is continuing this legacy by aiding Israel.
“We [the U.S.] have allowed Israel to continue its atrocities with gifts of billions of dollars in cash and substantial military aid, making Israel a nuclear power with the most potent military power in the region,” Abdo said.
To end, Abdo encouraged members of the Vanderbilt community to join movements and protests in support of Palestine.
“By raising your voice, by coordinating activities with other Americans who understand the meaning of oppression and exploitation, you are doing the right thing: defending humanity, defending justice and defending peace,” Abdo said.
