Global Responsibility for Gaza
Global Responsibility for Gaza.
“Global Responsibility for Gaza.” The conference comprised three sessions: Genocide and International Law, Voices from Gaza, and International Solidarity.
You can check the organizer’s website for full information via this link:
https://prc.org.uk/en/post/4879
However, I would like to give you a quick summary of my key points.
The speakers had so much valuable information to share that the discussions ran over time. It would have been beneficial for each speaker to have more time and for the conference to be held over two days, at least. Their powerful testimonies and insights deserved a longer platform. The conference was well attended, during question time, and despite raising my hand more than multiple times to ask questions, I never had the opportunity to do so, especially during the second session, Voices from Gaza. This particular session featured Norwegian Dr Mads Gilbert, a Palestinian journalist Palestinian doctor, and a Palestinian professor of sociology.
The guests detailed the atrocity of the occupation against the Palestinians in Gaza before and after the ongoing Genocide, and the standard of living in Gaza where there was health care superior to the NHS, universities and a way of life that made me feel as though I would rather live in Gaza, and suffer the genocide than die the slow death of obscurity in the camps in Lebanon, where we have had none of these services because despite the occupation besieged Gaza they managed to build it and it is called Palestine at the end of the day..
One of my favourite speakers in this session was Dr Mads Gilbert because I grew up hearing about him and his participation in Norwegian aid. When I spoke to him in person, he shared his experience of visiting the Ain Al Hilweh camp in Lebanon, where I am from.
During his main talk, I found his insights to be particularly valuable. But what grabbed my attention was the section about the white saviours who have swamped the Palestinians, which echoed my thoughts exactly, because I am surrounded by plenty of them where I live. He said the Palestinians are bright enough and intelligent enough and need to lead in their own affairs and not be dominated by the white saviours and their good intentions.
The Palestinians know best, and the people who “help” some of them have no real idea of the reality of the situation, and refuse to accept that someone who is not “white” knows more than them.
Sadly, the second session overran to such an extent that I missed the final session titled “International Solidarity – Turning Advocacy into Action.” I had a prior appointment, which made it personally disappointing. I had travelled to London, particularly for this conference, and I was disappointed to have to miss the part I was going to find very relevant, seeing as I am eager to find solidarity in my local area but often encounter the same domineering attitude of white saviours.
The conference was bustling with participants eager to engage, but despite my repeated attempts to ask questions, there were just so many other people there, which is a mark of the conference’s success and interest in the distressing subject.
I look forward to attending more events like this in the future, and I recommend that people attend the Palestinian Return Center’s future conferences. www.prc.org.uk
For further information, do not hesitate to contact me HERE
