Preview: Messages to Palestine event

In honour of the United Nations International solidarity with Palestine day on the 29th of November, three university societies: the University of Manchester Action Palestine society, BDS Campaign society and the Recognise Refugee Rights society will be hosting a ‘Messages to Palestine’ event in the Students’ Union.

The event which is being run from 2pm to 9pm will allow students to create video messages in which they can express their solidarity with Palestine, those who may not want to speak can also hold cards and pictures with solidarity messages too.

Part of a nation wide project, the University of Manchester and other universities will be making these videos which will later be compiled together and sent over to students in both Gaza and the West bank. A banner will also be placed outside the SU from the 28th – 31st of November on which messages can be painted on, it will also be sent to a University in Palestine.

A spokesperson from the BDS Campaign society has said that “through the event they hope to show Palestinians that the international community has not forgotten them and that they are not alone”.

The society says they will also be using the event to educate students on the BDS Campaign. The Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign is a call from the Palestinian Civil Society in 2005 for the international community to boycott Israel, this is seen as a means to place non-violent pressure on it to comply with international law and the Universal Principles of Human Rights.

One of the society’s demands is that the university in support of their cause “pledges to boycott the security firm G4S” and it has already received support from students and lecturers.

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed 237 Palestine lives and 36 Israelis since October 2015 according to an AFP count.

The Messages to Palestine event is going to be open to students and members of the local community alike.