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Saint Xavier University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) hosted a Palestine Awareness Week from Monday, April 13 to Friday, April 17. On each day of the week, SJP hosted a different cultural or educational event.
The purpose of Palestine Awareness Week was to spread awareness about the injustices occurring in Palestine, as well as to celebrate Palestinian culture and traditions. For SJP members, spreading the word about the situation in Palestine is of utmost importance.
“Palestine Awareness week [at] SXU is important because our duty as people is to inform and educate the SXU community about the occupation in Palestine. By people, I mean everyone, because you do not have to be Palestinian or Muslim to help end the massacre and the occupation of people in another country,” said SXU freshman, Diana Khattab.
The week began with an event called “Make Hummus, Not Walls.” SJP members asked students to sign a petition to boycott Sabra Hummus, which SJP says is manufactured by a company that has ties to the occupation of Palestine.Anyone who signed the petition was then able to sample alternative brands of hummus.
On Monday, SJP also set up a “Mock Apartheid Wall” which was displayed all week in the diner atrium. The purpose of the wall was to educate the SXU community about the concrete wall constructed in Occupied Palestine that is twice the height of the Berlin Wall.
“Many people are not aware of the massiveness of the wall or even know that there is a wall dividing up the Palestinian land. This event allows student, faculty and visitors to view at large the negative effects it has had on the Palestinian land and people. I think that it was very effective in educating and spreading awareness on this a pressing issue,” said Nour Ahmad, a junior majoring in Communication and Sciences and Disorders.
SJP members, as well as members of different organizations, painted the wall with symbolic images and information about the situation in Palestine.
“I worked on the wall and it was extremely hard to narrow down what we wanted to include. Many of the pieces included on the mock wall are actually on the wall in Palestine,” said junior Chemistry Major, Houriah Salem.
On Tuesday, 5 Broken Cameras, an award-winning documentary on non-violent resistance in a Palestinian village, was screened in the student Lounge. The film screening was followed by an open discussion.
SJP held “Raise Your Voice: Open Mic for Social Justice” on Wednesday, an event that showcased the talent of performers and students who focused their performances on the struggles of Palestinians.
“My favorite event of the week was the ‘Open-Mic’ event, because I thought it was beautiful to see people perform their songs and poems about their inner feelings toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The people who presented are extremely talented and the work that they presented was simply appealing,” said Khattab.
On Thursday, SJP hosted “Taste of Palestine” in the Student Lounge. Those who attended were able to try Palestinian cuisine and discuss what they learned throughout the week. Palestine Awareness Week ended with a general body meeting for all students interested in being a part of SJP.
During the meeting, attendees discussed possible events and activities that SJP could organize in the coming fall semester. Members of Students for Justice in Palestine say that, through their events, they were able to educate members of the SXU community on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“I think that all of the events were successful because they truly displayed the tragedy of the ongoing dispute. It educated SXU on the many political influences that take part in this dispute, as well as the many lives lost in the process,” said Ahmad, “I firmly believe that even if we only got a chance to educate and spread awareness to one person, the students of SJP were successful this week.”
Anyone who has questions about Students for Justice in Palestine or who wants to get involved in the organization can email sjpsaintxavier@gmail.com.
Yasmeen Abdellatif
News Correspondent
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