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26 July 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied
Gaza Panel Discussion 2024
A UFS panel discussion provides a platform for critical debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently facilitated an important panel discussion addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, organised by the Free State Centre for Human Rights (FSCHR). The event brought together a diverse group of scholars to explore the ethical and political dimensions of universities’ engagement with pressing injustices such as the current crisis in Gaza.

Prof Danie Brand, Director of the FSCHR, opened the discussion by emphasising its significance. “UFS opens the space and takes this very important question forward,” he noted. The panel highlighted the necessity of academic institutions acting as platforms for critical debate, particularly on issues like the Gaza conflict.

Academic and intellectual dialogue

Prof Ulrike Kistner expressed gratitude to the UFS for initiating such dialogues, noting, "The UFS leads in fostering these important conversations." She emphasised the rarity of such discussions at other universities, highlighting UFS's unique role. A key point she raised was the importance of solidarity: “Solidarity entails acting with others because that is what they ask of us. It is a reason-driven rather than relationship-driven political action on others’ terms. Solidarity is a basic commitment to equity. Solidarity is a duty."

The conversation stressed the ethical imperative for universities to take a clear stance against violence and oppression. Prof Kelly Gillespie from the University of the Western Cape articulated this broader mission: "Universities must consider our engagement, not just as individuals, but as a collective guiding institutions towards creating a better world, rather than allowing ongoing inequality and crises to persist."

Prof Noor Nieftagodien, Head of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, stated, "With our experience of apartheid, we in South Africa cannot remain silent. As institutions, we are looked to for moral, ethical, and political leadership, both locally and globally. We have a special responsibility to articulate a clear position on global crises, particularly the genocide in Gaza."

The role of universities in addressing global injustices

The discussion also addressed the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza and the killing of Palestinian teachers and academics, urging universities to engage with these injustices.

The panel discussion demonstrated the essential role of universities in addressing global injustice. By facilitating this event, the UFS contributes to the ongoing conversation on Gaza and lays the groundwork for future ethical action and solidarity within the academic community. The insights shared during the discussion resonate with the need for collective academic voices to influence broader societal and political landscapes, ensuring that critical issues are addressed with the urgency and depth they deserve.

View the panel discussion below:

 

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Internasionale ster in Callie Human (Afrikaans)
2005-03-11

DIE popster Belinda Carlisle, veral bekend vir die treffer Heaven is a place on earth , toer later vanjaar in Suid-Afrika en hierdie keer is Bloemfontein ook op die toerprogram. Carlisle, wat verlede jaar op 'n kort besoek aan Suid-Afrika was om die Altech Grand Prix wat later vanjaar plaasvind bekend te stel, tree op 12 Augustus in die Universiteit van die Vrystaat se Callie Human-sentrum op. Meer as 17 miljoen van hierdie gewilde sanger se albums het in die afgelope 20 jaar huis gekry. Kaartjies vir die vertoning in Bloemfontein sal beskikbaar wees van die Money Market-toonbanke by alle Shoprite-, Shoprite Checkers- en Checkers Hyper-winkels. JOERNAAL - BYLAE TOT VOLKSBLAD-VRYDAG 25 FEBRUARIE 2005

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