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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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Faculty of Law converses with international students
2009-08-12

 
Pictured here are Emma Finney (left) and Lauren Nydam.
Photo: Stephen Collett
The Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted two law students completing the practical leg of the Blackstone Legal Fellowship Programme. At this occasion, Lauren Nydam (B.Sc. in Engineering at Duke University School of Law), and Emma Finney (B.A. in History at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law) presented their research.

This annual initiative by the Faculty of Law entails that the students work on a given research topic on legal matters under the supervision of academics, in this case, under the supervision of Prof. Shaun de Freitas, Head of the Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law and Prof. Andries Raath, Senior Professor in this department.

This programme, run by the Alliance Defence Fund (ADF) in the United States of America (USA), is aimed at teaching Christian law students the importance of religious freedom and rights.

This year, the programme (which has been running for 10 years) accommodates 109 students, representing Schools of Law in the USA, including Harvard, Columbia, Pennsylvania, Notre Dame and Virginia. To date, 700 students have completed the programme. Currently there are students of the programme in Canada, England, France, Bulgaria and Italy.

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