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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:

 

News Archive

Prof Dennis Francis delivers keynote address at colloquium on homophobia and transphobia
2013-11-29

Prof Dennis Francis
Prof Dennis Francis, Dean of the Faculty of Education, delivered the keynote address at a colloquium focusing on homophobia and transphobia in schools.

The UNESCO and Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) is hosting Transforming Classrooms, Transforming Lives: Combating Homophobia and Transphobia in Education, at the University of Johannesburg.

Looking specifically at the Southern African context, this multi-disciplinary event builds on the highly successful 2012 Colloquium on Challenging Homophobia and Transphobia in South African Schools.

The colloquium allows educators, policy makers, researchers and activists from across Southern Africa to discuss the scope and impact of homophobia and transphobia in the education sector. It also creates a space for delegates to present new research, to discuss recent front-line activities, to reflect on good practices and to workshop future interventions.

Prof Francis’ paper on challenging heterosexism and heteronormativity in a South African school, was recently published in the South African Journal of Education.

For his research, Prof Francis looked at how learners understand and portray gay and lesbian characters and heterosexism by means of Participatory Theatre. He also did research on how teachers in South African schools position themselves on teaching about sexual diversity.

Prof Francis’ research papers also points out how schools promote compulsory heterosexuality and that homosexuality is something to be hidden and kept separate from teaching, learning and daily school life.

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