Solidarity with Palestine at NOVA-FCSH

On Wednesday 22 November, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH) of the NOVA University of Lisbon hosted an afternoon of initiatives dedicated to Palestine, organised by its Students' Association.

At 3.30pm, an olive tree, the symbol of the Palestinian resistance, was planted in front of dozens of students in the FSCH entrance square.  Those present heard words from the leadership of the FSCH Students' Association, as well as from the Head of the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission in Portugal, Ambassador Nabil Abuznaid, who called for solidarity with his people in the face of the massacre taking place in Gaza and the occupation that the people of Palestine have endured for many decades.  A large Palestinian flag was then unfurled amid slogans calling for peace in the Middle East and an independent Palestine.

The students then made their way to the A2 Amphitheatre, where a debate was organised by the Students' Association of FSCH, with the participation of Ambassador Abuznaid; FCSH's Students' Association president Guilherme Vaz; Gustavo Carneiro, from the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation (CPPC); and Jorge Cadima, from the MPPM. The debate, which was moderated by Ana Margarida Bernardo, from FSCH's Students' Association, included speeches by the panelists, followed by a period of debate with the audience, around half a hundred students.

At the end, a motion of solidarity with the people of Palestine, approved at the General Students' Meeting, was read out and an appeal was made for solidarity to continue, both with actions at FSCH and with participation in the sit-in that will take place on 29 November, International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, at Praça Martim Moniz in Lisbon, at 6pm, called by the CGTP-IN, CPPC, MPPM and the Projecto Ruído Youth Association.