London's first Virtual Majlis for the new semester
Students in London and Gaza have connected again at the start of the autumn semester in a new session of Virtual Majlis.
From Gaza, students studying subjects ranging from English to medicine came together from the Islamic University and Al Azhar University to talk to the London students.
Gathering in a room at Westminster University for the Skype video conference chats, the London students came from Middlesex University, the London School of Economics, the University of East London, Queen Mary’s University, and of course, from Westminster University itself.
Introducing themselves, the Gaza students talked about their love of football, swimming, their wish to travel and see the world, their families and even the orange and lemon trees in their gardens. From across the world, in London, the English students tried out some fledgling Arabic and even played a song on the guitar for their new friends in Gaza.
There was serious conversation too. Mahmoud Eid, a fourth year medical student in Gaza, told the VM: ‘When there’s no electricity, I can’t study. My lectures are on PowerPoint and I study on the internet. There’s no light. I have to turn on the generator – it sounds very bad. Everything is bad, with or without the generator.’
The London students were told that there is electricity for only about eight hours a day in Gaza, and there is no indication of when it will cut out.
AbdelRahman Mikkawi, in Gaza, said: ‘All life depends on electricity – schools, hospitals, homes. These are all affected because Israel won’t let fuel come in.’
Yousra El Shobasi, a pharmacy student at Al Azhar University, told the VM: ‘I would like to have a normal life, without the struggle caused by Israel.’
The London students were deeply affected by what they heard. Daniel Brooks, a second year student at Westminster University, said: ‘I’m lost for words. We take all these things for granted. I can’t imagine what it feels like to live in Gaza.’
The London students held up a Palestinian flag to show their solidarity with their new friends in Gaza. After the VM, Yousof Khan, who attended from the University of the West of England in Bristol, said: ‘It really is a surreal experience talking over Skype, especially after reading about the injustice Israel inflicts on such a small area of land. All I can think during the meeting is: how much mental strength these students have.’
Yousof added: ‘How can we find a solution for injustice and greed? I’m hoping I can discover that with the students at the next Virtual Majlis by learning more about how we live as individuals.’
The students will be meeting once a week in the VMs, organised by Al Fakhoora and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK).
Some of the London students, pictured from left to right, are: Selin Kevlak, Yousof Khan, Daniel Brooks, Safia Thobani, Suraya Oz.
For more information about the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, visit us at http://www.palestinecampaign.org/
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