Media coverage
Raya Media Network · 2015-07-13
A report on an iftar and dialogue session organised by PalThink under its Youth for Diversity and Democracy programme with the secretariat of Gaza's student frameworks and representatives of student political blocs. Shaban affirmed the institution's continuing work to build young people's capacities, foster a culture of dialogue and democracy, and enable them to play their part in political and economic life.
A report on an iftar and dialogue session organised by PalThink under its Youth for Diversity and Democracy programme with the secretariat of Gaza's student frameworks and representatives of student political blocs. Shaban affirmed the institution's continuing work to build young people's capacitie…
As part of the "Youth Program for Diversity and Democracy," PalThink for Strategic Studies held an iftar on Sunday, 12 July 2015, with the Secretariat of the Student Blocs in the Gaza Strip, attended by members of the Secretariat of the Student Blocs, Dr. Nader Hilles, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Al-Quds Open University in Gaza, Mr. Omar Shaban, Director of PalThink for Strategic Studies, Mr. Arafat Abu Zayed, Head of the Secretariat of the Student Blocs in the Gaza Strip, representatives of all political blocs, and a number of student activists in Palestinian universities.
The session focused on the priorities of the current Palestinian situation, namely ending the political division and promoting a culture of constructive dialogue and democracy among Palestinian university students, in preparation for emerging from the state of political and social paralysis that has afflicted Palestinian society in recent years.
In the same context, Dr. Nader Hilles stressed the importance of these meetings because of their contributions to creating an educated and aware generation, far from a culture of violence and rejection of the other, and expressed his university’s readiness to cooperate in such activities. On the other hand, Mr. Omar Shaban affirmed the continuation of PalThink’s efforts to build the capacities of youth with regard to promoting a culture of dialogue and democracy among young people in Palestinian society and enabling youth to play their role in the process of the political and economic development of Palestinian society.
A very frank discussion took place on the obstacles limiting the ability of youth to push toward reconciliation and on the non-implementation of elections in the universities.
At the conclusion of the session, Mr. Arafat Abu Zayed affirmed that the step of establishing a secretariat to bring together the student blocs under one umbrella for all, despite their different orientations, is the first step in the right direction toward bringing different viewpoints closer together, strengthening dialogue, and accepting the other.
Text © Raya Media Network — archived here with attribution to the source. — Machine translation for archival reference. — Original source