Resistance 101 teach-in | Photo by Aaron Cline | The Wright State Guardian
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, two speakers visited campus to advertise the Palestine Diaspora Movement’s free online courses about Resistance in Palestine.
Resistance 101 Teach-In
The event was held in the Apollo Room, where the guest speakers sat on the stage and explained in-depth Palestine’s history with resistance, from conflict after World War I to modern times. The speakers would alternate between one another as they focused on major points in history.
Dozens of students attended and listened intently to the offered teachings. Food was provided as well– including baked goods and pizza. Overall, most attendees remained for the full two hours that the event ran for.
The night ended with a prayer, as well as advertisements for the Palestine Diaspora Movement’s website.
While advocacy, especially in the West, may be less discussed nowadays, it is important to remember that the war started only a short year ago, and the death count rises daily. Raising awareness for Palestine and supporting how you can is necessary to help those in need.
According to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, there are a variety of ways for supporters to help Palestine.
“Educate yourself, advocate for change, stay informed and engaged, support Palestine businesses, and donate to reputable organizations,” PCRF suggests. More detailed information can be found at PCRF’s website.
Ultimately, remembering and talking about Palestine can help keep the movement alive.
Current updates from Palestine
According to Aljazeera, statistics for Palestinian losses have continued to move towards the worse as more continue to die. At the moment, there are at least 44,429 deaths in Gaza, and 105,250 individuals injured.
On top of this, 150 journalists– most Palestinian– have been killed in the war as well.
“According to the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists, at least 120 Palestinians, three Lebanese and two Israeli journalists have been killed,” Aljazeera states.
The devastation in Gaza does not end there. As of December 1, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization and the Palestinian government have confirmed that attacks have damaged well over half of Gaza's structures.
Well over half of Gaza’s homes have been affected in some way, whether just damaged or fully destroyed.
“80 percent of commercial buildings, 87 percent of school buildings, 68 percent of road networks, and 68 percent of cropland [has been negatively affected],” Aljazeera confirms.
Those interested in staying up-to-date on the situation in Gaza, Aljazeera’s comprehensive article explains current devastation to human lives as well as Gaza’s environment. The website was also updated recently; its most recent update was Dec. 1.
To read more, visit Aljazeera’s website here.
Palestine Diaspora Movement Courses
For those who may have missed the beginning of the Teach-In night, they may wonder what exactly the Palestine Diaspora Movement is. It turns out that it has its own website, which can be visited here.
Included on the website are crash courses detailing Palestine resistance and history, various ongoing campaigns, resources, a newsletter, statements from the website and upcoming events. The crash courses are essential for teaching those who may be unaware or want to learn more about Palestine.
PDM has four available courses: Resistance 101 (which the Teach-In was based on), Palestine 101, Global Strike and Ramadan Toolkit.
Resistance 101 is sorted in five classes, each with a special topic, as well as 2-3 individual lesson videos to be watched by consumers at home. Class one introduced Palestinian resistance, class two discusses armed and unarmed resistance, class three focuses on the role of women in each resistance, class four discusses resistance in modern times and class five focuses on its motto:
“Justice will rise, Zionism will fall!” Is what can be read on the official PDM website.
While they take a few hours to properly consume, understand resistance as an idea, and gaining a deeper understanding of Palestine is essential. PDM talks about this importance.
“In our new crash course, learn the truth behind Palestinian resistance and the significance of martyrdom, the role of Palestinian women, and how we can be better advocates for Palestine. If we won’t support our resistance, who will? We must push this cause forward and learn to let our people lead the way,” PDM’s website reads.
The courses are free to take and are largely encouraged by students and faculty at Wright State University.
