Faculty of Arts hosts students from Eastern Mennonite University, United States
Dr. Omar Tesdell, associate professor in the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Arts, hosted a delegation of students from Eastern Mennonite University, Virginia, US, on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Led by Dr. Timothy Seidel, associate professor of peacebuilding, development and global studies, the visit was part of the Middle East Intercultural program offered by Eastern Mennonite University.
After welcoming the delegation, Dr. Munir Fakher Eldin, dean of the Faculty of Arts, stressed the significance of international visits as an act of solidarity. He added, “Although Birzeit University faced many challenges and forced closures, it continued to receive international support from academics who believe in the justness of the Palestinian cause.”
Dr. Fakher Eldin elaborated on the crucial role the university’s institutes and centers play in the Palestinian community, offering capacity-building programs and developing collaborative research projects with international partners.
Dr. Tesdell talked about visa restrictions and Israeli directives that deny the university the freedom to receive international students and recruit international faculty.
To elaborate on student life under occupation, he stated, “Despite student arrests, campus raids and checkpoints student go through on their way to the university, Birzeit University fosters an atmosphere of openness and freedom of thought and expression, providing students with a space to organize annual, free elections and produce emancipatory knowledge.”
Dr. Seidel compared the role of institutions in the Palestinian and the American society, highlighting that Palestinian institutions, including Birzeit University, sustain resistance and assume responsibilities usually provided by governments.
After the meeting, the delegation went on a campus tour to explore the campus and learn about student life.
