At the Science Café event titled “Being a University in Gaza,” organized by our University, the conditions facing education and academic life in Gaza under ongoing Israeli attacks were discussed.

As part of the Science Café initiative launched under the leadership of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE), our University organized a panel titled “Being a University in Gaza.” Held at the Trabzon Journalists Association, the event was attended by our Rector, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah ÇUVALCI; Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ali TEMÄ°Z and Prof. Dr. Bünyamin ER; Murat GÜLER, Trabzon Regional Director of the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye; Ersen KÜÇÜK, President of the Trabzon Journalists Association; members of the press; students; and members of the public.

 “We Will Continue to Make Gaza’s Voice Heard”

Speaking at the opening of the event, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah ÇUVALCI, drew attention to the importance of keeping the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza and the Israeli attacks on the agenda across all platforms. Stating that since October 7, 2023, babies, children, women, unarmed civilians, places of worship, educational institutions, academics, and students in Gaza have been targeted in the attacks, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah ÇUVALCI emphasized that universities are not merely institutions that produce scientific knowledge but also institutions that represent the collective conscience of humanity.

Our Rector stated, “With the encouragement of the President of the Council of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR, the issue of Palestine, and Gaza in particular, is currently being brought to the agenda at all 208 universities. We stand with Gaza and Palestine at all times. We will continue to provide every form of support until Palestine and Gaza are free.”

 Education and Academic Life in Gaza Discussed

Following our Rector’s remarks, the panel titled “Being a University in Gaza” was held under the moderation of Asst. Prof. Dr. Hamdullah BAYCAR from the Department of International Relations at KTU Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences.

During the panel, Dina AQRA, a doctoral student in Civil Engineering at KTU, addressed the impact of the events in Gaza on students and society in her speech titled “Far from the Genocide—At the Very Heart of the Genocide.” AQRA stated, “Sometimes geographies change, but the nature, scale, and weight of suffering remain the same. The reach of war has not engulfed Gaza alone; here in Türkiye, too, many lives are marked by silent yet profound tragedies.”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Yücel BULUT from KTU Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences evaluated the challenges facing the education system in Gaza and the response of the international community in his speech titled “Gaza, Education, and the International Community.” Asst. Prof. Dr. Yücel BULUT stated, “In the future, they will try to place the responsibility for this bloody massacre solely on Netanyahu. Yet young people and all of humanity know that the enemy is not merely Netanyahu, but Zionism itself. The conscientious voices emerging from universities and centers of learning will, in time, overcome the darkness of Zionism.”

Rector of the Islamic University of Gaza Thanks KTU

In the final part of the event, a video message titled “Academic Education in Gaza” by Prof. Dr. Asa’d Yusuf ASA’D, Rector of the Islamic University of Gaza, was presented to the participants.

In his message, Prof. Dr. ASA’D stated that the Israeli attacks had targeted the Palestinian people both on humanitarian and academic grounds, stressing that genuine peace cannot be built upon attacks and destruction. Pointing to education as one of the fundamental forces for building and sustaining life, Prof. Dr. ASA’D stated, “Knowledge builds civilizations. Scientific ethics protects humanity from being driven into destruction and ignorance. Despite the targeting of our university buildings, classrooms, scientific laboratories, and conference halls, our academic resilience will not be broken. Our determination to continue education remains unwavering.”

Emphasizing their determination to continue educating Palestinian youth, Prof. Dr. ASA’D stated, “We educate our young people so that they can build their communities and continue working toward the establishment of the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. As we maintain our dignified stance, we greatly appreciate and are grateful for the solidarity demonstrated by the Turkish academic community through the Science Café events.”

Rector Prof. Dr. ASA’D expressed his gratitude to KTU for contributing to raising public awareness of the situation in Gaza and the conditions confronting academic life there.

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to the speakers.

 

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