Turkish universities hold panels on Gaza education and social memory

Turkish universities Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) and Düzce University have hosted academic panels focused on the impact of the conflict in Gaza on education and social memory.

At AKU, a discussion moderated by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şuayıp Özdemir featured academics and Palestinian students Lama Younes and Abdurrahman Ebu Nada. Speakers highlighted the destruction of the educational system in Gaza, noting that teachers, students, and schools have been targeted. Prof. Dr. Özdemir emphasized the historical ties between Turkey and Palestine and called for support for the Palestinian people.

Düzce University organized a program titled ‘Being a Society in the Shadow of War: Education and Social Memory in Gaza’ as part of the ‘Science Cafe for Gaza’ series initiated by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). The event included sociological analysis from Prof. Dr. Kadir Canatan and personal testimonies from Palestinian graduate Saed Majed Mohammed Alnatsha. Participants discussed the struggle to maintain education and social cohesion amidst ongoing conflict and systemic pressure.