Report on the Third lecture in the Series, Palestine: The nexus and history at the heart of global transformations
Lecture Title: Solidarity Across Geographies: From the Spanish Civil War to the Genocide in Gaza
Date: Monday, 24 November 2025
Speaker: Dr. Jorge Ramos Tolosa – Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, University of Valencia (Spain)
The Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies organized the third seminar in the series Palestine: The nexus and history at the heart of global transformations. The event hosted Dr. Jorge Ramos Tolosa, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History. The lecture began with a tribute to the soul of Baraa Ma‘ali, a Birzeit University student who was killed by settlers and the Israeli occupation forces. This moment of remembrance reaffirmed the importance of sustaining discussions on solidarity with Palestine and highlighted the centrality of such events in contemporary human and political consciousness.
Dr. Tolosa opened his talk by emphasizing the need to expose the practices of the occupation and to continue raising the issue of Palestine in global academic and media spheres. He noted that the world—especially Spain—is currently witnessing the largest wave of solidarity with Palestine in modern history, expressed through support for the boycott movement as well as diverse popular and labor mobilizations across multiple sectors.
He then presented a historical overview tracing the roots of transnational solidarity back to the Spanish Civil War. Dr. Tolosa highlighted Guernica, the first city in modern history to be bombed from the air, targeted by the German Nazi air force in support of Spanish fascists. He explained that the scenes of destruction in Guernica remain a global symbol of anti-fascism and opposition to violence, and that this memory forms part of the ethical and human consciousness that drives solidarity with Palestine today.
The speaker also discussed the Mediterranean as a shared space of culture, history, and resistance. He illustrated how the region has long served as a meeting point for anti-colonial struggles, which helps explain the depth of solidarity among Mediterranean societies. Dr. Tolosa further reviewed the main sources he relies on in his study of modern Palestinian history, noting that the achievements of global solidarity movements—especially in Europe—constitute unprecedented historical developments, whether at the academic level or through activism in public spaces, trade unions, and municipalities.
The seminar concluded with an emphasis on the need to continue discussions on Palestine, to strengthen global awareness, and to expand solidarity against the ongoing genocidal war carried out by the Israeli occupation. The organizers thanked the audience and announced that the series of seminars will continue in the coming period.
Link to the seminar on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/5oaJQ9p1Els