The Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies at Birzeit University concluded its conference, “The Ramallah Congress on the Decolonization of Palestine,” held in partnership with Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network and the Progressive International. The conference aimed to create a space for collective dialogue and to strengthen joint efforts toward achieving justice and liberation in Palestine.
Throughout the conference, Birzeit University received a delegation of twenty-five researchers, diplomats, and leaders of social movements from around the world, as part of the conference’s effort to develop a collective approach that reinforces global initiatives to end colonialism.
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Lian Kaid, a master’s student in the Community Development program, who spoke about the importance of building networks of solidarity within and beyond the university to support the struggle to end colonialism in Palestine. Dr. Asem Khalil, Vice President for Academic Affairs, delivered the university’s address, welcoming participants and emphasizing that Birzeit University’s intellectual role has never been neutral toward issues of humanity and justice. Dr. Ala Alazzeh, Vice President for Community Affairs, highlighted the significance of hosting the conference at the university and the new partnerships it generated, as well as the importance of the visiting delegation’s presence in this context. Dr. Yara Hawari, Executive Director of Al-Shabaka, also spoke about the importance of the conference and its timely convening, in addition to the valuable partnerships it helped strengthen. The opening session concluded with remarks by Dr. Mudar Kassis, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, who delivered the conference’s keynote address.
Over two days, participants took part in multiple sessions that featured testimonies and analyses presented by Palestinian experts, who discussed the political, legal, and economic dimensions of Zionist colonialism. Sessions were also dedicated to Birzeit University's “Right to Education” campaign, which presented the realities of Palestinian higher education under colonial occupation, and to the Palestinian National BDS Committee, which focused on the central role of boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaigns in advancing freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian people.
The first day included two sessions on “The Architecture of Settler Colonialism in Palestine.” The first session, titled “Structures of Settler Colonialism,” featured Dr. Abdel Jawad Hamayel, Dr. Linah Meari, Dr. Bassam Al-Zubaidi, and Dr. Ibrahim Rabaia. The second session, titled “The Economic Machinery of Settler Colonialism,” included contributions from Dr. Taher Labadi, Mr. Ubai Aboudi, and Dr. Tareq Sadeq, moderated by Ms. Razan Al-Nayef. The day concluded with a musical performance by students from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music at the Ramallah branch, offered to the visiting delegation.
The second day, titled “Sovereignty and Struggle: Land, Resistance, and International Responsibility,” consisted of two main sessions. The first, “Agriculture, Land, and Resistance,” featured Dr. Faiq Mar’i, Mr. Fathi Nimer, and Ms. Raya Zayda, moderated by Dr. Sorya El Kahlaoui. The second session, “International Law and State Responsibility,” included Dr. Hala Shaibiy, Dr. Munir Nuseibeh, and Ms. Dana Farraj, moderated by legal expert Melissa O’Donnell.
The conference concluded with a BDS-focused session titled “Call to Action,” in which Dr. Islah Jad, Mr. Saleh Hijazi, and Ms. Yusra Ibrahim spoke. The session called for strengthening international solidarity and expanding collective action to end colonialism and achieve justice for the Palestinian people, emphasizing the global significance of boycott campaigns.
The conference is part of the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute’s ongoing efforts to deepen understanding of the Palestinian reality and its global implications, as well as to strengthen academic cooperation networks and global solidarity emerging from and oriented toward Palestine.
It is worth noting that the full proceedings of the conference can be viewed on YouTube for both day one and day two.