The Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) chapter at the American University in Cairo began “Israeli Apartheid Week” on Sunday, which will take place for the first time on the university’s campus.
‘Israel Apartheid Week’, now in its 12th year, is a global event that takes place on university and college campuses in more than 150 cities every year.
The campaign is carried out by a number of organisations, grassroots campaigns and groups hoping to spread awareness about the Palestinian cause. The event kicks off between February and March every year to raise awareness about Israeli apartheid and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.
During the week, AUC students will hold several events, including film screenings, talk sessions, and performances of the traditional ‘dabkeh’ dance. The events aim to introduce the different ways in which people can be involved in boycotting Israel.
Ibrahim Mohamed, one of students involved in the movement on AUC’s campus, told Daily News Egypt: “We are trying to educate people about the BDS movement throughout the week’s events, so that when we take action against Israeli investment in Egypt, people understand the situation.”
The Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University will organise on Tuesday a session entitled “Story of Land and People” to discuss the current state of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, also as a part of “Israel Apartheid Week”. The session will be hosted by Mohamed Seif Al-Dawla, a researcher in Palestinian studies.
Cairo University will also hold a session to discuss ”Al-Tantouriya”, a novel by late Egyptian writer Radwa Ashour, which narrates the story of a Palestinian family who left their country in 1948 after Israeli forces occupied their village. The family fled and sought asylum in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
AUC and Cairo University will be joined in their participation in “Israeli Apartheid Week” by Ain Shams University, Helwan University, and Menufiya University.
