UHasselt’s professor Koen Van Laer leads solidarity campaign for Gaza’s education crisis
Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper): At the University of Hasselt, Professor Koen Van Laer leads efforts to raise awareness about the Gaza humanitarian crisis through lectures, film screenings, and protests. Their initiatives aim to foster community support and dialogue about the urgent needs in Gaza, especially regarding education’s impact due to violence.
At the University of Hasselt, students and professors are joining together to help with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Professor Koen Van Laer says they have been raising awareness for some time. Over the past year, UHasselt has organized many events to highlight the struggles in Gaza.
How Is UHasselt raising awareness about Gaza’s education crisis?
The University of Hasselt‘s campaign includes various activities to engage and inform the community about the situation in Gaza. It has been said that experts give public lectures to explain the complex political and humanitarian issues, and filming screenings show what life is like in the region. Protests by students and professors also play an important role, expressing a shared desire for change and support for Gaza’s people. Together, these efforts keep the issue alive on campus and show UHasselt’s commitment to raising awareness and advocating for those affected by the crisis.
On the 14th of November, a lecture was held to discuss how the violence in Gaza affects higher education. Several academics, including a professor from a West Bank university, were invited to talk about the role universities should play. Professor Van Laer highlighted that many Palestinian universities have been destroyed and many academics and students have died, making education very limited. He stressed the importance of universities globally thinking about how they can help. Van Laer also mentioned that they are working to create a positive atmosphere at the university, noting that, unlike many places, UHasselt supports open and constructive dialogue about Palestine.
