Roundtable: Pro-Palestinian Activists

The first session of the initiative: Roundtable – Women activists: paths and challenges, this time dedicated to pro-Palestinian activists, was held on March 9 at the Juno Café in Braga.

The session, that results from the partnership between the SPCD of CECS-UMinho, Civitas Braga – Association for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights, the Braga UMAR – Women’s Alternative and Response Association and the Palestinian Action Group, had as invited activists Sandra Barrilaro (photographer and editor), Ana da Palma (traveller, having spent 16 days in the Zionist ‘hell’ of Palestine), Carolina Moreira (feminist activist from the UMAR Coimbra) and as promoters Helena Ferreira (PhD in Cultural Studies) and Carla Cerqueira (CECS researcher).

Sandra Barrilaro spoke about her experience as a crew member on the women’s boat of the Freedom Flotilla, which went to Gaza in 2016, with the sole purpose of transmitting solidarity to women, men and children living inside the occupied territory. Ana Palma narrated her travels to Palestine and gave voice to the colonized people, describing the oppressions, injustices and crimes that they are targeting. Carolina Moreira articulated the conjuncture of the Palestinian people with other people, such as the Kurdish, both targets of war, of blockade and occupation, although in different situations, victims of other states that deny them the right to exist. The participants stressed the need to bring to the discussion other points of view that are frequently missing in the media.

This exchange of experiences give voice to various activities organized by different movements with the aim of demonstrating interest, understanding and solidarity among the oppressed people, always considering the delimitations of being in the role of the “other”, since freedom, peace and the construction of an autonomous and independent state belong to the colonized peoples.

Text: Helena Ferreira

Photos: Ana Carrero