A Virtual Conversation
In collaboration with the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, the Office of the Dean of Research organized a virtual panel titled, “Visions for Education Under Occupation: A Virtual Conversation,” on Thursday, Dec 7, 2023.
This panel featured distinguished Brazilian scholars and educators to discuss innovative educational initiatives in Brazil, inspired by the work of the Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire, and explore their relevance to the challenges of Palestinian education under occupation.
In her welcoming remarks, Prof. Iman Saca, Vice President for Academic Affairs, underscored the importance of education for Palestinians as a tool of resistance in the context of the long history of occupation, apartheid rule, and genocide. She also emphasized the importance of such forums for sharing common experiences and fostering future collaboration among scholars and educators in the global South.
Prof. Ladislau Dowbor, an economist and postgraduate professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, discussed the need to rethink knowledge as empowerment in relation to the devastating impact of rentier and cannibalistic capitalism on the increasing polarization of wealth around the world. He stated that educators must prepare students “beyond the classroom,” by helping them study the world’s problems and challenging them to reflect on the construction of their world views.
Prof. Dowbor also called for convening more forums like this one. He emphasized the potential for technology to bridge geographical and linguistic barriers, creating vibrant “knowledge building communities” among scholars and educators across the global South.
Prof. Fernanda Liberali, Professor in the Post Graduate Program in Education: Education of Educators, also at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, provided concrete examples of projects undertaken with members of underdeveloped communities in Brazil. These projects, she explained, are intended to move the participants beyond the realities in which they live and overcome their ethico-political suffering.
Through these projects, participants move from immersion in reality that enables them to gain a first-hand understanding of the challenges and experiences people face to emersion through which they can develop a deeper intellectual understanding of reality’s complexities. Through these strategies, participants can create connections and transform the reality, by imagining an alternative future, “a world yet to come.”
In his response, Dr. Fadel Alsawayfa, Chairperson of Early Childhood Education Department and the Coordinator of the Master’s Program in Creative Pedagogies and Community Practices, offered a Palestinian perspective. He drew parallels between the Brazilian initiatives and the experiences of Palestinian educators, highlighting the shared challenges and opportunities. Dr. Alsawayfa further showcased the empowering impact of similar projects on his students, sharing a found poem from his own work.
Deans Dr. Alejandro Cerna (Faculty of Education) and Prof. Jamil Khader (Dean of Research and Professor of English) introduced the panelists, while Ms. Hanadi Younan, Dean of Arts and Chairperson of the English Department, skillfully moderated the Q&A session.
This interactive segment sparked a lively discussion about the potential applications of these theories and their challenges within the context of Israel’s ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Various faculty members also shared their experiences with service-learning and community engagement projects, demonstrating their commitment to active learning and social change.
The forum was recorded and can be accessed on YouTube at this link.