West Bank (UNA/WAFA) – The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Nakba on Tuesday by organizing events and art exhibitions in several schools.
In Qalqilya Governorate, an event was held at Qalqilya Elementary School and Al-Israa School in the city, under the patronage of the Qalqilya Governor and in partnership with the Education Directorate, the Popular Committee for Refugee Services, and the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah).
During the event, Qalqilya Governor Hussam Abu Hamdeh emphasized that the Nakba is not just a memory, but a painful daily reality experienced by the Palestinian people, given the occupation's continued oppressive measures and policies. He emphasized the importance of strengthening national awareness among students through their studies and connecting them to the history of their just and present cause throughout the generations.
For his part, Marwan Khader, spokesman for the Fatah movement in Qalqilya, said that commemorating the Nakba reaffirms the Palestinian people's commitment to their national rights, foremost among them the right of return. He added that the message carried by this generation is to continue the struggle and persevere on the ground until the liberation of the Palestinian land and its capital, Jerusalem.
For his part, the Director General of Education in Qalqilya, Amin Awad, explained that commemorating this anniversary in schools aims to instill awareness among students about the issue through artistic and cultural activities and exhibitions that express students' commitment to their right of return and freedom, and reinforce within them the values of belonging and patience, regardless of the challenges they face.
In his speech, Abdul Rahim Jabr, head of the Popular Committee for Refugee Services, said that no matter how hard the occupation tries to obliterate and distort the Palestinian cause and narrative, the Palestinian people will remain committed to their rights.
The event featured art exhibitions that depicted the suffering of asylum and displacement, in addition to artistic and cultural performances presented by students to express their commitment to their national identity and historical rights.
In Tubas Governorate, the Education Directorate commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba with several events and official attendance.
"We commemorate this anniversary amid the ongoing massacres against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank," said Abdullah Daraghmeh, deputy governor of Tubas and the Northern Jordan Valley.
Draghmeh emphasized that previous and future generations affirm that our right of return will not be lost with the passage of time, adding, "We are determined to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."
He called on the countries of the world and its free peoples to support the Palestinian people in light of the ongoing massacres against them in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
He continued: We tell the Palestinian people that this memory will remain until the refugees return to their homes and to the lands they were forced to leave in 1948.
In turn, Azmi Balawneh, Director of Education in Tubas, said: "We affirm that generations have not forgotten their cause over the years, and that the occupation leaders' bet that the Palestinians would forget their cause has failed."
He added: "Today, we stand with our sacrifices in the face of the Judaization plan led by the occupation, and we affirm our steadfastness and our continued presence on our land despite all Israeli threats aimed at emptying it."
In Bethlehem Governorate, the Ministry of Education held a central event at Beit Sahour Boys' Secondary School, attended by the Director General of Bethlehem Governorate, representing Governor Fouad Salem; the Deputy Director of Education in Bethlehem, Ayman Hamamreh; the Mayor of Beit Sahour, Elias Isaid; representatives of the Bethlehem Governorate Police; the school's principal, Ali Mohsen; and the school's faculty and students.
Governor Salem's representative said that the Nakba is not just a memory, but rather a responsibility, a right, a message, and an affirmation of the right of refugees to return to their homes.
Deputy Director of Education Hamamra said that today's event is a moment of reflection and reminiscing, emphasizing the moral and ethical commitment to the right of return.
For his part, school principal Mohsen said that commemorating the Nakba is part of the battle to raise awareness in students' minds and to emphasize that we will not give up our land.
The event included traditional artistic segments and poetry recitation.
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