The MSU chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP, an advocacy group for the self-determination of the Palestinian territories, hosted a Palestinian Poetry Night on March 30 at the Eppley Center. The event was a collaboration between SJP and the Arab Gulf Student Association.
SJP is a young group on campus, about seven months old, founding member Jenna Qatum said. The poetry night is the second major event SJP has hosted.
The event began with a brief lecture from associate professor of English Salah Hassan, detailing the historical and political background of the conflict in the Gaza and West Bank territories bordering Israel.
Brahim Chakrani, the Arabic program coordinator and professor of sociolinguistics, followed up with a close reading of select Arabic poems, both Palestinian and non-Palestinian, and discussed their themes of martyrdom, love, nature and hope.
Students from a number of different countries in the Middle East were in attendance, conversing in English and Arabic and sharing Turkish coffee and date pastries.
Check out the video to learn more.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
