News & Seminars
UCC ‘Together-4-Palestine’
Interview conducted by Megan Moore with Eimear Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh and Christine Chasaide.
In the past 18 months or more, a passionate movement has taken shape in University College Cork (UCC), uniting staff,students and allies in solidarity with Palestine. UCC Staff Together4Palestine, the group responsible for this, focuses on more than symbolic gestures and is open to all staff, not just academics. In a recent interview Eimear Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh and Christine Chasaide, two active members of this group discussed its goals, actions and how the wider community can get involved.
Raising Awareness and Taking Action
Readers are no doubt aware of the T4G weekly Vigil calling for the liberation of Gaza and the West Bank, but this is but one of many actions taken by the group. They coordinated the 2023 ‘All Ireland Academic Institutions Day of Protest’, have held film screenings to highlight the need for an independent Palestine, supported last summer's student encampment, introduced the Bethlehem Lutheran Church inspired UCC Palestinian Christmas Crib, participated in BDS week by running a programme of events that included boycott information days and lobbied UCC Management to end links with Israeli institutions.
Photo: Christine Chasaide
In the last few weeks they have hosted a Coffee for Palestine morning, organised a movie evening on behalf of Queer Cinema for Palestine and partnered with CPSC in bringing internationally renowned campaigner Doctor Mohammed Mustafa to speak at UCC. They are also part of the partnership behind the organisation of the July 3rd Ilan Pappe public lecture who addressed the topic of the steps towards the decolonisation of Palestine. He spoke to a packed audience and engaged afterwards in Q&A with the audience. Prof. Pappé left UCC with a feeling of hope amidst the current devastation and despair. 'It’s not just about saying something has to stop. We want people to come, inform themselves, and recognise that we all have power — individual and collective — to drive social change.' And we can ALL make a difference!
The Aims of Peaceful Protest
The weekly Wednesday Vigils aim to highlight the atrocities being committed by the IDF in Gaza and the West Bank. They call for an immediate ceasefire, recognition of Palestinian human rights and the right to return for millions of displaced Palestinians.
'These aren’t abstract issues. Our friends in Palestine live with daily fear, dodging snipers just to get food for their children. Normalising research or business ties with Israel signals that such conditions are acceptable — and they are not.'
The Student Encampment Movement - A Turning Point
The UCC student encampment of summer 2024 has proven pivotal in sparking University engagement and inspiring students.
'Some students told me the experience changed their lives. They found their political voices, met like-minded people, and learned how to speak out.‘
The protests pushed UCC Management to start examining its policies on research and partnerships and led to the formation of a number action groups to facilitate this. Although there is a shared sense that progress could move faster it would appear that no new research partnerships entered into since September 2024 include Israel.
'Even if the war stopped tomorrow, how do you recover when your education system has been destroyed? The loss of universities and libraries means the loss of generations of knowledge.'
The Power of Boycott
Boycotting Israeli goods and companies complicit in the occupation is a key tactic inspired byIreland's own history of resistance.
'Small acts matter. Apps like Boycott or Buycott make it easy to scan products and find alternatives. When we buy goods that fund oppression, we’re directly giving money to those causing this suffering.'
T4P urges avoiding companies like HP and Coca-Cola and services such as Airbnb and Booking.com that profit from illegally occupied Palestinian properties, as well as encouraging friends and family to make ethical choices.
'It’s not impossible to find alternatives, and every little decision helps.'
Photo: Dr Mohammed Mustafa visits UCC
How UCC Can Make a Difference
They stressed that UCC should:
- Push to make our campus apartheid fre by ending partnerships with unethical companies.
- Vet research collaborations thoroughly to avoid links with organisations complicit in the occupation.
- Offer cultural programmes celebrating Middle Eastern history, food, music and arts to challenge stereotypes.
- Ensure that the cultural programme modules offered both educate and empower current and future students.
- Support Palestinian students and scholars to continue their education.
- Help to rebuild educational institutions.
- Actively engage with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) campaign..
'We have a responsibility to use our voices. When Ireland was fighting for freedom, we needed international support; now it’s our turn to show solidarity.'
How To Get Involved
- Join the weekly Vigils that continue to take place at 1 pm every Wednesday. Participants meet under the clock tower in the Quad and march to the Boole Gates where they hold a 15 minute Vigil for Palestine.
- Attend the weekly Saturday CPSC marches that begin at 1pm in Grand Parade.
- Participate in on campus Palestine information sessions and support actions.
- Stay informed and engaged by signing petitions and checking for information updates.
- Join UCC Staff Together4Palestine.
'Activism is how we find each other in the dark. Even small actions contribute to a larger movement for justice.'
They also shared details of Nasc Gaza, a charity Eimear runs with Ama that provides essential food, water, and medical supplies. Donations go directly to the community. Supporters can even join fundraising yoga sessions to contribute to Gaza while at the same time caring for themselves.