BANGOR — “Standing in Solidarity: Educating for Justice in Palestine” is a panel discussion and educational forum to be held on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Bangor Public Library (Minsky Room, third floor).
It will include speakers from Jewish, Arab/Palestinian, Christian and other backgrounds addressing the current conflict in Gaza. Speakers will address the historical roots of the conflict, the current ceasefire and the potential for long term peace, and the past and current role of the United States.
According to event organizer Gabriel Veilleux of Orono, “This panel is not to just educate people on what’s going on in Palestine right now, but to contextualize it within the overall history of Palestine, and shed light on many controversial topics.”
In addition to several speakers, the forum will include time for audience members to add their views on how to end the genocidal killing, which has claimed at least 70,000 lives, almost all of whom are Palestinians, and to bring peace to the region.
“This panel will explain why we won’t, and can’t, stop talking about Palestine,” stated Talia Cullum of Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the presenters.
A goal of the forum is to counter misinformation and to build empathy for peace and human rights. While the numbers of those being killed has been reduced, the violence has not ended, impacting millions in the region and some in the Bangor area as well.
The forum is sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, which holds peace vigils twice weekly, U/Maine Students for a Democratic Society and the university’s chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Larry Dansinger at 207-262-3706 or [email protected].
