HIWARAAT CONFERENCE SERIES

Reimagining Palestine

September 20-22, 2024

“Reimagining Palestine” brought together some of the world’s leading academics and practitioners for a thought-provoking exploration of the future of Palestine, leveraging Doha’s strategic position at the crossroads of the Middle East to offer a unique vantage point intimately connected to the region’s complex realities.

1000 Attendees
66 Speakers

GU-Q Dean Safwan Masri moderating a panel with Noura Erakat, Tareq Baconi, Jehad Abusalim, and Diala Shamas

Day 1: The Situation in Gaza Today

Laying the groundwork for the three days of discussion, day one opened with a panel on the current situation in Gaza. Two more panels tackled important current considerations, including media portrayal of the events of the past year, key leaders on both sides, and accountability mechanisms in times of war. The day concluded with a film screening and discussion of the documentary film “The Night Won’t End: Biden’s War on Gaza.”

Ayman Mohyeldin moderating panel on Palestinian Identity with Nadia Abu El-Haj, Nadim Bawalsa, Beshara Doumani, and Safwan Masri

Day 2: Politics, Identity, and Ideology

Day two delved into the political parties, identity politics, and ideologies at play. Panel discussions covered political leadership and powerscapes in both Israel and Palestine, and enduring and emerging trends in Palestinian and Zionist identity creation and preservation. Other panels discussed the impact of the diaspora on current and future events, including prospects for peace through coalition and alliance building. A screening and discussion of the documentary film “Israelism,” closed the day’s events.

Mustafa Barghouti and Diana Buttu on closing panel

Day 3: Reimagining Palestine

In the final day, panelists discussed the future of Palestine, including reconstruction, political futures, and regional impacts, and the role of the youth, art, and artists in helping Palestinians recover and imagine a way forward. The closing panel drew from insights across the conference to offer pathways toward equal citizenship, security, and a stable political future for Palestine.

Safwan Masri moderating closing panel with Ilan Pappe, Sherene Seikaly, Ussama Makdisi, Mustafa Barghouti, and Diana Buttu

Moderator Ayman Mohyeldin with panelists Laila Al-Arian, Ahmed Hijazi, Wadah Khanfar, Mouin Rabbani, and Ahmed Shihab-Eldin

Omar Robert Hamilton in conversation with Nesrine Malik on artistic expression

Palestine Re-Imaged Exhibition Showcase

The Palestine Re-Imaged digital and physical art exhibition showcase, on view throughout the three days, brought Palestinian archival material to life, in collaboration with the Qatar Museums’ General Collection department. Curated collaboratively by GU-Q faculty and QM archivists, this thought-provoking exhibit invites viewers to explore a re-interpretation of Palestine’s past through the lens of archival photography, aiming to restore agency to Palestinians in historical narratives often overshadowed by Western colonial perspectives.

Georgetown University’s long-standing Speech and Expression policy has guided our approach to speech while maintaining the fundamental right of members of our community to free expression, dialogue and academic inquiry. The appearance of any speaker or guest on campus is not an endorsement by Georgetown University.