At Avans University of Applied Sciences on the Hogeschoollaan in Breda, members of the Diversity & Inclusion design team are organizing a Red Line protest on Monday afternoon. The event includes a moment of silence and a speech by executive board chair Marjan Hammersma. According to the organizers, the aim of the protest is to draw a red line “to recognize the ongoing genocide in Palestine and break the silence.”
Everyone at Avans is welcome to join this Monday’s gathering. It takes place one week after the most recent national Red Line protest in The Hague, which drew about 150,000 participants. “We want to seize this momentum to draw attention to the ongoing suffering in Gaza,” says Diversity & Inclusion officer Lies Parmentier. She is organizing the event together with the SDG network.
Use of the word genocide
The organizers refer to “the ongoing genocide in Palestine” on their flyer. The use of the legal term genocide is sensitive, Parmentier acknowledges, but she believes it’s the right choice for the design team. “We are taking a stand. Palestinian civilians have been killed systematically, and for a very long time. This is ethnic cleansing. At the same time, we recognize that on the Israeli side, people have also been traumatized by this ongoing conflict for over a hundred years,” says the Avans staff member, who is aware that using the term genocide can stir emotions. “It’s a charged term, but I hope we can continue the dialogue together.”
Two weeks ago, the D&I group at Avans also organized a Red Line protest for Gaza. Unlike that earlier action, this one will include a gathering and a speech.
Creating space
Executive board chair Marjan Hammersma will also be present at the event and will speak on behalf of Avans. Parmentier welcomes this. “Avans has often remained silent. It’s encouraging to see something finally happening at the university, that there’s space now to reflect on what’s happening in the world. It shows we are truly socially engaged.”
The protest starts at 13:10 and ends at 13:30. From 12:45 onwards, everyone from Avans is welcome.
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