A young Palestinian who anchored the Education Above All session yesterday at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) 2023, noted that people in Gaza are losing hope each passing day.
Randa al-Dawoudi, studying and working in Istanbul, told Gulf Times that she came to attend the summit because she wanted to be the voice of the millions of voiceless Palestinians.
“I am coming from Istanbul where I am studying as well as working. I just wanted to represent the Palestinians and highlight the deteriorating situation in Gaza. I want to be the voice of the millions suffering in my motherland,” said al-Dawoudi.
She said: “My family is in Gaza and I have no way to go to them now. I am speechless about what is happening in Gaza. Sometimes, I feel guilty that I am not with them. When I am able to get connected to them over the phone, I tell them that I want to reach them. But they discourage me and ask me to stay outside the country. They ask me to tell the story of all of them to the outside world.”
“So I feel I have the responsibility to tell their stories to the outside world. It is a huge responsibility and that is the reason I am here,” said al-Dawoudi.
The young Palestinian who is working in the marketing field said she went into a depression due to the war in Gaza.
“I was so upset and turned traumatic. I am yet to completely come out of the depression. We don’t know what will happen after the ceasefire. But my family members and others fear that after this period the Israeli forces will kill all of them,” she lamented.
“I cannot meet my family, I can't go to my motherland but still I am doing the job for my country by highlighting the plight of my family and my motherland to the outside world. I lost my mother in the 2008 Israel aggression. I have my father and sister living in Palestine now. My sister is married and has two children,” added al-Dawoudi.
Randa al-Dawoudi at WISE on Wednesday. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam
