December 8th, 2023

Dr Refaat Alareer

 

We are devastated by the news of the killing by an Israeli airstrike of our colleague Dr Refaat Alareer on December 6th 2023.

Refaat was the lead investigator on one of our small grant awards from our Cultures of Sustainable and Inclusive Peace project, as an English Literature scholar, brilliant decolonial thinker in the context of Palestine, especially with regard to the violent effects of all settler colonialism, not least that stemming from the Balfour Declaration.

He was beloved by his students who he taught to become writers, poets, story-writers and journalists. He was passionate about poetry and folktales and ensuring the survival of the intangible cultural heritage of Palestine.

I addressed his students via remote links on a number of occasions through the course of our collaborations and after one such effect he wrote me the email below:

 

“Dear Alison,

It was really heartwarming and soothing to listen to you talk about story-telling and stories for children. I loved your experiences and loved the connections you made with our situation and how stories can help us connect and heal and grow. It was very moving.

I particularly loved your stories about your Mom, daughter, and granddaughters. The similarities with the Palestinian situation is uncanny.

I'd love to share this poem of mine that I wrote a few years ago. I hope you love it.

I Am You

https://thisisgaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/i-am-you/

I have written just a few minutes, but in my university classes I always urge and coach students to write poems. I have collected hundreds, and I already started short listing the best of them hoping to publish a volume of poetry asap. Maybe when that materialises we could ask you to write us a blurb or a forward.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best regards

Refaat”

Just before the beginning of this round of atrocities we received the full article and full report of the work Refaat had been leading with his students and especially with women and children. The report is remarkable in depth and analysis. We are now working with Refaat’s colleagues to ensure his article will be published posthumously.

 

 

 

First published: 8 December 2023

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