On Tuesday evening, UBC community members held a vigil in front of the UBC Musqueam post to stand in solidarity with Palestine.
The event was jointly organized by the UBC Social Justice Centre and UBC Students for Palestinian Human Rights, and the organizations wrote it was “to commemorate, mourn, and pray for the innocent lives taken by the brutal, Zionist strikes on Gaza and military attacks throughout Occupied Palestine."
As the rain poured down, attendees gathered under umbrellas and rain jackets, holding images of Palestinians killed since October 7.
The crowd heard speeches, prayers and poems from different speakers.
“We grieve for more than the names and the faces. We mourn for the untold stories and unfulfilled hopes and dreams of those who are buried under the rubble of the war,” said one speaker.
“We hold so much anger and rage at the atrocities of the Zionist regime. We yearn for justice for our people in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. We also aim for ceasefire to lift off the heavy suffering that has been dropped on Palestinians,” they continued.
Masa Kateb, a traditional Syrian storyteller, recited the poem “Think of Others” by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in Arabic and English.
“As you conduct your wars, think of others. Don’t forget those who are demanding and asking for peace,” she read.
“As you liberate yourself in metaphors, think of others. Those who have lost the right to speak.”
Another speaker read a prayer. “Dear God, house and protect the people of Palestine and Gaza. Dear God, we ask you to ease their pain and suffering,” they said.
“Dear God, assist our brothers and sisters and Palestine and lift the oppression and prosecution.”
