Remembering Al-Nakba with the People of Palestine
The Ambassador to the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific H.E. Izzat Abdulhadi attended a commemorative and awards dinner in Sydney on the 10th of May 2015. The dinner, which is an annual event, was organised by the General Union of Palestinian Workers, the Australian-Palestinian Club, and the Graduates Association.
The event marked a significant occasion serving several purposes. The occasion is a reflection on the past, held in remembrance of the Nakba and embraces an appreciation for a robust future, by honouring graduates and high achievers in the Palestinian-Australian community.
Observed in the Ambassadors opening speech, “Combining the two events is not a coincidence in my opinion; it sends a strong message of the continuity of the Palestinian struggle and how the Palestinian issue is inherited from generation to generation. The message is: our parents did not forget, we do not forget and the younger generation will not forget the story of dispossession and occupation.”
Many distinguished guests were in attendance, including Jihad Dib MP (the first Muslim parliamentarian), Paul Lynch MP, Senator Lee Rhiannon, the Mayor of Canterbury Brian Robson, Prof. Jake Lynch, Prof. Stuart Rees, Dr. Peter Manning, and a group of Palestinian community leaders. The Ambassador’s speech was followed by speeches from Jihad Dib MP, Paul Lynch MP, Senator Lee Rhiannon and Prof. Jake Lynch.
H.E Izzat Abdulhadi had the great honour of passing the awards to those recognised.
“Young Palestinian leadership can create the best integration within Australian society and this will serve the interests of the Palestinian community and the Australian community,” commented Izzat Abdulhadi.
“There is an old saying, ‘If the story doesn’t have a happy ending, the story isn’t over yet’. For Palestine, the story is not over yet. The story has a happy ending and we are working our way towards it, a fully sovereign Palestinian state in which Palestinians are free to own, and to determine their own future. Until we reach that end, let’s continue to be partners on this journey, ” said Izzat.