“Today, I speak not only as a student but as a Palestinian girl carrying the wounds of my people in my heart,” said Sama M.A. Alkafarna (Sama), a student from Gaza, Palestine, during the Nakba Day commemoration at YARSI University.
Standing before a packed audience of students and lecturers in the Faculty of Medicine Hall at YARSI University (FK-UY), Sama delivered an emotional speech in Arabic, English, and Indonesian. Her speech was not just a personal expression, but also a humanitarian call to reflect on the long-standing tragedy that the Palestinian people have endured for over seven decades.
Nakba means catastrophe. In Arabic, it refers to the events of May 15, 1948, when more than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homeland. Villages were destroyed, families were torn apart, and to this day, millions of Palestinians live as refugees.
Nakba is a historical wound, but also a continued call to fight for justice. “Nakba is not just a story of the past. It is still happening today,” Sama emphasized.
As a resident of Gaza, she described a reality far from peace. “In Gaza, we hear bombs, not music. We see suffering, not peace.”
Although now living and studying in Indonesia, Sama affirmed that her heart remains in Gaza—with her family and the land of her birth, torn by conflict. She stated that even while abroad, she carries the voice of the Palestinian people wherever she goes.
According to Sama, as long as we are alive, there is always hope. “We believe in freedom and peace.”
At the end of her speech, Sama delivered a message of solidarity: “We are with Palestine. Stay strong. Palestine is not alone. Allah is always with those who are patient.”
She also reminded the audience of the importance of empathy among Muslims. “The Muslim community is like one body. When one part is in pain, the whole body feels it.”
The Nakba Day commemoration at YARSI University also featured a screening of a documentary video showing the conditions in Gaza before and after the war. The video highlighted the stark contrast between the lives of Palestinian children before the conflict and the devastation they now face.
Source: https://www.yarsi.ac.id/gelar-peringatan-hari-nakba-bukti-aktif-universitas-yarsi-dukung-palestina
