A “silent march” was held on the university campus by the Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKÜ) Psychology Student Association to protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza and to support the protests for Palestine taking place at various universities in the USA and Europe.
The march was attended by HKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, HKÜ Board of Trustees Member Prof. Dr. Necip Fazıl Yılmaz, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Lütfi Yola, HKÜ Secretary General Ümit Şahnaoğlu, deans, academic and administrative staff, and students. Participants carried banners and placards with messages such as “Palestine and East Turkestan are not alone!”, “Stop this oppression!”, “The place where humanity dies: Palestine”, “Silence is not an option while children are dying”, “Hey world, how many more children must die?”, and “There is genocide in Gaza!”
Following the march, HKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli made a statement declaring that as Hasan Kalyoncu University, they could not remain silent about the suffering of the Palestinian people and that they stood by them in their struggle for justice and freedom. Psychology Student Association President Şeyma Akkuş and Vice President Halide Tüter also expressed that as psychology students, they could not remain indifferent to the inhumane traumas occurring in Palestine, which cannot be explained through their psychopathology courses. The prepared press release was read by Dr. Saadet Öztürk, a faculty member of the HKÜ Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. The press release included the following statements:
As Hasan Kalyoncu University, our purpose in gathering here today is to collectively say ‘STOP’ to the oppression and genocide being perpetrated by Israel in Palestine, and to stand firmly against this injustice. By standing with the people of Palestine today, we aim to support their rightful demands for freedom and justice. It is very clear that the events taking place in Palestinian territories are an injustice and oppression against humanity. Since 1948, Israel’s expansionism has forcibly displaced millions of innocent Palestinians, subjecting them to hunger and death. From October 7, 2023, this has turned into a disgraceful ‘genocide.’ In the 214 days of attacks, 35,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli assaults. We observe with sorrow the genocide in which 35,000 lives, including children, women, men, young, elderly, and disabled, have been taken by Israeli barbarism, thousands have been displaced from their homes, and infants have died under the rubble of bombings. With today’s march and this press statement, we once again demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Palestine and emphasize the power of unity. Demanding justice for humanity is our fundamental responsibility, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to fulfill this responsibility. We call on the international community, human rights defenders, and everyone to come together to end the injustices against the Palestinian people and to achieve a peaceful resolution. Let us remember that peace and justice are only possible through solidarity and determination.
