Unyielding Steadfastness: Joint Nakba Remembrance
Yesterday, we gathered for the 2025 Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony - Palestinians, Israelis, and allies from around the world - to commemorate the forced displacement and dispossession of the Palestinian people, to acknowledge that the current bloodshed is a horrifying link in the long chain of conflict and violence over the land, and to insist on another way. Through the ceremony, Combatants for Peace modeled what they affirm - that understanding how each side experiences history is imperative to breaking this chain and forging a different future.
If you were unable to join us, or if you wish to revisit this powerful ceremony, you can watch the recording here.
The evening opened with words from the ceremony’s co-hosts, Mahmoud and Abigail - alumni of Combatants for Peace’s Freedom Schools. They shared:
“The Nakba is not just a memory, it is an open wound that we carry in our hearts and pass down from generation to generation, rooted in our belief in the right of return, freedom, and dignity. We reflect on how building a home for one people brought ruin to another, and yet we insist that a different home is possible. A home that would accommodate both peoples. A home is more than four walls and a roof: it is a heartbeat, the echo of laughter in the corners, the smell of bread in the morning. An embrace that cannot be replaced. And a mirror that reflects one’s identity, history, and dignity.”
Throughout the ceremony, we heard voices of survival, loss, and unbreakable steadfastness. Survivors shared their lived experiences of the ongoing Nakba and reminded us that despair takes hold when we accept the reality around us passively. When there seems to be no reason for hope, this is exactly when we must resist.
A 14-year-old girl from Gaza spoke with heartbreaking clarity about a childhood shattered in an instant. The day before the war, she was dreaming of becoming an engineer. Following October 7th, everything was torn away. She spoke of waiting in endless lines for water and food, clinging to whatever aid arrives in a place where forced starvation is a current reality. She shared that the ground beneath her is never safe. Yet, despite the fear and unthinkable loss, her spirit remains unbroken:
“We are staying here, holding on to our land — the land of steadfastness. To children everywhere: we are just like you. We want to live our lives. We love life. We want to play, but the occupation is denying us those rights. I love you all. Remember me. I am a child from Gaza.”
The ceremony affirmed again and again that no one is free until everyone is free—that the futures of Palestinians and Israelis are inextricably linked.
Thank you for standing with us in unwavering solidarity and for bearing witness to truths that are often ignored, silenced, and difficult to hold. To be present to the pain and resilience of others, especially when it challenges us, is an act of humanity. Your support is a powerful force that amplifies these voices, fuels the fight against oppression, and strengthens our collective commitment to build something better. Together, we will continue to resist, hope, and create a future where freedom and a safe home belong to everyone.
