In solidarity, we will come together on January 25 for Samen voor Palestina. Through music, speakers, dance, and a market, we will raise funds for the Palestine Humanitarian Response Centre (PHRC) and The Sameer Project.

PHRC is a non-profit organization that provides emotional support and organizes cultural and creative activities for children traumatized by the genocide in Gaza. The Sameer Project is a Palestinian diaspora–led aid initiative delivering emergency assistance to displaced families in Gaza.

Since October 2023, more than 71,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, with estimates reaching into the hundreds of thousands. The majority of the victims are women and children. Despite the so-called “ceasefire,” the genocide in Palestine continues. Since October 2025, Israel has violated the “ceasefire” hundreds of times. Neighboring countries are also still being attacked, with more than 4,000 people killed in Lebanon since October 2023.

Palestinians continue to live and die under inhumane conditions. Take action! Samen voor Palestina! Free Palestine!

PROGRAMMA

14:00 – 14:15 Doors open
14:20 – 14:45 Naseem Mgeer
14:50 – 15:10 Batul en Jaad
15:15 – 15:35 DJ Bulgur King
15:40 – 16:05 MENA band
16:10 – 16:30 BDS
16:35 – 16:55 DJ Bulgur King
17:00 – 17:25 GraafLandgraaf
17:30 – 18:00 Panel
18:05 – 19:00 Dabke2go + Watan band

In between the acts hosts Batul and Mendy will speak.

ARTISTS AND SPEAKERS

Batul
Batul was born in Syria as a Palestinian refugee. In 2015, she fled from Syria to the Netherlands, where she now works as a software engineer. Batul was born stateless, and visiting Palestine has always been one of her dreams. As a Palestinian, she feels powerless at times and is determined to make her voice heard.

Mendy
Mendy is actively involved in the Palestine solidarity movement, has spoken at the Red Line protest, and organizes the weekly Groningen demonstrations against the genocide in Palestine. Her activism is rooted in her Jewish background, where responsibility, the refusal of injustice, and solidarity are central values. She does not see activism as a role, but as a moral duty: to speak when silence becomes inhumane.

Naseem Mgeer
Naseem is a Palestinian singer and oud player from Jenin. His family originally comes from Haifa, which has been fully occupied by Israel since 1948. Around thirty months ago, Naseem fled to the Netherlands. “Music has always been a part of my life. It felt like the most beautiful path to peace. In peace there is strength, not surrender. Music is the foundation of everything; it is what gives life joy.” Naseem’s message is to preserve Palestinian musical heritage, which cannot be stolen, especially not by those without history. He started a project translating Palestinian song lyrics into English and Dutch. The project is called Homelands Echo, based on his belief that an echo is one of the strongest forms of resistance. An echo never fades as long as there are voices.

Jaad
Jaad is a Palestinian man from Jenin. He recently fled from Palestine to the Netherlands and has been living here for about four months. Jaad speaks about life during the genocide in Palestine. He shares his story in Arabic, with host Batul translating into Dutch.

Mena Band & Mo Assaf
The Mena Band is made up of musicians from countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Together with Mo Assaf, they perform Palestinian music. Mo Assaf is a Palestinian multi-instrumentalist. Growing up in Palestine, he found an outlet through playing instruments such as the violin. Recently, Mo started a small business selling olive oil from Palestinian farmers. He looks forward to sharing his experiences at Vera.

BDS Nederland
Two speakers from BDS Netherlands will talk about the history and rights of Palestine, the BDS movement, and how collective pressure can be used to force change. BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. It is a peaceful global movement calling on Israel to respect international law and recognize the rights of the Palestinian people.

GraafLandgraaf
GraafLandgraaf is the musical alter ego of Ole and Laurens. “We make music about the pain, anger, and shame we feel about the mismanagement of our world. For more than two years, we have watched Israeli bombs fall on tents where children sleep. And still, the Netherlands remains the largest foreign investor in this regime of apartheid and genocide. Raise your voice. Join counterculture. If not now, then when?”

Panel: Censorship of the Palestinian Voice – Sharon Boersma (moderator)
Sharon is a philosopher and journalist who currently works with children to promote equal opportunities and talent development. During her journalism studies, she created multiple pieces mapping the history of the genocide and telling the personal story of a Christian Palestinian woman.

Aisja Hamed
Aisja is a Palestinian-Dutch founder of Fikra Magazine, a Palestinian literary journal established in Ramallah in 2023. The magazine is available both online and in print worldwide. Aisja previously worked as a Dutch diplomat and as a lecturer at the University of Groningen. She now focuses on her role as editor-in-chief of Fikra and on consultancy work for organizations such as The Rights Forum.

Saskia Heisterborg
Saskia is a journalism student with a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Organizations. Her bachelor’s thesis examined how different Dutch newspapers report on Palestine. She is also a member of the organization Groningen for Palestine.

Mendy Smook
Mendy is involved in the Palestine solidarity movement, has spoken at the Red Line protest, and organizes the weekly Groningen demonstrations against the genocide in Palestine. Her activism is rooted in her Jewish background, where responsibility, resisting injustice, and solidarity are central values.

Sander van Lanen
Sander is an FNV union representative, a member of the editorial team of Jacobin NL, and involved in Apartheidsvrije Zone Groningen. He is interested in the goals and strategies of social movements.

Dabke2go
Dabke2go is an energetic and accessible Dabke dance workshop that brings people together through rhythm, movement, and shared cultural joy.

Palestine Humanitarian Response Centre | Official Website

The Sameer Project | Official Website