UBC Okanagan graduation organizers and a Pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus are both preparing for a weekend of convocations.
On June 4, the PeopleB次元官网网址檚 University for Gaza UBCO posted a guideline for graduating students who wish to protest at the convocation ceremony, which will be held on June 6 and 7.
The guideline called B次元官网网址�, encourages students to B次元官网网址� among other things B次元官网网址� bring a Palestinian flag on stage and refuse to shake the hand of UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon, or principal and deputy vice-chancellor Lesley Cormack.
The group has also invited graduating students, their families and friends to stop by the encampment to celebrate and B次元官网网址淩emember the students in Palestine.B次元官网网址�
In past years, the graduation ceremony was held in the courtyard but this year the ceremony has been moved to the gymnasium.
The encampment, comprised of students, members of the community and approximately 20 tents has been stationed on the UBCO campus courtyard for the past three and a half weeks.
In conjunction with an encampment on VancouverB次元官网网址檚 UBC campus, the PeopleB次元官网网址檚 University for Gaza UBCO is asking .
READ MORE:
The protesters are specifically asking for settlements in Palestinian territories and those that manufacture weapons sold to Israel.
UBC has responded to the claims by saying that the universityB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淓ndowment Fund does not directly own any stocks in the companies identified by the movement.B次元官网网址�
Instead, UBC said capital is held in pooled funds and managed by external investment managers, B次元官网网址渨ith the identified companies accounting for about 0.28 per cent of the Endowment Fund.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE:
The protesters are also calling on UBC to participate in the global academic boycott of Israeli Universities, to condemn any acts of genocide in Gaza, reaffirm PalestinianB次元官网网址檚 right to resist and return and to keep police off campus.
UBC has responded to the students in a statement that is available at The university said it will maintain B次元官网网址渦niversity neutralityB次元官网网址� and will not be taking a position on the crisis but said, B次元官网网址淲e hope for a ceasefire and a lasting peaceful resolution in the Middle East.B次元官网网址�
In a statement emailed to graduating students on June 4, UBCO stated graduation organizers are aware of the protesters on KelownaB次元官网网址檚 campus and are B次元官网网址渁ctively monitoring the situation and prioritizing the safety of all our community members, graduates and visitors to campus.B次元官网网址�
The statement clarifies that as a precaution, B次元官网网址渆nhanced securityB次元官网网址� will be present in and around the gymnasium and other facilities on campus. It also states that staff and marshals will be on-site to B次元官网网址渆nsure a smooth graduation experience.B次元官网网址�
Graduation organizers also said that bags would be checked and asked that graduates leave all personal belongings behind as they would not be permitted on the stage.
The email from the universityB次元官网网址檚 graduation organizers comes after members of the encampment at a public presentation on June 3, titled, Ashes to Action: Learning to live with wildfires.
In a written statement to Capital B次元官网网址, the PeopleB次元官网网址檚 University for Gaza UBCO stated, B次元官网网址淪ecurity does not make students safer,B次元官网网址� and said it expects the increased security at the graduation will create a B次元官网网址渉ostile environment for graduating students and their families.B次元官网网址�
The protesters said B次元官网网址淯BC must ultimately do everything in its power to make conditions safer for people in Rafah and meet the demands of the encampment,B次元官网网址� and have said they will remain on campus for as long as it takes to have their demands met.
