My journey in Ireland and graduation from Trinity College Dublin (2021-2024)

After earning a postgraduate diploma with distinction from SOAS, the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) in 2020, I spent the summer of 2021 traveling across Ireland, exploring the country on a personal level. That autumn, I immersed myself in the study of Irish history and politics

During this time, I obtained both a certificate and a diploma in international security-related issues. However, the most significant milestone in this journey came just yesterday: I was awarded an M.Phil. with distinction from Trinity College Dublin.

I am profoundly grateful to Ireland and its generous people, and to Trinity College Dublin, its dedicated staff and esteemed professors, for their support and guidance. I owe deep thanks to my mother, my wife, family, and friends, whose steadfast encouragement has been vital throughout these years.

The past eighteen months have been especially difficult, marked by the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the daily war crimes and crimes against humanity inflicted on my people. Last year, I mourned the heartbreaking loss of my cousin Ziyad Ali, who was killed by occupation forces. This year, my family was forcibly displaced from their homes in the occupied West Bank, a continuation of the trauma that began with the ethnic cleansing of our village, Sabbarin, in 1948. In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have bravely spoken out against the continuing atrocities, the war crimes, the crimes against humanity, and the genocide targeting the Palestinian people. Your voices are a source of hope and strength in these dark times. May they help lead us closer to justice, freedom, and human dignity.