CLARION Pa., Nov. 18 – The Political Economy Club and Muslim Student Association presented a panel about the Middle East. “The Middle East: A Clarion Perspective” discussed the culture, language, stereotypes, female roles, and the situation in Gaza.

There were five key speakers at the panel; Professor Mahmoud Amer, Dr. Yasser Ayad and Clarion University students Mohammed Miqdad, Loubna Bouhou and Sundas Rana.
Amar is a native of Jordan and an adjunct professor for the modern language and the English department. He spoke about the language of Arabic and its importance in the modern world.
Arabic is the sixth most spoken language in the world, while several English words are derived from the language. Amar described Arabic as a “warm” language and one of the oldest of the Middle East. It is spoken in several dialects in 22 countries.
Ayad, a geography professor, is a native of Egypt where he attended Alexandria University. Ayad spoke about the geo-cultural perspective and common misconceptions and stereotypes of the Muslim world.
“Many believe we ride camels to work,” said Ayad. He assured the audience that in the Middle East they have universities and modern traffic systems. The steadily growing population of Israel has lead to severe religious and demographic changes.
Miqdad, an exchange student who attended the Islamic University of Gaza, spoke about the situation there.
He called the Gaza Strip in Palestine one of the oldest countries and one of the holiest places for several religions. Miqdad lived in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp.
A refugee is anyone who has lost their home or livelihood as a result of the recent war in Gaza.
A video that Miqdad showed in the middle of his presentation about the situation in Gaza gave devastating details. The situation is described as “humanly horrible” with 14 to 25 people living in one space. In 1948, 700,000 people lived in refugee camps and today over 4 million people reside in the camps. Miqdad said everyone in Gaza is affected by the war, but children are the most changed by the fighting. Children are said to show signs of a lack of will to live due to what they have seen and lived through.
The reality of Gaza is rarely documented in western countries because European and American journalists are either too fearful or unable to get into the country.
Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip now go without power for 16 hours a day because of an air strike in 2006 that hit the power plant. Miqdad said that he was forced to study by candlelight.
Today in the Gaza Strip, residents live in tents beside their destroyed homes and are awaiting aid to help rebuild. Palestinians have been seeking peace for 62 years and there is no telling how long the fighting will continue.
Bouhou and Rana are also Clarion University students. Bouhou and Rana are exchange students from Pakistan.
Many people believe that the majority of Islamic women are oppressed and held inferior to Islamic men. This beleif is incorrect in both the young women’s eyes.
Rana said that women are considered precious and that is why they cover themselves. It is out of respect for their God-given bodies, not out of force that women wear the hijab.
“If you respect my beliefs, I will respect yours,” Rana said as she wrapped up the evening’s cultural presentation.