Calgary BSW Student Research For Palestine

• Help others understand our collective complicity in the genocide of Palestinians and the Greater Israel project, so that they might take these steps too.

• Further your understanding of Palestinian history and Israeli settler-colonialism (see our Resources section for some ideas).

• Read about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement in Canada and download the No Thanks! App to make it easier to avoid brands that are connected to Israel. 

• Call your MP and write to relevant Cabinet Ministers using these helpful call scripts and email templates to demand an arms embargo now.

• Look up organizations in your community that organize protests or demonstrations. For example, the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) has chapters across Canada, the U.S. and Britain.

• Wear your support by shopping with companies like Wear the Peace, which dedicates a portion of proceeds from each other to providing direct support to organizations on the ground in Gaza.

• Seek out and donate to organizations that are able to distribute supplies in Gaza, like Human Concern International and Islamic Relief Canada, or research smaller projects that provide direct aid to families.

• Help others understand our collective complicity in the genocide of Palestinians and the Greater Israel project, so that they might take these steps too.

Profession-specific actions for social work practitioners, researchers, and educators include:

• Read Palestinian scholars in this area, like Dr. Samah Jabr, a Palestinian psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and former Head of the Mental Health Unit in the Ministry of Health, Palestine. 
• Support or start conversations within your organization or institution regarding divestment from systems and partnerships that enable genocide.
• Consider your collaborations with academic groups, funders, and partners, and their potential ties to the Israeli military or institutions.
• Avoid travel to Israel for conferences or research, to minimize contributions to the Israeli economy.
• Encourage the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) and the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) to take concrete action and conduct sound decision-making (including statements in solidarity with Palestine, divestment efforts, voting on membership within IFSW, etc).