As part of the “Journey to OIC Countries” series, SESRIC welcomed H.E. Dr. Nasri ABU JAISH, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Türkiye, together with a delegation from the Embassy and a group of Palestinian students, to its Al-Aqsa Library.

The programme commenced with welcoming remarks from H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, who expressed her pleasure in hosting Amb. ABU JAISH, the embassy delegation, and Palestinian students pursuing their education in Türkiye. In her remarks, H.E. SELÇUK emphasised the significance of the Palestinian cause in the establishment of the OIC in 1969. She also shared SESRIC’s efforts to support Palestinian institutions, noting that between 2024 and 2026, the Centre conducted around 80 specific activities involving more than 240 Palestinian experts. Palestine was also mentioned in 13 major SESRIC reports. She also commended the ongoing cooperation with the Palestinian national institutions, including the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA) and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). On this occasion, she conveyed her sincere appreciation to Amb. ABU JAISH, his team, and the students for taking the time to visit the Centre and encouraged the students to apply to the SETCAB Programme.

H.E. ABU JAISH commended the OIC and its member countries for their continued support to Palestine. He expressed sincere appreciation to H.E. SELÇUK and SESRIC for their initiatives in support of Palestinian institutions and emphasised the importance of solidarity among OIC countries. He also highlighted the vital role of Palestinian students in safeguarding their national cause. H.E. ABU JAISH referred to Palestine’s long history of plight, noting that it did not begin only in recent years but has much deeper roots. He stressed the need for unity among OIC countries to confront the occupation force’s plans to displace the Palestinian people and called on Palestinian students to carry the spirit of Palestine in their hearts wherever they go.

During their presentation, the Palestinian students provided a comprehensive analysis of the occupation’s devastating impact, highlighting the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the critical need for sustained international engagement. They reported that since October 7, 2023, over 70,000 Palestinians have been martyred and 171,000 injured. The data detailed the occupation’s systemic erasure of civilian infrastructure, with over 70% of facilities destroyed, including 88% of schools and 84% of health centres, while nearly 90% of the population remains displaced. The students also briefed the audience on daily life, highlighting territorial fragmentation. They explained the suffocating permit and checkpoint regimes that stifle the economy, disrupt trade, agriculture, and healthcare access, and force dependence on external aid. Furthermore, they outlined severe human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and night raids, alongside specific policies in Al Quds aimed at altering the city’s demographic and religious character.

During the visit, participants were also introduced to the OIC and to SESRIC’s mandate and activities in statistics, research, and technical cooperation. The SESRIC presentation covered a section on SESRIC’s Emerging Talents Capacity-Building Programme (SET-CaB), which aims to empower higher education students and fresh graduates from OIC countries by enhancing their skills and providing them with exposure to an international organisational environment. Palestinian students had the opportunity to engage in discussions on gaining experience in an international setting.

The visit concluded with engaging discussions between H.E. SELÇUK, SESRIC staff, and Palestinian students, during which they exchanged ideas and explored SESRIC’s and the OIC’s visions for youth empowerment in OIC countries, particularly regarding Palestine.

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