Catch up on our Palestine Webinar


Last week, IDEA hosted the second webinar from our 2025 series, ‘Exploring Contemporary Crises and Issues through Global Citizenship Education, ' focusing on Palestine.   


If you missed out, you can watch the full video below! 


The webinar had voices from Northern Ireland, Palestine, academic researchers and teachers offering powerful perspectives and practical supports for educators. 


We examined our responsibilities as educators when we discuss conflict-related violence and displacement? What approaches can we use to do this? 


A native of Belfast, Brendan Ciarán Browne, PhD, FTCD is Assistant Professor of Conflict Resolution, and a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin opened the webinar with a passionate input. He has spent much of his professional career working in Palestine or focused on the Palestinian struggle, anticolonialism and resistance. 


“As educators we must be continuously educating ourselves, understanding and be truly committed. The cause of liberation of Palestine required you to be up-to-date not only on the foundational work... but the swathes of materials being produced by our colleagues in Palestine, [who] are being erased off the face of the earth. You have to be committed to do the educational work yourself.” 


“You have to unashamedly declare your position as being against anti-Palestinian racism. As being for Palestinian determination and resistance. If you can’t make that commitment, then you don’t have a right to occupy the space to talk about Palestine. Many people have vulnerabilities that undermine their ability to do this. If you have those vulnerabilities, we are sympathetic but if that is the case- vacate the space.”  


“Let’s own our language. Let’s be bold and determined to call Zionism what it is.” 


Watch his full input below!

Bana Abu Zuluf  is a Palestinian educator and interdisciplinary PhD researcher in International Law in the School of Law and Criminology in Maynooth, Ireland. Bana focused on demystifying Palestine 


“I know people are keeping an eye on what’s happening in Gaza but they are not understanding it in the broader light of Zionism and its project in Palestine. There is a danger tendency to complicate what’s going on in Palestine. In fact, it’s quite simple.”  


“Looking at settler colonialism and the displacement of Palestinians... it’s very important not to focus on certain events but to focus on it as a structure. I think educators need to focus on it has a structure. And when speaking about genocide they need to relate to it as a part of colonial erasure.” 


“I want educators to go deeper and look into Zionism as a settler colonial ideology. The issue here is that the people see Israel, Zionism, and settler colonialism. They don’t really merge those together.” 


Check out her full input below!

Andrew Phelan, co-founder of Teachers for Palestine offered more practical insights from his perspective as a Post-Primary Physical Education teacher, currently teaching in a school in Dublin and how Teachers for Palestine began. He gave a fast paced tour of all the ways which teachers can educate about Palestine. 


“We noticed... you can’t do that fundraiser here, or you can’t teach about that history in your class. You can’t bring in a speaker from Palestine here. You can’t do those things. Because it’s too political is what Principals were saying. This is not coming from the Department of Education.... because some Principals were doing it and doing a fantastic job.” 


“We started to look at all the different subjects, and it’s very important to see there’s lots of different avenues in our curriculum. There are loads and loads of opportunities and there’s actually no excuse for us not to teach it.”  


Andrew took participants through the Let’s Talk About Palestine resources for educators LetsTalkAboutPalestine “You don’t have to go to your Principal. You can just teach your subject using the curriculum and using Palestine as your lense. There’s really no excuse there.”   


You can watch Andrew's input in a video below!

Finally, Aline Batarseh, Executive Director of Visualizing Palestine. Aline is a Palestine from occupied Jerusalem, based in the US. Aline talked about Visualizing Palestine and their approach using data and research to visually communicate Palestinian experiences and provoke a change of traditional narratives. She also spoke about how educators can practically use the resources when you are educating about Palestine. 


“We have to address what’s happening in Palestine as a whole rather than as a fragment. This is a challenge when we talk about Gaza. The Israeli genocide in Gaza is not an isolated incident and it is our responsibility to place it in historical context. During the Nakba commemoration in 2024 we produced this visual to really show this ongoing Nakba, this ongoing expulsion, ongoing destruction of homes of villages of people’s lives, ongoing massacres, ongoing colinisation and Zionist idealogy.  


See Aline's input below!




August 25, 2025
The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) has joined a growing coalition of Irish civil society groups in endorsing a critical open letter, urging the Irish government to formally join the Hague Group and push for an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people. The appeal, initiated by IDEA members Comhlámh and Afri, demands that Ireland act decisively ahead of the Hague Group’s 20 September deadline, coinciding with the 80th UN General Assembly. Ireland has already sent a representative to participate in a recent Hague Group meeting, signalling its engagement with this urgent international initiative. However, civil society organisations stress that formal membership and full endorsement of the Group’s six measures is now essential if Ireland is to match its words with action. Halting arms transfers to Israel. Preventing military transit and servicing of vessels carrying such goods. Enforcing shipping controls, including penalties like de‑flagging. Reviewing public contracts to eliminate state support for occupation. Pursuing national or international investigations for serious international crimes. Enabling domestic prosecutions using international jurisdiction. The open letter outlines grave concerns over escalating atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, including settler violence, land dispossession, home demolitions, and forced displacement. It points out that, while UN efforts have been blocked, the Hague Group offers an immediate and tangible path toward justice. For IDEA, the call is also about upholding the principles of Global Citizenship Education (GCE). At its core, GCE is an educational process that helps people of all ages understand global interdependence, think critically about injustice, and develop the skills to take meaningful action. It cultivates empathy, solidarity, and responsibility, encouraging learners to connect local and global struggles. Supporting the Hague Group is therefore not only a matter of foreign policy, but also an expression of Ireland’s commitment to educate for justice and to model these values in practice. Ireland has until 20 September to join the 13 countries that have already committed to six concrete pledges at the Hague Group summit. As the deadline approaches, this coalition is calling on all TDs and Senators to publicly back Ireland’s membership, advocate for the six pledges within government ranks, and ensure that formal commitment is secured before the UN General Assembly convenes. Find out more here.
August 11, 2025
Budget 2026: Investing in Global Citizenship Education is Investing in Global Solidarity “Ireland has received international recognition for its development education strategies… Without additional investment, we cannot seize the opportunity to turn development-aware children into development-aware adults.” - OECD DAC Peer Review of Ireland Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here . For over half a century, Ireland has invested in Global Citizenship Education (GCE), enabling people across the island to explore complex issues such as climate justice, human rights, and equality - and to take informed action for a more just and sustainable world. Between 2021 and 2024, €33.6 million was invested in programmes reaching over 1.2 million people, helping to embed GCE across schools, communities, and other learning spaces. This investment has made Ireland a European and global leader in the field. But in today’s turbulent context - with rising disinformation, polarisation, climate emergencies, and deepening inequalities - the need for GCE has never been greater. As Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Neale Richmond, told the IDEA Annual Conference in May 2025: “Now is the time to focus on the hard issues… These are among the greatest challenges of our time.” Why Now? Budget 2026 comes at a critical moment. Ireland is: Running out of time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Preparing a new national GCE strategy for the next five years. Operating in a global context where democratic values, human rights, and multilateral cooperation are under unprecedented strain. The OECD has commended Ireland’s strong GCE strategies but has also warned that without additional investment, we risk falling short on SDG Target 4.7 - ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. Our Key Budget 2026 Asks:  Increase investment in GCE Move towards the widely recognised target of 3% of Official Development Assistance (ODA), using a cross-departmental approach and accounting for inflation. Current spending is 1.2% of ODA - far below the €26 million annually needed to reach the 3% target. Boost GCE/ESD funding under “ESD to 2030” Provide adequate and dedicated funding for projects led by organisations, schools, and higher education institutions to ensure the successful delivery of the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. Create dedicated GCE/ESD funding lines Integrate and resource GCE/ESD within the SDG National Implementation Plan, Climate Action Plan, and National Action Plan Against Racism, recognising that climate justice and anti-racism are core components of global citizenship. Increase Ireland’s ODA Commit to a €300 million increase in Budget 2026 to make tangible progress towards the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030. Adopt Coalition 2030 recommendations Implement budget measures that ensure resources reach those furthest behind first, and align budget lines with specific SDG targets. Beyond Funding – Policy Coherence and Decent Work In addition to resourcing, GCE requires stronger coordination across government departments and better integration into policies, institutions, and networks. GCE practitioners must also have secure, decent working conditions in line with SDG 8, ensuring that expertise is retained within the sector. The Opportunity for Ireland Ireland is respected globally for its principled, values-based approach to international development. By investing in GCE now, we can: Strengthen civic trust, participation, and resilience in our society. Equip citizens to navigate complex global challenges. Ensure Ireland remains a strong, independent voice for justice, solidarity, and human rights on the world stage. Budget 2026 is our opportunity to protect the progress made, scale up impact, and deliver on our commitments. IDEA and our members are ready to work with Irish Aid and across government to ensure Ireland continues to lead with integrity, foresight, and global solidarity. _______________________________________________________ Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here to explore our recommendations in detail and see how, together, we can strengthen Global Citizenship Education in Ireland and beyond.
Smme
August 2, 2025
Catch-up on a Summer of Learning!