Amani Ahmed, a Palestinian academic at the University of Edinburgh, shared her story with The Student.
Ahmed was the head of International Relations at the Islamic University of Gaza and left for Scotland to start her PhD just days before the October 7th attacks. Not knowing that war would break out, she left her husband and children behind and was unable to contact them due to a connection blackout.
Ahmed was reunited with her family in April through the help of the Council of At Risk Academics (CARA).
When asked about her studies and her thoughts about Palestine, Ahmed told The Student:
“I miss Palestine and the family that we used to have. All of this has been mixed with worries about our families now.”
“People here are so nice to me, friends from different religions and backgrounds have tried their best to support and help,” she continued.
When asked about what she would like to do after completing her studies, she said the decision to leave Gaza was difficult and that it is “still not easy now”.
“People are not safe in Gaza,” she added.
“I hope to pursue academic work as well as policy influence, especially about Palestine.”
Ahmed hopes to have a role in rebuilding the Palestinian society and use her knowledge to build her country back up.
A spokesperson for the University of Edinburgh told The Student:
“Supporting those who have been displaced benefits not only those individuals, but our whole community, fostering resilience, empathy and understanding”
“Palestine flag (2)” by Socialist Appeal is licensed under CC BY 2.0.