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CBC
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Algonquin College grad grapples with staff over Palestinian flag
For her convocation ceremony last week, Algonquin College graduate Rama Al-Zubi wanted to walk across the stage at Canadian Tire Centre waving her Palestinian flag. "When it's my time on stage, I'm celebrating me, and Palestinian is me," Al-Zubi told CBC. Before she was able to wave the flag of her homeland, however, she first had to win a tug of-war with a faculty member who tried to pull it away from her as her name was being called. The incident on June 19 was captured on video. "I yelled, 'Let go!' and took the flag away from him," Al-Zubi recounted. "He was pulling very hard." Tug-of-war over Palestinian flag at Algonquin College convocation 10 hours ago Duration 0:09 Al-Zubi, a graduate of the college's film and media production program, said she was not told of any policy that would prevent her from waving the Palestinian flag during the ceremony. Other graduates crossed the stage with flags from their home countries including Ecuador, but did not experience pushback from faculty or security personnel, Al-Zubi said. "I don't think it's the problem of a flag, I think it's a problem with the Palestinian flag," she told CBC. College says flags were banned In a statement to CBC, Algonquin College said graduates were informed in advance of the venue's policies, which included a ban on flags. "In keeping with venue rules, flags were not permitted inside," the college said in a statement to CBC. "However, some flags were missed during security screening. As a result, various national flags — including Palestinian flags — were carried across the stage during 12 ceremonies held over four days in Ottawa." The college said security personnel "including venue and College staff, worked to uphold the guidelines," but added it regrets "any distress the enforcement of these rules may have caused." Another video posted on social media shows venue staff confronting a graduate with a Palestinian flag after she crossed the stage. That person declined to speak with CBC. Al-Zubi said she feels like her alma mater tried to stifle her freedom of expression. She said her Palestinian flag, which normally hangs on her bedroom wall, was a gift from a sister and is an object that "feels the closest to home." She said there has been no follow-up nor disciplinary action from the college since the ceremony. Incident 'troubling,' says law prof João Velloso, an associate professor of law at the University of Ottawa, said he found the footage of the June 19 incident "troubling." "It's not necessarily the flag, but how the staff tried to grab it aggressively instead of just managing it," said Velloso, who was part of a committee shaping the University of Ottawa's response to the months-long encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on campus last year. Velloso argues convocations are inherently political events, and activism is going to happen despite institutions trying to prevent it. "In the West, just receiving a degree in gender studies is a political statement," he said. "Graduations come with a political dimension." Velloso said one way to manage it would be to allow flags and offer support to students who may be triggered by them – whether the flag is from Palestine, Israel, Russia, Ukraine or other conflict zones.
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria's creative sector to generate additional 2.7mln jobs by 2025 — Abbas
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Wednesday described the creative sector as Nigeria's second-largest employer of labour, with the potential to generate an additional 2.7 million jobs by 2025. Hon. Abbas stated this in Abuja while declaring open a public hearing on the bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of the National Institute for Film and Media Technology, Ukawu. The Speaker, represented by Rep. Amos Magaji, applauded the significant investment in the creative economy, saying, 'I understand that the creative sector is the second-largest employer of labour in the country and has the potential to create an additional 2.7 million jobs by 2025. 'This indicates that the creative economy worldwide contributes over 6.1 percent to global gross domestic product (GDP), averaging between 2 percent and 7 percent of national GDPs,' he said. Hon. Abbas, who argued that the bill was in line with their legislative agenda, reaffirmed the 10th Assembly's commitment to reforming and modernising the technical education system to equip students with relevant skills to thrive in today's economy. He said these skills would enable students to contribute effectively to Nigeria's economic growth. 'We are committed to ensuring the integration of entrepreneurship modules in technical and vocational education curricula to enable students to go into private ventures and become self-employed.' Abbas reiterated the determination of the House to ensure that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and renewable energy are mainstreamed into the curriculum of technical and vocational education in Nigeria. He re-echoed the importance of not failing the younger generation by providing them with the required skills, as he called for the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the training process. 'We must not be found wanting in the fulfilment of our commitments. 'We would have failed if we did not provide our children with the opportunities that they need to achieve their purposes and become fulfilled as human beings. 'The world is already running ahead with artificial intelligence. 'We cannot be left behind. Education is the bedrock of development, and the need for educational institutions that will develop the skills of our people ought to have been addressed yesterday.' Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, Rep. Olusola Fatoba, reiterated the imperative of investing in the film and media sector. Hon. Fatoba stated that the film and media sector had the capacity to take young people off the streets and boost the economy. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
