ICSPR Hosts Italian Solidarity Activist Marie Calvelli to Discuss Solidarity with Palestine and Gaza

Date: October 3, 2026

Press Release
ICSPR Hosts Italian Solidarity Activist Marie Calvelli to Discuss Solidarity with Palestine and Gaza

Gaza – Palestine: The Hadith Al-Usbu’ program, hosted by journalist and human rights activist Salma Mohammad at The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) platform, hosted Italian solidarity activist and supporter of the Palestinian people Marie Calvelli, Director of the VIK Center, in an extensive discussion addressing her humanitarian and cultural experience in the Gaza Strip, her journey in solidarity with the Palestinian people, the conditions of the population amid the war, the impact of ongoing events on the image of Palestine in European and international public opinion, and the importance of partnerships between Palestinian human rights organizations and international solidarity movements.

Marie lived for several years in the Gaza Strip, allowing her to closely experience the daily lives of Palestinians and work alongside local institutions and initiatives in cultural, educational, and community fields. She manages the VIK organization, which has implemented educational and cultural initiatives and programs aimed at promoting exchange and communication between Palestinian and European societies and building bridges of knowledge and humanity, particularly among children and young people.

She explained that the nature of the organization’s work changed significantly after 7 October, shifting from a focus on cultural and educational activities to responding to urgent humanitarian needs by providing assistance, supporting women and children psychologically and educationally, and contributing to the establishment of tents and educational spaces for children in several areas of the Gaza Strip, in an effort to preserve their right to education and a sense of normal life despite displacement, destruction, and deprivation.

Marie emphasized that supporting children in Gaza is not limited to providing education, but is also connected to protecting them from the psychological and social effects of war and providing safe spaces that enable them to learn, interact, and regain a sense of normal life. She stressed that investing in education and culture is an investment in the future of Palestinian society and its ability to recover and rebuild.

Speaking about the image of Gaza in Europe and around the world, Marie said that, in her view, media coverage of what is happening remains insufficient compared to the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe experienced by Palestinians. She explained that the extent of destruction, loss, and daily suffering is difficult to capture through news reports and images alone. At the same time, she noted that the scale of the suffering has helped bring Gaza’s voice to broader segments of European and international public opinion and has expanded circles of solidarity and human rights engagement with the Palestinian cause.

She added that the growing international human rights attention to the situation in the Gaza Strip has been accompanied by documentation by human rights organizations of serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law, as well as questions concerning legal responsibility for such violations, including the characterization of certain acts as potentially amounting to war crimes, according to international human rights reports and positions.

Marie addressed European citizens beyond the official positions of governments, calling on them not to allow Gaza to disappear from the public sphere, to continue speaking about Palestine, researching and reading about the reality of Palestinians, listening to their testimonies and experiences, and passing this knowledge on to future generations. She stressed that solidarity begins with knowledge and understanding and with refusing to treat the suffering of Palestinians as merely a passing news story.

Marie criticized the continuation of forms of political, military, and material support provided by some European governments to Israel, considering that ending the occupation and ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people have not been given sufficient priority in some European policies. At the same time, she emphasized the importance of the role of European peoples, activists, solidarity movements, and civil society in continuing peaceful action and advocacy, raising their voices for Gaza, and keeping the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people present in the European and international public spheres.

Recognition of ICSPR’s Role in Human Rights and Solidarity Work

During the discussion, Marie expressed her appreciation for the role played by The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) in documenting and communicating human rights reports concerning violations against Palestinians and in bringing Gaza’s voice to international public opinion. She praised the cooperation between her organization and ICSPR in the areas of international solidarity, human rights and humanitarian work, and advocacy campaigns.

Marie also commended ICSPR’s efforts to defend the rights of children and women in the Gaza Strip, support initiatives aimed at providing them with protection and psychological and educational assistance, and strengthen the presence of their issues in international and human rights forums. She emphasized the importance of continuing this cooperation and expanding international solidarity with the Palestinian people.

She noted that joint work between Palestinian human rights organizations and international solidarity movements has particular importance amid the continuing humanitarian and human rights needs in the Gaza Strip, as it connects documentation, communicating the truth, international advocacy, and humanitarian action, and helps convey testimonies and facts from the field to communities and institutions outside Palestine.

For her part, journalist and human rights activist Salma Mohammad stressed the importance of hosting international voices in solidarity with Palestine, particularly figures who have experienced Palestinian life firsthand and contributed to humanitarian, cultural, and community work inside the Gaza Strip. She noted that such discussions contribute to building bridges of communication between Palestine and the world, highlighting the human dimension of the Palestinian cause, and strengthening the presence of Palestinian rights in the international sphere.

She explained that the Hadith Al-Usbu’ program provides a space for dialogue with Palestinian, Arab, and international figures, and serves as a platform for presenting humanitarian and human rights experiences and highlighting issues that directly affect the lives of Palestinians, thereby promoting a culture of solidarity and dialogue and strengthening communication with peoples and communities around the world.

At the conclusion of the discussion, Marie stressed the need to continue humanitarian, cultural, and educational work in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that supporting Gaza’s children in exercising their right to education and a dignified life, providing safe spaces for learning and psychological