This Circle U. Open Conversation will bring together academics and civil society representatives to discuss how democratic participation, gender equality and socio-economic rights can be built and defended in contexts of protracted crisis.
The conversation will also explore what universities and civil society organisations can concretely do through socially engaged research and cooperation. A substantial part of the session will be devoted to open dialogue with students, researchers and civil society participants.
The event, promoted by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Peace Studies (CISP) at the University of Pisa, will take place on 29 September 2026 on the occasion of a visit by a Palestinian delegation to Italy as part of the cooperation project “IBTKAR for Social Change”, led by Oxfam Italia, with COSPE among its partners. The project focuses on the social and solidarity economy, financial inclusion and access to resources in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
The event will be held in a hybrid format and is open to the entire Circle U. community.
In Pisa, the event will take place in the Aula Magna Nuova of Palazzo La Sapienza.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the event, participants will be able to:
- describe how social and solidarity economy actors and microfinance institutions operate in the occupied Palestinian territories and how their activities relate to socio-economic rights;
- analyse the gender dimension of economic participation and decision-making in contexts of protracted crisis;
- discuss the role of universities and civil society organisations in socially engaged research and cooperation.
Speakers
- Debora Angeli, COSPE Italia
- Islah Jad, Associate Professor, Institute of Women’s Studies, Birzeit University, and Board Member of the Bisan Center for Research and Development
- Lama Amr, Executive Director, BuildPalestine
- Jamil Daraghmeh, COSPE, Coordinator for Economic Development
Want to join?
Contact
Valentina Calderai
Associate Professor of Private Law and Comparative Private Law, University of Pisa
Chair of the Circle U. Knowledge Hub on Democracy
valentina.calderai@unipi.it
