This year marks the 77th anniversary of the Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic), the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Nakba remains a deeply traumatic event in the Palestinian collective memory and continues to shape their struggle for justice and for their right to return to their homes.  

The UN Palestinian Rights Committee will commemorate the anniversary at UNHQ, pursuant to GA resolution A/RES/79/82. A Special Meeting will be organized on 15 May, in the ECOSOC Chamber, 10 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. (NY Time), in which the President of the General Assembly will give a keynote speech. You can watch be livestream here. 

Commemorations will continue with an exclusive screening of the documentary “From Ground Zero”. Created by 22 artists living under siege in the Gaza Strip, this powerful film offers a vital and deeply contextualized perspective beyond the brutal media live stream on Gaza. Through bold uses of allegory and raw creative expression, the filmmakers bear witness to life under constant bombardment and forced starvation. Their testimonies reveal the fragments of a daily struggle not only to survive, but to do so with unyielding dignity. This exclusive preview will take place at 1:15 p.m. in the ECOSOC chamber at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The screening is open to valid UN Ground Pass holders (delegates, staff, UN accredited NGOs).