Gaza suffers from a dearth of intellectual debate at a local level; Gaza also suffers from a shortage of intellectual links at a global level. The results have been devastating. The community remains starved of vigorous public conversation about politics and society and depleted of the skills needed to analyze and evaluate choices and challenges faced at home. The community has also been left with diminished insight about the rest of the world and about ways to raise awareness and mobilize international concern for Gaza’s continuing crisis.

Isolation, war, economic ruin, and internal political violence have taken a cumulative toll, especially on the young. In 1970, nearly half of university students travelled outside to study. Last year in Gaza, the figure was less than one percent. Deprived of freedom of movement that might expand their horizons; pauperized and unemployed; coming of age during a time when domestic political discourse has degenerated into vilification, and often educated in institutions where professional standards have rapidly deteriorated, the young remain at increasing risk of tunnel vision and a siege mentality.

Gaza Exchange is an attempt at breaking the intellectual embargo via live, two-way video conferencing that brings the world to Gaza and Gaza to the world. Young residents of the Strip have a chance to listen to, learn from, and speak with leading international scholars and writers.

Gaza Exchange is pleased to welcome Professor Noam Chomsky and Rashid Khalidi during the month of February with many more speakers already scheduled for 2010.

For more information on these events, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it