By: Sude Guvendik, Staff Writer
Content warning: mentions of genocide.
In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine, SFU Slam Poetry organized a powerful event titled Poetry for Peace on December 1. The event aimed to provide a platform for students to express their sentiments and solidarity through spoken-word poetry. The Peak sat down with Sumaiya Tufail, the club’s president, to delve deeper into the inspiration behind the event, its impact, and future plans.
Tufail unveiled that the inspiration for Poetry for Peace originated from the reality of the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. Confronting the documented atrocities on social media, Tufail, a poet herself, felt a moral obligation to create a sanctuary for the student community.
The event evolved into a gathering to collectively stand against injustice. Emphasizing inclusivity, Tufail stated, “When I made the title Poetry for Peace in Palestine, I included all occupied lands and territories, so that I could show the community and the students that you don’t have to be Palestinian or be directly impacted by what’s happening in Palestine. She added, “If you come from another place that is facing persecution, genocide, human rights abuses, that you can also recite poetry in this event and that’s exactly what happened.”
The result was a diverse array of voices, including a community member addressing human rights abuses in Kashmir and another connecting the Sikh genocide in India to the occupation in Palestine. This diversity showcased the universal pain and healing inherent to the human experience.
Tufail highlighted the diversity of participants, spanning both students and non-students of different ages, backgrounds, and professions. She reflected, “It was really amazing, because most of the poets weren’t even Palestinian. And it just showed how unifying this type of event — even just the Palestinian cause is, that everyone can see that what’s happening is wrong, and it’s an atrocity, and we all can feel the pain of other human beings and that’s essentially what connects us.”
The most moving part of the event was when students courageously shared their personal stories. They opened up about their connections to the Palestinian cause and their experiences in Gaza. Tufail, who led the event, highlighted the power of poetry for processing pain, saying “I use poetry as an outlet to express my emotions and what I feel and my voice.”
In addition to these stories, there was a soothing meditation session during the event led by Tiara Cash, an African American and Indigenous Cherokee SFU student and fellow TEDxSFU speaker (like Tufail). Cash guided a meditation circle to help the event attendees ground themselves, recognizing the healing nature of poetry.
Tufail shared a special moment from the event with The Peak: there was a performer who was Palestinian and had never performed a poem before. Her poem was about what it means to be asked, “Where are you from?” and what it’s like to say, “I’m from Palestine.” The emotions in the room were intense — people in the audience and even the performer herself were crying. The event was a safe space where everyone could share their feelings without judgment or shame. This is why poetry is so powerful — it brings people together, helping them understand each other and stand together in tough times.
Tufail explained the event’s success and her desire to continue its impact inspired her to create a zine, which will compile the poetry performed or written by community poets. Tufail shared, “We’re currently in the process of putting it together, and we hopefully are looking to have it printed in the next month. It’ll be free, and we’re looking for people, faculty members, and club members who are interested in distributing these poetry books.”
The zine, expected to be available this spring semester, is poised to extend the reach of Poetry for Peace beyond its initial performance. Tufail encouraged interested individuals to follow SFU Slam Poetry on Instagram @sfuslampoetry for updates on the zine’s release, and contact them to get involved.
Tufail hinted at potential collaborations with other colleges and universities to broaden the impact of Poetry for Peace. The launch event, a follow-up to the zine’s release, promises to be another opportunity for the community to come together in support of social justice through the medium of poetry.
