Palestinian ambassador says Durham residents are ‘wonderful’
Dr Husam Zomlot, who has served as the Palestinian ambassador to the UK since 2018, was one of the invited speakers to the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala held on Saturday (July 12).
He became the first Palestinian to address crowds at the gathering – the largest of its kind in Europe.
The ambassador said his favourite thing about Durham was “how history is so important and significant” to residents.
“History is not a burden for them,” he said.
“History is a torch, and a power to see a future.
“[Another favourite thing about Durham] is how much they have principles, and stick to their principal ethos of equality, of fairness and of dignity.
“And after all these years, 150 years of a movement, they’re still marching, they’re still here.”
He said the population of Palestine would be grateful to see support for the nation in Durham, adding: “The wonderful, wonderful people of the north of England are with them and they will keep marching with them side by side.”
Dr Zomlot was aware of the controversy surrounding his invitation to the event. The announcement by Gala organiser the Durham Miners’ Association was criticised by Reform UK councillors on Durham County Council who questioned an invitation being extended to an international speaker.
But, he didn’t get drawn on it, saying: “I’m not going to get into that on such compositions, but for a miners’ association that has fought and struggled against oppression to invite the Palestinian ambassador on behalf of the Palestinian peopleΒ it is extremely natural.
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And to be honest, long overdue.”
The ambassador, who saw banners of the County Durham Palestine Solidarity Campaign go past the County Hotel from the famed balcony and counts the regions MPs as ‘friends’, said seeing so many people in Durham made him ‘hopeful’.
“I’m very reassured about the future, because in the end it’s about power and now we have the power, the power of the people.”