An international conference on Palestine, initially cancelled by the Collège de France, has gone ahead this week in Paris under the auspices of another institution, after intense backlash from scholars and civil society. The event, titled “Palestine and Europe: Weight of the Past and Contemporary Dynamics”, is being hosted on 13–14 November by the Arab Centre for Research and Political Studies in Paris (Carep), a move hailed by organisers as a victory for academic freedom.

The decision by the Collège de France to withdraw its support triggered widespread outrage within the academic world. More than 2,200 researchers, lecturers, and students signed a petition denouncing what they described as a political interference in scholarship. Critics said the move exposed growing restrictions on public discussion about Palestine in France, where expressions of solidarity have repeatedly faced censorship and pressure. Despite the government’s framing of the cancellation as a “responsible” act, many see it as part of a broader trend of silencing dissenting voices amid the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.

In a statement, Carep expressed gratitude to international participants who insisted on travelling to France, reaffirming their “commitment to independent research and free debate.” The organisers admitted that relocating the event on such short notice had been difficult, with limited space at their premises, but promised that the entire conference would be streamed live to allow broader participation.

At a time when discussions about justice, accountability, and memory are more vital than ever, the successful relocation of this conference represents a quiet act of resistance, an assertion that academic spaces must remain open to truth, even when political pressures seek to suppress it.