Tulane Groups Host Fundraiser, Festival for Palestine

Over 300 attend 'Here We Shall Stay' event to support Middle East aid programs

Apr. 13, 2026 at 3:56am

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A vibrant, abstract painting depicting a crowd of people gathered in a park, with overlapping geometric shapes and waves of color representing the energy and movement of the festival.The 'Here We Shall Stay' festival at Tulane University brought together over 300 students and community members to celebrate Palestinian culture and raise funds for humanitarian aid.New Orleans Today

The Palestinian Solidarity Coalition at Tulane University hosted a festival and fundraiser called 'Here We Shall Stay' in Pocket Park on the Tulane campus. The event featured live music, arts and crafts, and informational booths, and raised over $1,800 for humanitarian aid programs in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon.

Why it matters

The event was organized in response to what the PSC described as a 'hostile' campus climate for Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ students at Tulane. The festival aimed to reclaim space and raise awareness about the university's ties to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

The details

The festival included performances by the Hanoun Brass Band, as well as activities like beading, henna, food, and kite decorating provided by dozens of on and off-campus organizations. The Palestinian Youth Movement, PSC, and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel's Ports also had informational booths discussing the history of Palestine.

  • The festival took place on Friday, April 11, 2026 in Pocket Park at Tulane University.

The players

Palestinian Solidarity Coalition at Tulane University

A student organization that hosted the 'Here We Shall Stay' festival and fundraiser.

Middle East Children's Alliance

A non-profit humanitarian aid program that received funds raised at the event.

Bridge of Solidarity

A non-profit humanitarian aid program for children and families in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon that received funds raised at the event.

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What they’re saying

“On a campus that is exceedingly hostile to Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students, we are reclaiming our space and forcing the wider Tulane community to reckon with our university's ideological and material complicity in apartheid and settler-colonialism.”

— PSC board

“We hope attendees left inspired to commit themselves to Palestine and to other global struggles for freedom and self-determination.”

— PSC

The takeaway

This event demonstrates the growing activism and solidarity among Tulane students and the wider New Orleans community in support of the Palestinian cause, despite a perceived hostile campus climate. It highlights the university's ties to the Israeli occupation and the efforts by student groups to raise awareness and advocate for Palestinian rights.