Exiled Psychiatrist Fadel Afana's Journey: Rafah to Paris
Fadel Afana's daily routine in Paris is far cry from the chaos and turmoil back home in Gaza. As a Palestinian psychiatrist, he's been taking the public transport for two hours, donning a white coat at Sainte-Anne Hospital since 2024. For Afana, this routine is a breath of fresh air amidst the horror and devastation plaguing his hometown.
This professional opportunity, a lifesaver for him, his wife, and their two children, was granted through the PAUSE Program, a French initiative that began in 2017. Spearheaded by the Collège de France, the program extends a helping hand to scientists and artists in exile due to conflicts or persecution.
On April 25, 2025, 16 more Gazans made it to France, reuniting with their families who were stranded at the Egyptian-Gaza border due to a closure for an entire year. Laura Loheac, PAUSE's director, couldn't be more thrilled.
While the harsh realities of global conflicts make headlines, little attention is paid to the countries these candidates call home. The PAUSE Program, however, mirrors the political landscape, with applicants hailing from conflict zones like Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and Africa to as recent as Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, and Palestine since 2021.
In essence, PAUSE represents the beacon of hope in desperate times, offering a haven for intellectuals grappling with threats and persecution. The program's influence, though grounded in France, resonates globally, underscoring the need to safeguard scholars in distress. Countries like Spain have followed suit, offering incentives to U.S. researchers apprehensive about academic restrictions.
Such initiatives signify the pressing need for international protection of scholars and artists, highlighting the growing concern for their well-being amidst unfavorable circumstances at home.
- The transport system in Paris serves as a welcomed change for Fadel Afana, a Palestinian psychiatrist who spends two hours commuting, as part of his daily routine since 2024.
- Gaza, the home town of Dr. Afana, is in stark contrast to the peace he experiences in Paris, where he works at Sainte-Anne Hospital.
- The 16 Gazans who arrived in France on April 25, 2025, were reunited with their families who were stranded at the Egyptian-Gaza border due to a year-long closure, under the PAUSE Program.
- The PAUSE Program, launched in 2017, extends support to scientists and artists in exile due to conflicts or persecution, including countries like Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, and Palestine since 2021.
- PAUSE program, an initiative of the Collège de France, strives to be a beacon of hope for intellectuals dealing with threats and persecution in their home countries, inspiring similar initiatives worldwide, such as those in Spain and the call for safeguarding scholars globally.
