“O little light in me, don’t die,
even if all the galaxies of the world
close in.
O little light in me, say:
Enter my heart in peace.
All of you, come in!”
—Extract from Not Just Passing, original poem by Heba Abu Nada
Heba Abu Nada’s literary skill—as a novelist and poet—had won recognition prior to her being killed in an Israeli airstrike in October 2023. Since then her work has been translated and provided inspiration in and beyond her homeland.
Most recently, an extract from her poem “A star said yesterday” featured in an open letter from 380 writers, published in May 2025.
At this student-led event, we welcome Heba’s sister, Somaia, to reflect on her sibling’s work. Naomi Foyle (editor of A Blade of Grass: New Palestinian Poetry, 2017) and a series of Cambridge academics will then offer commentary from the perspectives of theology and literature.
Honouring lost voices
Speaking in anticipation of the event, Somaia Abu Nada said:
“This event honours Heba Abu Nada, whose verses clung to the soil of Palestine, and whose love for her land have outlived even her final breath.”
Encouraging people to attend, one of the organisers explained:
“This is an opportunity to appreciate the loss of Palestinian voices, as well as to witness and reflect upon the majesty of Palestinian poetry and literary culture.”-- Luke Wilkinson (Faculty of Divinity PhD candidate)
About the speakers
Somaia Abu Nada
Somaia Abu Nada is the younger sister of the late Palestinian writer Heba Abu Nada. A former Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant, she holds a BA in English Literature and an MA in Translation Studies. Somaia is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree in Applied Intercultural Communication at Trinity College Dublin. Throughout her career, she has worked as a teacher, writer, translator, and coordinator.
Naomi Foyle
Dr Naomi Foyle is a British-Canadian poet, science fantasy novelist, essayist, and theatre maker. Her cultural activism for a just peace in Palestine/Israel includes editing the bilingual anthology A Blade of Grass: New Palestinian Poetry (Smokestack Books, 2017). She is Reader in Critical Imaginative Writing at the University of Chichester, and Poetry and Fiction Editor of Critical Muslim.
Cambridge commentators
In addition to the guest speakers, Dr Giles Waller (Research Associate & Senior Teaching Associate in Theology & Literature), Dr Hina Khalid (Affiliated Researcher) and Dr Tanya Kundu (Research Associate in Theology, Gender and Sexuality) will each offer a reflection. All three are members of the Cambridge Interfaith Research Forum and longstanding contributors to the Faculty of Divinity.
About the organisers
The event is coordinated by a group of Cambridge PhD students, with additional support from the REAL Centre and the Edu-MENA Research Network.
The Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre pioneers research into overcoming barriers to education, such as poverty, gender, ethnicity, language and disability, and promotes education as an engine for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Learn more about the Real Centre and its work (via educ.cam.ac.uk).
Edu-MENA is a student-led initiative based at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. Focused on the MENA region, Edu-MENA facilitates collaborative research, promotes diverse regional scholarship, and maintains continuity of collective knowledge across student cohorts. The group aims to serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research that addresses educational challenges and drives meaningful impact in the region and beyond.
This event is supported by a small grant from the Cambridge Interfaith Research Forum.
Registration
Please use the link below to register. The event will be livestreamed and recorded.
Learn more about Heba Abu Nada
“Everything genuine reminds me of you, Heba”—Somaia Abu Nada remembers her sister (via LitHub.com)