Palestinian Youth Movement: The catalyst mobilising a diaspora 

When systems are rendered feckless, and nations falter in complicity, it is the people who step in—the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) was born from the urgency of a people in exile, shouldering a duty to resist colonisation, preserve identity in the face of erasure, and fight, unflinchingly, for liberation. Today, this transnational grassroots movement mobilises globally; the coalition of young Palestinians and Arabs recognises that their struggle is not isolated—it is inherently connected to the broader fight against colonialism, racism and Indigenous dispossession. As part of the Dazed 100, PYM exemplifies resistance, solidarity and a commitment to meaningful action. 

Strength takes shape in the collective, and for the Palestinian diaspora, the Palestinian Youth Movement offers a vital foundation. The movement binds together organisers in Chicago, Toronto and Seattle in the US, through to the UK, Tunisia, Lebanon, and to refugee camps in Palestine. Its members strategise for the weeks and years ahead, uniting communities fractured by exile. These gatherings foster a space where young Palestinians can reaffirm their commitment to liberation while building the infrastructure to achieve it. 

In April of this year, PYM stood at the forefront of a campus encampment at Columbia University in New York City, where over 120 student-led activist groups demanded the institution divest from Israel amid the escalating death toll in Gaza. Comprising 50 tents, the encampment ignited debates over freedom of speech and the handling of campus activism as the NYPD arrested more than 100 student protesters in one of the largest mass detentions on campus since 1968. PYM’s presence was instrumental in grounding the coalition’s efforts, working alongside groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace to hold institutions accountable for their complicity in systems of oppression.

In July, PYM was a key organiser in a mass demonstration in Washington DC, mobilising thousands to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US. Partnering with groups like the ANSWER Coalition, The People’s Forum, and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, PYM unified a diverse network, including members of anti-Zionist Jewish sect Neturei Karta, in a powerful display of resistance against US support for Israeli apartheid. Organising events weekly, PYM once again rallied its members for a major protest on October 5th, marking one year since Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza, refusing to let the Palestinian struggle fade from global conversations as the world is lulled to global complacency.

PYM is distinct in its commitment to actionable steps with tangible outcomes. Last month, PYM’s investigative efforts uncovered how Maersk, the world’s largest shipping company, violated Spain’s arms embargo by funnelling military cargo to Israel’s Ministry of Defence. In partnership with Progressive International, the Movement tracked over 2,000 shipments of US-made Oshkosh devices, tank parts, and artillery systems disguised via freight forwarding firms. These findings led Spanish authorities to block two Maersk ships—though the company’s complicity continues. This is PYM in action: going beyond injustice to targeting the mechanisms that sustain it, applying strategy to solidarity.

The movement has also become a cultural hub, leveraging art and community to amplify its message. Events like The Birds Shall Return exhibition gather the diaspora to showcase Palestinian resistance through visual art, music, and storytelling. These fundraisers are tools of empowerment, generating critical proceeds for Gaza. On November 30th, PYM hosted a cultural concert and fundraiser for the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), channelling all proceeds into essential food, water, and healthcare for Palestinians on the ground. PYM’s centring of art is deliberate; a means of resilience and collective consciousness. 

“Here in the diaspora, art plays an important role: it turns each and every one of us into an unblinking witness, and the artist becomes an archivist of memory and collective consciousness,” the non-hierarchical organisation posts on Instagram, noting that the Zionist occupation targets culture workers because of its role in resistance. “Along with the more than 80 Palestinian journalists martyred so far in Gaza, the occupation forces have also murdered over 15 Palestinian poets and writers, one of whom was Refaat Alareer, who was deliberately murdered alongside his family. In their memory…we will continue art production as a means to sustain our movement.”

PYM’s impact is most visible in its fundraising efforts. Through events like its November 10th gathering at Lifta Society, the Movement raised over $23,000 for MECA’s emergency relief efforts in Gaza. By mid-November, their ‘The People Stand with Gaza’ campaign had surpassed $900,000, bringing it within reach of its $1 million goal to provide food, medical supplies and essential services to displaced Palestinians. This December, PYM is hosting a sponsorship-driven fundraising dinner in Toronto, further galvanising the community to support Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon. 

The organisation is essential for a diaspora often paralysed by the weight of mourning. A place for community and solidarity, it also offers a vital structure through which grief and anger is recast into action. PYM provides a framework for those yearning to contribute, ensuring that their efforts are focused, impactful and part of a collective drive to alleviate suffering and resist oppression. For those who seek to understand what resistance looks like in practice, the Palestinian Youth Movement offers a clear answer; organised and unrelenting, until liberation and return.