Aston University cuts graduation livestream as student dedicates degree to deceased child

Aston University cut its graduation livestream whilst a student was dedicating their degree to a deceased child.

Yazan Danis, an Aston University BSc product design and innovation graduate from Palestine, dedicated his degree to Hind Raja, a five year-old girl who was killed in Gaza.

While the event’s livestream was cut as Yazan began to speak about Palestine during his graduation on July 16, a video of his speech has been shared on social media.

During his speech, Yazan emphasised the significance of education saying it “can be just as destructive as ignorance”. He encouraged his fellow graduates to be careful when applying their skills as “education only holds meaning if we apply it with conscience, passion, and responsibility”.

Yazan also urged graduates to look into prospective companies, saying: “Many of us are applying for jobs…But before you click the apply button, ask yourself what they are doing in other countries far from their polished headquarters?”

@naumaan.ibn.akbarGreatest graduation speech you’ll ever hear – Aston 2025 – Palestine♬ original sound – ibn akbar

Hind Raja was killed in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza after being shot 335 times. Hind was found dead in February 2024 following the death of her family in front of her. According to reports, Hind was killed alongside the paramedics eager to save her life.

Commemorating Hind’s life, Yazan said “Hind taught me more than any degree could ever do. She showed me the real cost behind our inaction and silence.”

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Yazan then addressed his fellow graduates, adding: “I know this isn’t the usual ending to a graduation speech. But if I stood here and said nothing, it would have meant that I was complicit.

“So use your education, use your voice, and never accept normal when normal is built on injustice.”

According to Birmingham Live, Yazan had previously featured in a promotional video for the university, speaking about his aspirations to use his skills to make prosthetics more affordable for amputees in Palestine. He claimed he wanted to make “things that matter”.

An Aston University spokesperson said: “Our graduation ceremonies are formal university events celebrating the achievements of all our students from diverse backgrounds and communities.

“While we deeply respect that our students hold varied personal perspectives on current events, these ceremonies are designed to honour academic accomplishments and serve our entire university community, including families and viewers of all ages who attend in person or watch via our live stream.

“To maintain the celebratory and inclusive nature of these events and ensure they remain focused on recognising student academic achievements, we made the decision to pause the live broadcast during a portion of the ceremony. In keeping with our commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all attendees and viewers of all backgrounds and cultures, we have not published the video of the segments that departed from the ceremonial programme.”

Featured image via TikTok