When I first started working with GGM I learned about the thrice weekly “Twitter Spaces.”  (yes, I know the site is called “X” now but forgive me for not embracing that. It will always be Twitter in my heart.)

“Spaces” as they are commonly called were completely new to me. It was super easy to get connected. At the GGM Twitter there is a reminder posted which you can click to get a notification. (details at the end of this post)

What I want to share with you here is what those Spaces are like because it wasn’t anything like I expected. And every time the Space leaves me with all sorts of feelings not to mention an armload of information that I could never get anywhere else.

Here is what happens:

When you join the Space, after just a couple of minutes of settling in, it begins with an update from on the ground in Gaza. This is why I recommend joining on time. You don’t want to miss this part.

This update is provided by Ahmed, A Human from Gaza (@Ahmadtalks2). Ahmed is the founder of this project and the report he begins the space with is the start of an emotional roller coaster ride you won’t soon forget.

The update from the ground is usually the toughest part of the Space. You will hear just exactly what the scene is in Gaza, the destruction and assorted horrors that he’s personally witnessed in the time since his last report as well as reports he’s been given from friends and relatives. You will hear about the famine. You will learn details about how they survive daily on dust and ashes. You will hear stories of terrible loss.

And all of it comes directly from Ahmed with a background of the incessant buzzing of low-flying drones and the occasional loud blast from a nearby strike. 

I will admit, it’s nerve-wracking to listen to sometimes. Imagine how it is for Ahmed. Sometimes the host will ask him if he needs to get to a safer place and Ahmed replies, “Where am I gonna go?” He has said that giving us this information is his duty and nothing will keep him from that.

School Updates and Progress

Following that update we get updates on the state of the 2 tent schools. This is when the roller coaster starts to move upward. We hear about the growth and expansion of the schools which is nothing short of remarkable by any measure, much less in a war zone. Ahmed is often joined in this part by other teachers there in Gaza. We have the benefit of all their perspectives.

Continuing on the roller-coaster we then hear stories of the children and their accomplishments. We hear about the teachers and their endless creativity, caring and dedication to their work and to the children.

Basically we see what makes the whole Gaza Great Minds project so incredibly beautiful, so uplifting: it never stops growing, it never stops making strides of every kind, every day. Somehow, despite the dire setting, the tents are a light, an oasis of positive action, of love, of hope, and achievement.

The teachers and students take education seriously and the tents are officially recognised as real schools. But there is also a play area and toys. There are parties and events because they all need that sometimes. There is food when available. Family participate. There is on-site psychological help, and a speech therapy area. And we get to hear about all of it. We are brought right into the tent.

There are sad stories too. We hear about the unimaginable losses the children have suffered and the difficulty for some of them to even be at the school. But then we hear how the school supports them and uplifts their spirits, and consequently ours as well. There is healing taking place, for everyone.

The Audience

Audience participation is a big part of the Space. People share their feelings and insights about what they are hearing, what they are learning. And everyone agrees that just being there, together in the Space, is good for their hearts, for their well-being, for their emotional and mental health. To have the rare opportunity to connect in such an intimate setting is something we can do when it seems like there is nothing we can do.

Having the Twitter Space is empowering for everyone involved. If you haven’t joined I would encourage you to check it out. You may, like me, find yourself at times emotionally exhausted from the roller-coaster but then brother Ahmed’s sign-off prayer at the end will be a quiet moment of meditation that will leave you feeling stronger.

I will warn you that we experience our share of technical difficulties because joining by internet from Gaza is beyond tricky. Hearing Ahmed describe what he has to go through just to get a signal will make you never again take for granted your cozy home wifi. And there is also a fair amount of translating between Arabic & English for some of the listeners so just go with it.

It’s all an experience like no other and you will get out of it more than you could have ever imagined.