speech in urdu school

Waldain ki Izzat/ Ehtaram Essay in Urdu

Best urdu speech ever in written form, urdu speech on hope and motivation, garmi ka mausam essay in urdu.

Urdu Speeches

Find the best Urdu Speeches Online

Namaz Essay in Urdu

Warzish ke Faiday Essay in Urdu

اُردو تقاریر اور مضامین | urdu speeches & essays in written form, urdu speech hub best urdu content on internet.

You May Have Missed

Taleem e Niswan Essay in Urdu

• Uncategorized

Khawaten Ke Haqooq | Urdu Speech on Women’s Rights

Emotional Written Speech about Father in Urdu

Islam is the Religion of peace Urdu Speech

Funny Farewell Speech in Urdu PDF

Shama har Rang May Jalti Hay Sehar Honay Tak Urdu Speech

• Urdu Serious

Urdu Speech on “Shaheed ki Jo Maut hay, Wo Qaum ki Hayat Hay”

Sad Poetry in Urdu in Written Form

speech in urdu topic/100 best Speech topics in urdu

Speech in urdu topic.

• پاکستان میں دینی تعلیم کی اہمیت
• خواتین کے حقوق
• پاکستان کی ثقافتی زندگی
• ماحولیاتی آلودگی  اسباب اور سد باب
• نوجوانوں کا قومی تعمیر و ترقی میں کردار
• سوشل میڈیا کے اثرات
• پاکستان میں صحت اور صفائی کے روحجانات
• قومی تعطیلات اور ان کی اہمیت
• مسئلہ کشمیر : تاریخی پسِ منظر
• پاکستانیوں کا رول ماڈل
• غربت کم کرنے کے اقدامات
• روزمرہ زندگی پر ٹیکنالوجی کے اثرات
• ماحولیاتی تبدیلی اور پاکستان
• اُردو زبان کی اہمیت
• کاروبار اور چھوٹے کاروبار کی ترقی
• پاکستانی روایتی کھانے ؛صحت کے فوائد یا نقصانات
• شہروں کی آبادی میں بے ہنگم اضافہ اسباب اور سدِ باب
• مذہبی ہم آہنگی کی اہمیت
• پاکستانی ادب کا دنیاوی ادب سے تقابل
• CPEC (چین-پاکستان اقتصادی راہداری): مواقع اور چیلنجز
• سوشل میڈیا کا ملک کی ترقی میں کردار
• پاکستان میں ثقافتی تہوار اور جشن
• پاکستان میں سائبر سکیورٹی اور آن لائن کاروبار
• اسلامی ثقافت میں خوش نویسی کا کردار
• آبادی میں اضافہ : اسباب اور حل
• علامہ اقبال اور نوجوان
• پاکستان میں سماجی فلاحی پروگرام
• دیہی اور شہری شراکت داری کی اہمیت
• پاکستان کے ہمساؤں کے ساتھ تعلقات
• ذہانت کی اہمیت
• اسلامی بینکنگ کی اہمیت
• پاکستانی سینما: ماضی ، حال اور مستقبل
• پاکستان کی ترقی میں غیر حکومتی تنظیموں کا کردار
• پانی کی کمی اور بچاو کے اقدامات
• کووڈ-19 کے مجموعی معاشرت پر اثرات
• پاکستان میں متعدد زبانوں کو سیکھنے کے فوائد
• معاشی امکانات کے ذرائع اور چیلنجز
• پاکستان میں نیوکلیئر توانائی کا مستقبل
• جنگلات کی اہمیت
• پاکستان کی آزادی کی تاریخ
• پاکستان میں سیاحت کی صلاحیت
• ثقافتی وراثت اور حفاظت
• پاکستان کی تعلیمی اصلاحات
• پاکستان کے پڑوسی ملکوں کے ساتھ تعلقات
• پاکستان کے نوجوانوں کے سامنے چیلنجز
• پاکستان کی لوکل موسیقی کی انڈسٹری اور آلات کا کردار
• کرپشن : اسباب اور حل
• پاکستان میں بین الاقوامی صحت کا حصول
• نوجوانوں اور معاشی کاروبار
• پاکستان کے بین الاقوامی تنظیموں میں کردار
• پاکستان میں صوفیت کے اثرات
• پاکستان میں قدرتی کاشت کاری
• قائد اعظم محمد علی جناح
• تعلیمی نظام میں زراعت کی افادیت
• سوشل میڈیا کے سیاست پر اثرات
• مذہبی روایات کی ترویج
• جسمانی صحت کی اہمیت
• پاکستان ترقی میں خواتین کا کردار
• بجلی کی کمی: اسباب اور مواقع
• صفائی اور پاکستان
• پاکستانی موسیقی کے دنیا پر اثرات
• پانی کی آلودگی اسباب اور سد باب
• پاکستان میں عدم تشدد کی تحریک
• چائنہ-پاکستان دوستی کے اثرات
• پاکستان میں بچوں کی دماغی صحت
• پاکستان میں ڈیجیٹل تبدیلی
• تاریخی مقامات کی حفاظت
• پاکستان میں کھیلوں کی کارکردگی
• پاکستان میں انسانی حقوق کے مسائل
• چھوٹے کاروبار سے غربت کا خاتمہ
• ماڈل کاروبار کرنے کی اہمیت
• بچوں کی تعلیم کی اہمیت
• پاکستان میں دیانتداری کا کردار
• پانی کی آلودگی اور اصلاحات
• پاکستان میں ای-حکومت کا مستقبل
• پاکستان کا فضائی پروگرام اور کامیابیاں
• پاکستان کے معاشی معاملات
• اسلامی بینکنگ کا معاشی ترقی میں کردار
• پاکستان ترقی میں طب کا کردار
• پاکستان میں ٹیکنالوجی  کا مستقبل
• پاکستان میں دماغی صحت کے چیلنجز
• پاکستان میں نوجوانوں کا سیاست میں کردار
• بچپن کی شادی کے اثرات
• پاکستان کے کسانوں کو درپیش چیلنجز
• متاثرہ حلقوں کو قوت دینے کی اہمیت
• پاکستان کا عالمی فورموں میں کردار
• بچوں کی بدولت شادی کی ترویج کرنے کی اہمیت
• پاکستان اور قدرتی آفات
• صحت مند زندگی کی ترویج
• پاکستان میں ڈرامانگاری کی روایت
• سائبر بلیئنگ: آگاہی اور روک تھام
• تجرباتی سوچ کی اہمیت
• پاکستانی کسانوں کےچیلنجز
• متاثرہ حلقوں کو طاقت دینے کی کوشیش
• پاکستانی اقامے کی اہمیت
• پاکستان میں تعلیم کا حصول
• پاکستان میں سائنس اور ٹیکنالوجی
• پاکستان میں ذرائع آمدو رفت
• پاکستان کے پڑوسی

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Adieu with Style: Learn How to Say Goodbye in Urdu

“ Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. “ – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you’ve already studied How to Say Hello in Urdu and How to Introduce Yourself in Urdu . That’s a great place to start! But there’s one more thing you need to start having smooth interactions with native speakers: a good understanding of how to say goodbye in Urdu . 

In every culture, there are several different ways to say goodbye to someone depending on the context. Knowing which words and phrases are most appropriate for a given situation is crucial in effective communication, and doing so will make your speech more fluent. 

While learning how to say goodbye in Urdu, keep in mind that in Pakistan , people respect and appreciate the strong emotions that may come when parting ways. If you’ve made a good friend during your trip, don’t be afraid to express that you’ll really miss them when you leave; on the other hand, though, you shouldn’t be too melodramatic about your departure. In this article, UrduPod101.com will teach you how to say goodbye in Urdu like a native, in both formal and casual situations. Let’s get started! Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

• The Most Common Urdu Goodbye Phrases – Take Your Pick!
• Saying Goodbye in Casual Situations
• See you ___!
• Sentimental Farewells
• Saying Goodbye in a Hurry
• Keep in Touch
• Saying Goodbye Over the Phone or Via Text
• Just a Few More…
• Pakistani Culture: Gestures for Saying Goodbye

1. The Most Common Urdu Goodbye Phrases – Take Your Pick! 

Are you worried that you’ll use the wrong phrase when it comes time to say goodbye in the Urdu language? If so, we have good news. You can simply opt for any of the following Urdu expressions:

•  اللہ حافظ ( Allah Hafiz ) – “May God Protect”
•  اسلامُ علیکُم ( Assalam-o-Alaikum ) – “Peace be upon you”
• الوداع ( alwida ) – “adieu” / “goodbye”

Each of these phrases is versatile in that you can use them in any context, whether you’re leaving an office meeting or a bonfire party with friends. 

Here’s an example of how to use that last Urdu word for goodbye in a sentence:

• الوداع، اپنا خیال رکھئے گا۔ ( alwida, apna khayal rakhiye ga. ) – “Goodbye, take care of yourself.”

Remember that اپنا خیال رکھئے گا ( apna khayal rakhiye ga ), meaning “take care of yourself,” is always a good expression to use in tandem with other goodbye phrases in Urdu.

2. Saying Goodbye in Casual Situations

Now that you’ve learned a few generic phrases, let’s look at how to say goodbye in more casual situations. These are phrases that you would use to wish your close friends or family members well upon leaving. We’ll cover everything from slang expressions to terms of affection! Note that many of these phrases are gender-specific, meaning that you’ll say them differently depending on your gender; we’ve marked these with [brackets]. 

• اللہ کے حوالے ( Allah kay hawalay ) – “Entrusted to God”
• میں جا رہا ہوں.۔ ( mei ja raha hun. ) – “I am leaving.” [if you’re a man]
• میں جا رہی ہوں۔ ( mei ja rahi hun. ) – “I am leaving.” [if you’re a woman]
• چلتا ہوں ( chalta hun ) – “I beg to leave.” [if you’re a man]
• چلتی ہوں ( chalti hun ) – I beg to leave.” [if you’re a woman]
• لیجیے،میں نِکلتا ہوں۔ ( lijiye, mei nikalta hun ) – “I must leave now.” [if you’re a man]
• لیجیے،میں نِکلتی ہوں۔ ( lijiye, mei nikalti hun ) – “I must leave now.” [if you’re a woman]
• خدا حافظ ( khuda hafiz ) – “May God protect you.”
• تو ٹھیک ہے،میں چلوں؟ ( to theek hai, mei chaloon? ) – “Alright, should I leave?”

You probably noticed that some of these phrases sound a bit odd when translated. This is because they’re idiomatic expressions used in Urdu that don’t really translate well. Once you get used to them, though, using them in your conversations will make your speech sound more natural. 

3. Good ___. 

When parting ways in Urdu , it’s customary to wish the other person well as this is a symbol of concern and care. Natives will always take kindly to your gesture of saying goodbye with good wishes. 

• صبح بخیر ( subha bakhair ) – “Good morning.”
• شب بخیر ( shab bakhair ) – “Goodnight.”
• شام بخیر ( shaam bakhair ) – “Good evening.”
• دعا ہے کہ آپ کا ٓــــــــــــ اچھا گذرے ( du hai ka aap ka _____ acha guzray. ) – “I pray you have a good ______.”

In that last phrase, you may fill in the blank with any word that suits the situation. For example, you can choose a time-related word:

• دن ( din ) – “day”
•  ہفتہ ( hafta ) – “week”
• مہینہ ( mahina ) – “month”
•  سال ( saal ) – “year”
•  وقت ( waqt ) – “time”

4. See you ___! 

The English phrase “ see you ” can be translated as ملتے ہیں ( milty hain ) in Urdu. 

Using this structure allows you to express your hope of meeting someone again, and can even make a departure less painful. 

• بعد میں مِلتے ہیں۔ ( baad mein milte hain. ) – “See you later.”
• پھر مِلتے ہیں۔ ( phir milte hain. ) – “See you again.”
• تھوڑی دیر میں مِلتے ہیں۔ ( thodi der main milte hain. ) – “See you in a short while.”
• اگلی دفعہ ملتے ہیں۔ ( agli dafa milte hain. ) – “See you next time.”
• پھر کبھی ملتے ہیں۔ ( phir kabhi milte hain. ) – “See you some other time.”
• ــــــ کو ملتے ہیں۔ ( ______ ko milte hain. ) – “See you on _______.”

For that last phrase, you simply fill in the blank with a specific day of the week or a date. If you want to specify a particular time, you may use the following sentence pattern, filling in the blank with the exact time. 

• ــــــ بجے ملتے ہیں۔ ( ______ bajay milte hai. ) – “See you at ______.”

5. Sentimental Farewells

Have you made a lifelong friend, and you’re hesitant to finally part ways? Wish them a sentimental farewell with one of these phrases, and warm their heart! 

• میری نیک تمنائیں آپ کے ساتھ ہیں۔ ( meri naik tamannayain aap kay sath hain. ) – “My good wishes are with you.”
• آپ کے نصیب اچھے ہوں۔ ( aap kay naseeb achay hon. ) – “May you have good luck.”
• دعاؤں کے ساتھ رخصت کرتا/کرتی ہوں۔ ( duaon kay sarh rukhsat karta/karti hun. ) – “I say farewell with prayers.”

Always remember to use کرتا ہوں ( karta hun ) for males and کرتی ہوں ( karti hun ) for females in your conversations.

• دعاؤں میں یاد رکھئے گا۔ ( duaon mein yaad rakhiya ga. ) – “Remember me in your prayers.”
• آپ یاد آؤ گے/گی۔ ( aap yaad aao gay/gi. ) – “I will miss you.”

In that last sentence, you must remember to use the correct gender case. For the masculine case, you’ll use آؤ گے ( aao gay ); for the feminine case, you’ll use آؤ گی ( aao gi ). 

6. Saying Goodbye in a Hurry

When you’re running short on time and can’t afford to ask for formal permission to leave, you can always go against convention and get out of the situation at once. Here are some Urdu goodbye phrases you can use for this purpose:

• مجھے جانا ہے۔ ( mujhe jana hai. ) – “I have to go.”
• میں جلدی میں ہوں۔ ( mei jaldi mei hun. ) – “I am in a hurry.”
• ضروری کام آن پڑا ہے۔ ( zaroori kaam aan parha hai. ) – “It’s very urgent.”
• اجازت چاہتا/چاہتی ہوں۔ ( ijazat chahta/chahti hun. ) – “I ask for your permission.”

Once again, be mindful and use the correct gender case. To be precise: for the masculine case, use اجازت چاہتا ہوں ( ijazat chahta hun ); for the feminine case, go with اجازت چاہتی ہوں ( ijazat chahti hun ) .

7. Keep in Touch

No doubt, courtesy demands that you show your care for the other person when saying goodbye, and let them know you’d like to see them again. Here are some different ways to say goodbye in the Urdu language, without saying goodbye forever. 

• رابطے میں رہیے گا۔ ( rabte mei rahiye ga. ) – “Stay in touch.”
• آپ کا انتظار رہے گا۔ ( aap ka intezar rahe ga. ) – “We’ll be waiting.”
• میں آپ کے ـــــــــ کا منتظر رہوں گا/گی۔ ( mei aap ke ____ ka muntazir rahun ga/gi. ) – “I will be waiting for your _____.”

To fill in the blank space, you can mention anything that you’re going to be waiting for (such as an email, letter, message, or call). Remember that if the speaker is a man, he will say رہوں گا ( rahun ga ); if the speaker is female, she will say رہوں گی ( rahun gi ).

8. Saying Goodbye Over the Phone or Via Text 

To prepare you for phone call and text message goodbyes, let’s go through the following Urdu sentences and phrases.

• پھر بات ہوتی ہے۔ ( phir baat hoti hai. ) – “Talk to you later.”
• پانچ منٹ بعد بات کرتے ہیں۔ ( panch minute baad baat karte hain. ) – “Talk to you in five minutes.”
• اجازت دیں۔ ( ijazat dain. ) – “Allow me to leave.”
• رخصت چاہتا/چاہتی ہوں۔ ( rukhsat chahta/chahti hun. ) – “Let me leave now.”

As the quick learner you are, you probably know what I’m going to say next: For the masculine gender, you’ll use چاہتا ہوں ( chahta hun ), and for the female gender, you’ll opt for چاہتی ہوں ( chahti hun ).

 Here’s one more phrase:

• جلد بات ہوتی ہے۔ ( jald baat hoti hai. ) – “Talk to you soon.”

9. Just a Few More…

All of the phrases we covered above are great for everyday use. But there are a few more you should know to make your Urdu speech sound even more natural! 

• آپ جا سکتے/سکتی ہیں۔ ( aap ja sakte hain. ) – “You can go.”
• دروازہ کھلا ہے۔ ( darwaza khula hai. ) – “The door is open.”
• ہم آپ کو نہیں روکیں گے۔ ( hum aap ko nahi rokain gay. ) – “We will not stop you.”
• آپ کے آنے کا شکریہ۔ ( aap kay aney ka shukriya. ) – “Thank you for coming.”
• آپ کے تعاون کا شکریہ ( aap ke taawun ka shukriya. ) – “Thank you for (your) cooperation.”

10. Pakistani Culture: Gestures for Saying Goodbye 

Language and culture are intertwined. As a non-native Urdu-speaker, you have the additional burden of becoming acquainted with the Pakistani cultural nuances , as well as the language itself. So in addition to learning the common expressions in this article, you must learn the culture-specific gestures that go with them! 

We won’t go too much into detail here, but there are a few things you should keep in mind: 

• Handshakes: Handshakes are acceptable, though only between people of the same sex. 
• Hugs: Like handshakes, hugs are generally acceptable, but only between people of the same sex.
• Kisses: In some cultures, it’s normal to blow a kiss to someone, or even kiss them on the cheek, upon leaving. But this is not the case in Pakistan; you should avoid kisses altogether, as such a touch can be mistaken as an unwarranted sexual advancement.   

11. Conclusion

In this article, we’ve covered everything you need to know about saying goodbye in Urdu. After learning these basic vocabulary words, sentence patterns, and cultural insights, you should have a much better idea of what to expect when parting ways in Pakistan. 

Do you feel ready to say goodbye in the Urdu language? Or do you still have a question about something? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll be glad to help! 

In the meantime, keep exploring UrduPod101.com . We are a rich repository of Urdu learning resources, and we aim to provide you with the information and support you need to achieve your goals. If you’re not sure where to start, we have some free vocabulary lists and an Urdu-English dictionary to check out! 

Very Happy Urdu Learning! 

Or sign up using Facebook

Got an account? Sign in here

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Urdu

How to Say Hello in Urdu: Make the Perfect First Impression

How to Say I Love You in Urdu – Romantic Word List

Pakistani National Anthem: Qaumi Taraanah

Classroom Classics: A Companion to Unignorable Urdu Phrases

A Set of Widely Used Unmistakable Urdu Restaurant Phrases

How to celebrate april fools’ day in urdu.

• General Announcements
• Advanced Urdu
• Tips & Techniques
• Urdu Alphabet
• Urdu Grammar
• Urdu Lessons
• Urdu Online
• Urdu Phrases
• Urdu Podcasts
• Pakistani Holidays
• Feature Spotlight
• Success Stories
• Teaching Urdu
• Team UrduPod101
• Uncategorized
• Urdu Language
• Urdu Translation
• Word of the Day
• Working Abroad

Copyright © 2024 Innovative Language Learning. All rights reserved. UrduPod101.com Privacy Policy | Terms of Use . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Schools try to balance freedom of speech and security during student protests

Sequoia Carrillo

Schools weigh freedom of speech and safety risks as nationwide protests pop up on college campuses over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

The turmoil on college campuses over the Israel-Hamas War continues to spread. Protests and arrests at Columbia University have been followed by demonstrations and arrests at NYU and Yale as well as rallies in sit-ins at Michigan, Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. While many campuses remain calm, administrators are working to ensure the safety of all their students. NPR's Sequoia Carrillo reports.

SEQUOIA CARRILLO, BYLINE: Colleges are walking a fine line this week as students on both sides of a deeply emotional conflict take to their campuses to protest. The demonstration, says Ted Mitchell...

TED MITCHELL: They raise this really complicated tension between freedom of speech and protecting student safety.

CARRILLO: Mitchell is the president of the American Council on Education, an umbrella organization for higher-ed institutions. He's been following closely as more than a hundred students were arrested during a peaceful protest at Columbia this weekend, dozens more at Yale and then last night at NYU. Mitchell says two things are critical right now for campus leaders.

MITCHELL: First of all, to be clear about what campus policies are and what they're not, and then, second, to be consistent - and this is where I think there's been a lot of struggle, where one group feels that they are being treated differently than another group. That's a very dangerous spot for higher-ed administrators to be.

CARRILLO: At Ohio State University last week, a protest march on campus featured students chanting and calling for the university to divest from Israeli companies. Administrators are calling for students to treat each other with respect and dignity. In a statement, spokesman Ben Johnson noted that, so far, no students have been removed, but police and trained staff are on-site for demonstrations.

BEN JOHNSON: And we remind students, faculty and staff frequently that when protected speech becomes incitement or becomes a threat of violence, the university has and will always move quickly to enforce the law and enforce university policy.

CARRILLO: Harvard's president Alan Garber told the student newspaper that he could not rule out the use of police, but added that the school has a very high bar before doing so. At the University of Michigan, students have also set up an encampment on the main quad. Officials at the university provided a statement to NPR. It reads, students are able to engage in peaceful protests in many places on campus. And at the same time, the university has a responsibility to maintain an environment that is conducive to learning and academic success. No one has the right to substantially disrupt university activities or to violate laws or university policies.

Mitchell from the American Council on Education says colleges can and will move past this turmoil, but it will take time.

MITCHELL: Let's be clear. Universities are not crumbling. The actions taking place on universities are setting the table for long, deep debates - whether it's debates about investment in Israel or about two-state solutions to the Middle East politics or about the history of the region. And so this is a loud way of setting that table for the future.

CARRILLO: With graduation mere weeks away, it may be some time before students and faculty get to sit down at that table and work things through. Sequoia Carrillo, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF RAPSODY SONG, "ASTEROIDS")

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Pro-Palestinian US high school students accuse school of censoring speech

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Tom Hals and Josie Kao

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Kanishka Singh is a breaking news reporter for Reuters in Washington DC, who primarily covers US politics and national affairs in his current role. His past breaking news coverage has spanned across a range of topics like the Black Lives Matter movement; the US elections; the 2021 Capitol riots and their follow up probes; the Brexit deal; US-China trade tensions; the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan; the COVID-19 pandemic; and a 2019 Supreme Court verdict on a religious dispute site in his native India.

World Chevron

Trump Trial Live: In 'freezing' court, former president chafes

The criminal hush money trial of Donald Trump focused on testimony about checkbook journalism from ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Pennsylvania School Board Reinstates Gay Author’s Speech Amid Backlash

The Cumberland Valley School Board reversed its decision to cancel Maulik Pancholy’s speech at a middle school next month. “I cannot wait to meet all of you in person,” he said.

By Orlando Mayorquín

Less than two weeks after a Pennsylvania school board unanimously voted to cancel a gay author’s anti-bullying speech at a middle school, the board voted Wednesday night to reverse its decision and reinstate the event amid pressure from parents, students and administrators.

The 5-to-4 vote by the Cumberland Valley School District’s board came in front of scores of community members who packed a high school auditorium and, for several hours, chastised the board for having canceled the event featuring the actor and author Maulik Pancholy over what they said were homophobic concerns.

Bud Shaffner, a board member who had come under fire for introducing the motion at the April 15 meeting to cancel the speech, apologized for his comments about Mr. Pancholy’s “lifestyle.” He later introduced the motion to reinstate the speech and voted for it.

“I will accept the blame because of the insensitive word I spoke on April 15,” he said at the beginning of Wednesday’s meeting. “I fully understand the interpretation of my poor word choice.”

Many community members who spoke during the public comment period of Wednesday’s meeting rejected the contention by some board members that Mr. Pancholy’s speech had been canceled over concerns about what they called his “political activism.”

“To claim that Maulik Pancholy is a political activist and use that as a justification to cancel his event is an excuse that the public sees through ,” one person told the board.

Mr. Pauncholy, who acted on “30 Rock” and voiced Baljeet in the cartoon “Phineas and Ferb,” has written children’s books that include gay characters who confront bullying and discrimination and is often a speaker at school events. He had been scheduled to speak at an assembly on May 22 at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, a community of about 9,000 people roughly 100 miles west of Philadelphia.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Pancholy signaled that he intended to speak to students at the reinstated event.

“I cannot wait to meet all of you in person,” he said.

Two board members who voted on Wednesday against reinstating the event, Matthew Barrick and Kelly Potteiger, pointed to a link to an antiracism “tool kit” that includes guidance on staging protests and other ways to combat discrimination found on the website of the anti-bullying organization that Mr. Pancholy helped found and cited it as evidence of his political activism.

“If you cannot yet understand why I personally consider Maulik Pancholy a political activist, we can simply agree to disagree,” Mr. Barrick said at the meeting.

Mr. Barrick also said that reinstating the assembly would not give parents who objected to the speaker the choice to opt out. But another board member clarified that district policy already allowed that option.

While the overwhelming majority of the dozens of people who spoke during the public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting supported the reinstatement of the event, a handful of people who spoke backed the cancellation and agreed with the characterization of the issue as political.

Mark Blanchard, the Cumberland Valley School District's superintendent, explained at the meeting that administrators at the middle school bring young adult authors to speak every year and first contacted Mr. Pancholy about giving a speech in 2019.

He added that the administration had not had an opportunity to provide input to the board since the motion to cancel had not been on the April 15 agenda.

Some who spoke on Wednesday night during the public comment period said they felt ashamed of the move to cancel the event and were disappointed that the board’s actions were beginning to resemble those of other school boards across the country that have been enveloped in struggles over book bans and sex education.

Some former and current students at the meeting who identified themselves as members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community said that Mr. Pancholy’s speech would have helped them feel more accepted at school.

Orlando Mayorquín is a breaking news reporter, based in New York, and a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class , a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Orlando Mayorquín

Amid campus crackdowns, Gaza war triggers freedom of expression crisis

Facebook Twitter Print Email

Across the United States, “heads are rolling” at the top of some Ivy League universities amid a campus-wide crackdown on students protesting Israel’s war in Gaza, shining a spotlight on the question of freedom of expression worldwide, said UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan.

“The Gaza crisis is truly becoming a global crisis of the freedom of expression,” said Ms. Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. “This is going to have huge repercussions for a long time to come .”

Demonstrations around the world have been roundly calling for an end to the war, which began in October following Hamas-led attacks on Israel that left 1,200 people dead and 250 taken hostage, 133 of who remain captive in Gaza. 

Since then, Israeli military operations have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry, which now faces a man-made famine UN agencies have said stems from Israel’s restrictions on aid deliveries.

In an exclusive interview on Wednesday, she told UN News the way academic freedom in the United States is being restricted is infringing on people’s rights to protest  over the on-going war and occupation, including on campuses of such elite Ivy League schools as Colombia, Harvard and Yale universities.

“One after the another, the Ivy League heads of colleges and universities, their heads are rolling, they’ve been chopped off,” she said. “That clearly polarises even further the political climate on this issue between ‘them’ and ‘us’.”

Confusion over political views and hate speech

Pointing to a troubling rise in hate speech on both sides of the protests, she said that at the same time, people must be allowed to express their political views.

In many of these protests, she said there is a confusion between what is hate speech or incitement to violence and what is basically a different view of the situation in Israel and the occupied territories - or criticism of the way Israel is conducting the conflict.

“Legitimate speech must be protected,” she said, “but, unfortunately, there is a hysteria that is taking hold in the US .”

Criticising Israel is ‘perfectly legitimate’

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia must be prohibited, and hate speech violates international law, she said.

“But, we must not mix that up with criticism of Israel as a political entity, as a State,” she said. “Criticising Israel is perfectly legitimate under international law.”

She said special rapporteurs have already detected a bias against pro-Palestinian supporters on social media.

“ We need freedom of expression ,” she said, adding that it is a fundamental right that is important for democracy, development, conflict resolution and building peace.

“If we sacrifice all that, politicising the issue and undermining the right to protest and the right to freedom of expression, then I believe we are doing a disservice for which we will pay a price,” she said. “ It will be harder to negotiate if you shut down one side .”

Special Rapporteurs and other Human Rights Council -appointed experts are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and receive no salary for their work.