GOLDMAN MILL

The Sovereign Microstate of Peace

NEWS “We watch. We learn. We act.” By George Lee Weston Special to the Mill Messenger November 5, 2026 They are watching from a small trio of islands in the Atlantic, but they are not looking away. As protests continue to spread across the United States, Europe, and parts of the Global South—sparked by the…

By

Messenger Staff

—

, ,

Pax University Students Address Global Protests

NEWS

“We watch. We learn. We act.”

By George Lee Weston
Special to the Mill Messenger
November 5, 2026

They are watching from a small trio of islands in the Atlantic, but they are not looking away.

As protests continue to spread across the United States, Europe, and parts of the Global South—sparked by the US midterm elections, the ongoing war in Gaza, the climate crisis, and the rise of right-wing movements internationally—students at Pax University have been following the news with the kind of attention that comes from a deep, personal understanding of what is at stake.

The Mill Messenger spoke with five Pax University students this week about what they see, what they think, and what they believe Millers can or should do in response.

 

Pictured in Harvey Milk Park on the edge of Pax University on Nov, 4, 2026 // Dawn Renner – Mill Messenger: l-r: Aisha Rahman, Tomas Lindqvist, Rosa Pax Connell, Daniel Pax Okafor, and Micah Pax Renner Ware
Pictured in Harvey Milk Park on the edge of Pax University on Nov, 4, 2026 // Dawn Renner – Mill Messenger: l-r: Aisha Rahman, Tomas Lindqvist, Rosa Pax Connell, Daniel Pax Okafor, and Micah Pax Renner Ware

 

“The stakes feel personal.”

Aisha Rahman, a 21-year-old third-year student from the Harambee District, studies peace education and satyagraha. She has been watching the US protests closely.

“I have family in Michigan,” she said. “They voted for El-Sayed. They marched for Gaza. They organized for abortion rights. And they are exhausted. They are tired of being told that their lives, their rights, their futures are up for negotiation. The protests are not just about politics. They are about survival.”

Rahman said the Mill has a responsibility to support the movements in the United States—not with weapons, but with solidarity.

“We can offer mediation. We can offer peace education. We can offer our voice in the international press. We can remind the world that another way is possible. That is what the Mill is for.”

“We cannot afford to be complacent.”

Tomas Lindqvist, a 23-year-old fourth-year student from the Snowshine District, studies economics and climate policy. He has been following the climate protests in Europe with a mixture of hope and frustration.

“I grew up in Snowshine,” he said. “I know what it is to live in a place that is defined by the climate. The snow, the cold, the long winters. And I know that the climate crisis is not abstract. It is not a problem for the future. It is here now.”

Lindqvist said the protests in Europe—led by young people, by climate activists, by the same generation that is watching its future being sold out by corporations and governments—should be a wake-up call.

“We cannot afford to be complacent,” he said. “We have a solar grid. We have a sustainable economy. But we are not isolated from the world. The climate crisis is global. And if we want to protect our own island, we have to fight for the world.”

“The voices of the marginalized must be centered.”

Rosa Pax Connell, a 20-year-old second-year student from the Fernandez District, studies sociology and gender studies. She has been following the protests in the Global South—particularly in Sudan, Congo, and Palestine—with a heavy heart.

“I have friends who are Sudanese,” she said. “I have friends who are Congolese. I have friends who are Palestinian. And I know that the protests in those countries are not just about politics. They are about survival. They are about dignity. They are about the right to exist.”

Connell said the Mill must not fall into the trap of seeing the protests through a Western lens.

“We are a small nation,” she said. “We are not a superpower. But we have a voice. And we have a responsibility to use it. The voices of the marginalized must be centered. The voices of the people who are actually on the front lines—in Gaza, in Sudan, in Congo, in the United States—must be heard. And we must listen.”

“The Mill must be a sanctuary.”

Daniel Pax Okafor, a 22-year-old third-year student from the Olive Branch District, studies international law and human rights. He has been following the protests in Europe with particular interest.

“The right wing is rising in Europe,” he said. “In Hungary, in France, in Germany, in Italy. And the protests are a response to that. People are tired of being scapegoated. They are tired of being told that their existence is a threat. They are tired of being told that there is no room for them.”

Okafor said the Mill has a responsibility to offer sanctuary to those who are facing persecution.

“We are a small nation,” he said. “We cannot take in the whole world. But we can take in some. We can offer refuge to those who are fleeing violence, persecution, and oppression. That is what the Mill was founded for. That is what the Mill is for.”

“We must act.”

Micah Pax Renner Ware, a 19-year-old first-year student from Jubilance, is the son of Mill Messenger business editor and investigative reporter Marcus Ware and Armchair Activist pamphleteer Wendell Renner. He studies peace education and journalism, and he has been watching the protests with the kind of attention that comes from growing up in a family that has dedicated its life to peace.

“I have been thinking about what my parents would do,” he said. “My pop would write. My dad would report. They would use their voices to speak the truth. They would use their platforms to amplify the voices of the people who are actually on the front lines.”

Micah said the Mill should offer peace education and mediation support to the movements in the United States and around the world.

“We have resources,” he said. “We have skills. We have expertise. We can offer training in nonviolent resistance. We can offer mediation. We can offer our voices. We can offer our support. We must act. Because if we do not act, we are complicit.”

What Can Millers Do?

The students offered several suggestions for Millers who want to support the protests:

  • Donate to humanitarian organizations working in Gaza, Sudan, Congo, and other conflict zones.

     

    Organizations with Multi-Region Presence

    • International Rescue Committee (IRC) — Provides healthcare, clean water, and protection for women and children in Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan, and Lebanon.

    • Doctors Without Borders (MSF) — Delivers impartial medical humanitarian aid, including surgery, trauma care, and mental health support, in high-risk zones such as Gaza, Sudan, and Congo.

    • Save the Children — Focuses on children’s survival and rights, setting up child-friendly spaces, providing nutrition supplements, and running mobile health clinics in Gaza, Sudan, and Lebanon.

    • UNICEF — Delivers emergency medical supplies, water, and education kits specifically for children in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo.

    • Catholic Relief Services (CRS) — Works with local partners like Caritas to provide emergency cash assistance, food, and shelter to families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other crisis zones.

    Organizations with Regional Focus

    Gaza & Palestine

    • Anera — Specializes in the Middle East, delivering millions of meals and medical kits to Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

    • Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) — A UK-based charity focused on healthcare and emergency medical response in Gaza, the West Bank, and refugee camps in Lebanon.

    • Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) — Provides free medical care for sick and injured children in Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon.

    • Islamic Relief — Has been operating in Palestine since 1997, providing food, water, medical supplies, and psychosocial support.

    • Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) — Supports partners in Gaza, such as the Al-Najd Developmental Forum, to distribute emergency food packages and water storage containers to displaced families.

    Sudan

    • Sudanese American Physicians’ Association (SAPA) — Highly rated for community impact, delivering critical healthcare and running paediatric hospitals in Sudan.

    • Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) — Distributes food parcels to poor and affected families in Sudan and operates in Gaza.

    • Qatar Charity — Has delivered food, shelter, and non-food items to displaced families from Darfur and El Fasher in Sudan.

    • Human Appeal — Has reached over 862,000 people in Sudan and Chad with food parcels, hot meals, and clean water. They also run a bakery in Khartoum that produces 15,800 loaves of bread daily.

    • Women’s Response Rooms (via Malala Fund) — Defined and led by Sudanese women, these local volunteers provide lifesaving assistance and create safe pathways back to learning for girls.

    Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

    • Action Against Hunger — Runs specific appeals for Sudan and Congo, focusing on malnutrition, food security, and sanitation.

    • Panzi Foundation (via Malala Fund) — A leader in survivor-centred care for survivors of sexual violence, providing medical care, midwifery, and pathways to education and skills training.

  • Support the Armchair Activist and other organizations that are mobilizing Millers to call voters and support progressive candidates around the world.

  • Offer peace education and mediation training to activists and organizers.

  • Amplify the voices of the marginalized through WGPM Radio, the Mill Messenger, and the Verdant Square Network.

  • Pressure the State Council to offer sanctuary to refugees and to use the Mill’s diplomatic voice to advocate for peace and justice.

“We are a small nation,” Micah Renner Ware said. “But we are a nation of peace. And we have a voice. Let us use it.”

Leave a Reply