The General Union of Palestinian Students is currently sponsoring what might be the first Palestinian mural at a U.S. university.

GUPS is organizing the mural, which will be on the side of the Cesar Chavez Student Center. It is their hope that the artwork will allow other students to understand their culture.

“I believe it will be the first Palestinian mural on any campus in the U.S.,” GUPS chair Ramsey El-Qare said. “Any representation is positive.”

The mural has been approved by the Student Center Governing Board and will appear outside of the bookstore next to the Filipino mural.

It will honor the late Dr. Edward Said, a scholar, writer, and spokesman for the people of Palestine. Said was known for his critiques on comparative literature about the Middle East.

According to Ramsey El-Qare, many people do not understand Palestinian culture. GUPS wants to portray a better way for those to understand it through the mural.

“There is so much misrepresentation in the media, movies, films, and news,” Ramsey El-Qare said. “We want to show students a glimpse of Palestinian culture. A lot of people think Palestinians are all Muslims, but Said is Christian.”

Many steps have been taken to get the mural approved. The wait could take more than a year.

The process of getting a mural for the school involves a proposal to the Student Center Governing Board, said former GUPS president Charlie El-Qare, who is related to Ramsey, and Professor Mirshae McDonald who is part of the Student Center Governing Board.

A committee consisting of students and professors then discusses ideas and presents them to the campus town hall meeting. After seeing sketches of the proposed mural, the board then decides whether it will be a good addition to the campus.

It has been decided that former GUPS member and SF State Arabic professor Fayeq Oweis will provide the art. He has experience with creating murals as well as other artwork including calligraphy.

“Said had a desire for a peaceful solution,” Oweis said. “He had a duel-identity with Arabs and Americans at the same time.”

The mural will potentially include an image of Said, an olive tree - which represents the deep cultural connection that Palestinians have to their land, a dove - symbolizing universal peace, and a hatta or kuffiyya - the traditional Palestinian headdress.

GUPS students are passionate about the mural and want to honor Said.

“Said really opened my eyes,” Ramsey El-Qare said. “Being an Arab, I’m an American being colonized. There’s lots of stuff I didn’t understand.”

Ramsey El-Qare said reading some of Said’s books helped him understand his culture, and quoted Said by saying, “The west sees the east through a blurred lens.”

GUPS members hope that the mural will enlighten others about their culture.

“We struggle for positive influence,” said second semester GUPS member Chris Kazaleh, 22. “It’s a movement for Palestinian people. We’re educating people about the past and making people aware.”

Kazaleh, like many of the GUPS members, had heard about the organization before coming to SF State. He said his aunt is still active in GUPS at the age of 55.

Charlie El-Qare was also involved with GUPS before he transferred to SF State from San Francisco City College. Both he and his brother are active members in the group.

The organization has undergone some transition in the past semester, including changing the title of president to chair.

“We took away the hierarchy position because if we don’t work together then we’ll fall,” Charlie El-Qare said. “You can’t sustain a movement on one person.”

GUPS members have a goal that they want to achieve through the mural at SF State.

“Every culture has something positive,” Kazaleh said. “We want to open people’s minds and educate them on our culture.”