President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Henry Rajendra, addressed the Nationwide March for Palestine at Sydney’s Hyde Park on 24 August 2025. The following is an extract from his speech:
On behalf of the tens of thousands of public school and TAFE teacher members of the NSW Teachers Federation, I offer warm greetings of peace and solidarity to you all.
I also want to call out the unions here today, the incredible union movement, workers of NSW standing together behind the banner – Unions for Peace.
Peace is union business.
We share with you the deep sorrow we all must feel at the genocide, starvation and now famine inflicted on the people of Gaza. The genocide, starvation and famine we witness every minute of the day via news broadcasts.
As a teacher union, I assure you, our members educate for peace, not war.
In 1947, former president of our union, Sam Lewis, attended the second conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in Mexico City.
Not long after Sam returned from that conference in Mexico, UNESCO declared that “All Wars Are Fought Against Children”. Sam ensured that this concept was embedded into the political psyche of the NSW Teachers Federation.
I want you to know about a unanimous decision carried recently by the Executive of the NSW Teachers Federation regarding the genocide and starvation in Gaza.
In part, it states:
The NSW Teachers Federation stands resolute in its urgent and active support for the children, teachers and broader population of Gaza and all Palestinian people under occupation who are enduring unconscionable pain, suffering, starvation and bombardment.
The Federation emphatically restates its commitment to the Australian Council of Trade Unions statement on Gaza and strongly supports the call for the Albanese government to impose immediate sanctions on Israel and join with nations across the globe in recognising the state of Palestine at the United Nations.
Further, we resolve to work with the union movement in NSW, and across Australia as well as civil society and community groups, and government to achieve peace and justice for the Palestinian people and a political and diplomatic settlement consistent with United Nations’ resolutions.
We educate for peace, not war. All wars are fought against children.
Peace is union business.
In solidarity. Thank you.
