Big dreams for Palestinian teens at Singapore robot fest
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Palestinian participants Razan Shawar (centre), Jehad Abudayyeh (left) and Mustafa Assi competed in the Future Innovators category.
PHOTO: AFP
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SINGAPORE – Palestinian student Razan Shawar travelled for 24 hours to showcase her team’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered invention at the World Robot Olympiad in Singapore, telling AFP that innovation – not war – should be why people hear about her country.
The 15-year-old high school student from Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank said she dreams of making “something big, so the world can know that the one who did this is Palestinian”.
Together with the rest of the Palestinian delegation, she made the journey from the West Bank via Jordan and Dubai to attend the three-day global robotic tournament in Singapore that ended on Nov 28.
More than 1,500 competitors from over 90 countries and territories gathered in the South-east Asian city for the event, aimed at harnessing the innovative spirit of the world’s youth to find solutions for pressing challenges.
Malaysia stamped its class in the tournament, winning a third of the contested medals in various categories, according to an AFP tally.
Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Canada and the Philippines were also among the first-place awardees.
For the Palestinian students, who left without a medal, it was important to represent their nation on the global stage.
Palestinian delegations have attended World Robot Olympiads since 2014, but the Israel-Hamas war meant they did not send any representatives to the 2023 edition in Panama, and since then, no participants from the Gaza Strip – only the West Bank.
‘Palestinians can’
Competing in the Future Innovators senior category, 2025’s Palestinian delegation created a robot that can be used to boost agriculture production.
The Agribot, supported by AI technology, works by measuring six key soil parameters, including moisture, acidity and nutrients, using sensors.
It takes precise readings with its mechanical arm, and the analysis can help farmers increase yield and reduce waste.
The students now aim to make it easily available to farmers who mostly rely on traditional methods, said Razan.
Palestinian participants (from left) Razan Shawar, Mustafa Assi and Jehad Abudayyeh with the robot they designed for the Future Innovators category.
PHOTO: AFP
Jehad Abudayyeh, 16, said that agriculture “is so important in our country... because it’s a way of life. I’m very happy that my project will help them”.
Team member Mustafa Assi, who is also 16 and hopes to become an information technology engineer, dreams of a more conducive environment for technology to thrive.
“I hope my country will be safer and the war ends,” he said.
Razan hopes to shine a light on other aspects of Palestinian life apart from conflict.
“We want to show the world that we are not just under war, that we can... stand here and show people and the world that we can do this, we can be in this competition,” she said.
“We made our project, we’re proud of it,” she added.
“Palestine has students who aim to be better, and show the world that Palestinians can.” AFP
