Arwa Hanin elected as first Palestinian president of Oxford Union

LONDON: Palestinian student Arwa Hanin Al-Rais, who studies Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, has been elected as the president of the Oxford Union.

The Oxford Union president is chosen through a student voting process within the Union, a debating society run by Oxford University students. Only current members—usually Oxford students—can run, often with prior Union experience. Candidates campaign through speeches, plans, and member engagement, and the president is elected by secret ballot for a one-term tenure. The position is highly prestigious, with the Union serving as a key platform for student leadership and debate since 1823.

Arwa will serve as president during Trinity Term 2026 (April to June). This marks the first time in the 202-year history of the Oxford Union that a Palestinian student has held this honor.

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Her father, Muhammad Al-Rais, expressed his joy on social media, noting that his daughter is the first Arab woman, Palestinian, and Algerian to be elected to this position.