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Father of slain student Aiia Maasarwe honours her memory with fellowship

The father of an international student murdered in Melbourne has launched a fellowship to ensure her positive legacy lives on.

The Aiia Maasarwe Memorial Medical Fellowship Program will provide financial support to Palestinian physicians training in Israeli hospitals.

Father Saeed Maasarwe launched Project Rozana in honour of his 21-year-old daughter in Melbourne on Sunday.

“I hope we cannot forget Aiia. Aiia all the time, she think positive and think good for everyone,” he said, in broken English.

“I wish all the people can just remember Aiia for the good thing(s) and the positive and to look every day in the light, not in the dark things.”

The fellowship aims to ensure that Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza receive the same level of health care as in Israel.

The organisation will work to build a better understanding between Israelis and Palestinians through health initiatives.

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The site of Aiia Maasarwe’s murder was covered by a carpet of flowers. Photo: AAP

The death of Ms Maasarwe, a Palestinian Arab of Israeli citizenship who had moved to Australia to study, sent shock waves across the country.

Rallies were organised across Australia to show support to the Maasarwe family.

Codey Herrmann has pleaded guilty to beating Ms Maasarwe over the head with a metal pole, sexually assaulting her and setting her on fire in Bundoora. He is due to be sentenced on Tuesday.

Mr Maasarwe is also in town to see justice served for his daughter.

“I hope justice will take these people (sic) far away from the society,” he said.

Labor MP Jacinta Allan said the state government has been working closely with the family to support them through “a really difficult and awful time for them”.

-AAP

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