Children and families flew kites for the children of Gaza at Lermont-Wiradguri Park in Bathurst on February 11.
Speaking at the event, organiser聽Kate Demaere reported that on July 29, 2011, the children of Gaza launched 15,000 kites, breaking the world record, during the campaign to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Demaere said it was important for regional areas to take action for Palestine, depite the 鈥渢yranny of distance鈥.聽
Palestinian activist Khaled Ghannam spoke about the crimes of the Israeli occupation and聽the need for聽a ceasefire. He聽urged politicians to sign petitions supporting a ceasefire and the need to send immediate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
鈥淔lying kites, playing with the kids safely is normal here but we cannot do it back home in Gaza,鈥 Ghannam said. 鈥淚n Palestine, kids are scared to go out. They hear bombs 24 hours a day, they cannot have a normal life.
鈥淲e hope one day you can come to Palestine and your kids can play with our kids there.鈥
One speaker recited 鈥淚f I must die鈥,聽poem by the martyr Refaat Alareer, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on December 6.
If I must die
By Refaat Alareer
If I聽must die,
you must聽live
to tell my聽story聽
to sell my聽things聽
to buy a聽piece of聽cloth聽
and some聽strings,聽
(make it white with a聽long tail)聽
so that a聽child, somewhere in聽Gaza聽
while looking heaven in the聽eye聽
awaiting his dad who left in a聽blaze鈥斅
and bid no one聽farewell聽
not even to his聽flesh聽
not even to聽himself 鈥斅
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up聽above聽
and thinks for a聽moment an angel is聽there聽
bringing back聽love聽
If I聽must die
let it bring聽hope聽
let it be a聽tale
[Join to get involved.]