LONDON: Supporters in the UK capital showed their solidarity with Palestine by attending a two-day interactive event in east London’s artsy Shoreditch area, organizers said.
Palestine Pop-Up exhibited 21 illustrations from the new Injustice Illustrated collection, each highlighting a certain aspect of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, the UK-based non-governmental organization Friends of Al-Aqsa said.
Visitors got to enjoy interactive installations, including a 2.5-meter pencil, to “show the injustice taking place under Israeli apartheid and to raise awareness of key BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaigns, including #BoycottPUMA and #BoycottCocaCola,” said FOA, which promotes equality and justice in Palestine against Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid regime.
The event, which was held on Dec. 17 and 18 and was aimed at people of all ages interested in learning about Palestine, also featured competitions and distributed prizes throughout the weekend.
A Palestinian arts and crafts session was held for children, where they were able to learn about Palestine through designing, making and decorating badges, tote bags, bracelets and cupcakes.
On Saturday night, the venue transformed “into a hub for like-minded people to connect, exchange ideas and get inspired to build a stronger movement for Palestine in 2023,” FOA said.
“Last year, Israel brutally attacked Gaza, murdering 67 Palestinian children in May. Israeli forces also attacked peaceful worshippers at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan. This year, 2022, has been the deadliest year for Palestinian children since 2007, and this Ramadan over 250 worshippers were once again attacked by Israeli forces,” said Shamiul Joarder, head of public affairs at FOA.
“Even when Palestine isn’t making headlines, Israeli apartheid continues. Just this week, 16-year-old Jana Zakarneh was the latest victim of Israeli violence. Palestine Pop-Up will galvanize supporters to create stronger campaigns for Palestine in 2023, the 75th year of the ongoing Nakba,” he added.
The event was organized as part of FOA’s Silver Anniversary celebrations and the launch of its new website.