Palestinian solidarity campaigners to fly kites for Palestine in Derry’s Brooke Park

All proceeds from the event, organised by the Derry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), will go towards a food drop for the besieged Gaza strip.

“In honour of Palestinian poet, academic and teacher Refaat Alareer and his message of hope for our youth Derry IPSC announces our event ‘Kites For Palestine’ on Sunday, July 28 at 1pm in Brooke Park, Derry.

"We will have some kites made ready for the kids to decorate and fly and feel free to bring your own as well. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

"This is a fundraiser for Fund a Food Drop for Gaza and Derry IPSC,” chairperson Catherine Hutton said.

Mr. Alareer was killed in an Israeli air strike in Northern Gaza on December 6.

The theme of ‘Kites For Palestine’ is inspired by the final poem he wrote before he was killed by the Israeli armed forces, ‘If I must die’.

The poem reads: ‘If I must die,

you must live

to tell my story,

to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth

and some strings,

(make it white with a long tail)

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza

while looking heaven in the eye

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze—

and bid no one farewell

not even to his flesh

not even to himself—

sees the kite, my kite you made,

flying up above

and thinks for a moment an angel is there

bringing back love

If I must die

let it bring hope

let it be a tale.’

As of this Wednesday of this week 39,145 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its siege and bombardment of Gaza last year, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health.

The United Nations estimates 1.9m people – 90 per cent of the population of Gaza – have been internally displaced.

The UN also estimates that at least 1,300 Israelis were killed and 3,200 injured in the Hamas-led attacks on the kibbutzim on Israel’s border with Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Bloody Sunday Trust in Derry donates £20,000 to Palestine