‘We love life if we can find a way to it‘ Mahmoud Darwish’s
In these darkest times, people are finding joy any which way they can – dancing, singing, playing music, and more.
Yet, Tareq Hajjaj, Gaza Correspondent for Mondoweiss writes, after relaying the relentless horrors he has to report, ‘Sadness looms over the hearts of the Palestinians in Gaza. It is slowly killing them and turning them into people who are losing hope little by little.’
We have implored, marched, demanded the War on Gaza to end, yet it continues. But it will end, and again the people in Gaza will descend on the beaches to swim, float and just hang about.
Our Swim With Gaza this year is to keep faith with the people of Gaza, that things can and will get better.
If you would like to join Swim With Gaza this year, sign up HERE.
Last year’s Swim with Gaza
Last year we had a glorious Swim with Gaza in over 40 locations around the world. See more here from last year.
Carried on Al Jazeera.
This year could not be more different
After nine months of bombardment and invasion by a ruthless army in which tens of thousands are being killed and housing and infrastructure destroyed, how can we think of swimming?
Survival is foremost in everybody’s minds.
But people are going to the beach in Gaza, even now, to swim. Some are living on the beach in tents.
Volunteer lifeguards keeping a watchful eye, but there are not enough of them for 5km of beach they watch. From July to Mid-August the tide is high and there are strong currents.
Despite all, people are still going to the beach.
‘Despite the pain, despite the war, these people deserve to life. Bombing, death, starvation, siege and serious diseases – but here are the people of Gaza.
Even if there are only five people in the water this year, we will swim with them and in solidarity with all in Gaza.
Gaza Swimming Carnival
Amjed Tantish, our partner in Gaza, has been displaced many times. When talking to him three months ago, he was hoping to have his swimming Carnival in Gaza this summer. This seems impossible now.
With a permanent ceasefire, maybe a swimming festival in November would be possible. We will be organising a Swim With Gaza in November as well for swimmers in the Southern Hemisphere.
‘We made our own pool’
See the safe sea swimming pool Amjed Tantish built 8 years ago from the rubble of war in 2014.
The safe sea swimming pool 8 years ago! The pool i built from the rubbles of war 2014 ! (Amjed Facebook page)
Amjed said, ‘I will be resuming swimming activities and will be building more such beautiful pools as soon as the war is ended Regardless of all Challenges!’
If we are able to get money to Amjed, we will be coming back to you to fund the new pool. It might just be moving the remains of buildings to create an enclosed safe space for children, like this one, or it may be more ambitious if resources are available.