During a protest organised by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in Poznań, participants – including students and residents of Poznań – wrote letters for Palestinian childhoods.
SJP in Poznań writes:
As a group of students from Poznań, we are taking various actions to fight for the Palestinian people. So far, we have mainly focused on organizing protests to unite and raise awareness of the cause. We, along with other students in Poland, are fighting to break agreements with Israeli institutions and universities. We also translate texts by Palestinian authors, poets and scholars. We believe that solidarity is our biggest weapon!
Letter 1
Inshallah, you return.
and plant a garden a thousand times more beautiful.
Letter 2
Love for Palestine from a human heart
Letter 3
dear,
My name is Julia and I’m 24 years old.
I’ve been seeing things online that are happening to Palestine and I wanted to say that I empathise with your pain and my heart bleeds for all of you. I can say I live a very comfortable life, I have enough to eat and I have a safe home. I cannot even start to imagine how it must feel to not have those things. I keep thinking I want to welcome all of the children who are displaced to my home, but I know that’s impossible. I do what I can here in Poland, I tell my family and friends about Palestine and right now I’m at protest writing this. I keep repeating “from the river to the sea”. I believe that until Palestine is free, none of us in the whole world will be free. I can’t send you a hug. But I’ll draw a teddy to symbolise one.
Letter 4
Dear sweet child of Palestine,
You’re the bravest person ever. The strongest even. I’m sorry that you have to endure this, something a child never should. Please, know that your childhood is not done yet. It’s a small break, you will pick it up where you left it. You will laugh in your own house, you will celebrate Ramadan with your family, you will swim in the sea in the summer and eat the most delicious food you can think of. We’re thinking of you every day, here in Poland. Your voice is heard. You matter.
With love
Malwina
Poznań, Poland
(Europe)
Love from Students for Justice in Palestine Poland
Letter 5
Hi,
I wonder how many of you are experiencing horrors of this war not even fully understanding why all of this is happening. I hope that those of you, who can’t even imagine what could be a reason behind you and your families being subjected to this unspeakable suffering, never grow up to understand what could have caused all of that. Because truthfully, there is nothing that could ever justify what have been done to you, and you can trust that most of the world knows that and stands by your side, and will do so no matter what. When wars happen, a lot of people talk about admiring the bravery of those surviving such things, but I can only say how sorry we are, that instead of going to school, playing with friends, and simply be kids, you have to be brave. And I’m sure it takes a lot of strength to do that everyday in Gaza. We wish all of you that this nightmare will end soon and for all of you to be able to recover from those horrific events, and we hope that the still will be some childhood left for you. We wish you and your families future in safety of rightfully free Palestine, and we will do everything for your stories to be heard and justice to be brought to you all.
Sincerely,
Students from all around the world.
Letter 6
From the river to the sea Palestine will be free
Letter 7
Hello,
My name is Kala and I’m writing to you from Poland. I want you to know that you are not forgotten and even if we’re far away we do our best to speak the information and offer our support from here. Your childhood was brutally taken away from you and we will make sure the world will know about your fight.
I cannot say I know what you’re going through, I don’t. But every time I think about the children in my family, I think about you too.
with love,
Kala
Letter 8
We see you
We hear you
We support you
We are here for you
Letter 9
Dear People of Palestine,
My heart breaks for you.
No words can describe the sorrow and hurt of the people that stand with you, yet yours is incomparable to ours.
We try to remain hopeful, express our love and care for your land, your history and legacy.
We ask, we beg, we wait.
We get angry, impatient.
I feel helpless, useless in the eyes of this genocide.
I ask myself: can my actions change anything?
Many years ago my grandma went to Jerusalem, as a practising Catholic. She told me about the tall walls, the border crossings. We cried about you together.
From the river to the sea, Palestine WILL BE FREE!
We love you.
Letter 10
We see you
We hear you
Palestine will be free
Letter 11
Dear children of Palestine,
You are being seen, you are being heard.
You are being loved.
Peace
Letter 12
Hello, I’m writing to you from Poland. I’m so sorry that your suffering hasn’t stopped yet. It is unfair and unacceptable that you have to endure living in fear. No child should feel hunger, pain, grief.
From my heart, I wish you only good in life. I wish you the life every child should have: carefree, filled with love and security.
We see you, we hear you.
Free Palestine!
Zuzanna
Letter 13
My heart is with you all since Oct 7. Every day I wake up and hope that it’s better. Crushing news of course tells me that it’s not. As the world remains silent and people choose ignorance one thing stays consistent. Your bravery, your love for your land and your hope. The latter is so very difficult to maintain but you still manage to stay hopeful. True people of God. I’m not a believer myself but your faith gives me faith. I hope to meet you one day in free Palestine. If we’re not given this opportunity during this lifetime then in the next. I am with you, always.
Inga
Letter 14
Dear Sweetheart
I am sending this letter from Poland.
I am not sure if you know this place or not, but we know about you – about your beautiful homeland, how this is the prettiest place on our planet. We also know about the hardships you endure – even though you are so young and innocent. But you are also so strong, you are the strongest. You are a hope of your close ones, but also the hope of all the people – even us in this distant Poland. You need to grow strong, you will grow strong. You are brave.
Braver than I ever will be.
From Józefina
You will change the world
Letter 15
Dear children of Palestine,
Our hearts are breaking when we see and hear about what is happening in your land. It is heartbreaking that as individuals it is hard to help people that are so far away. But we assure you that we do as much as we can. Together with other students, I have been protesting for months for free Palestine. We try to raise awareness to make other people feel for you, to turn the world’s eyes toward you, to make ignorants understand.
We will not forget about your struggle, we will always keep fighting for your justice. I hope that you will see a better future really soon. We will not rest until then.
We can imagine that it is not easy to believe in a good world for you but please remember that there are millions around the world who fight for this goodness.
Love from students in Poland.
Letter 16
Dear children of Palestine,
You are seen
You are loved
Free Palestine
Letter 17
إلي أطفال غزة الأحياء،
العالم كله يحبكم كثيرا و يحب أن يراكم سعدين و أن تكون الابتسامة مرسومة علي وجوهكم. لا تتوقفوا عن اللعب و المرح الاستمتاع .
أنت نور و سعادة في هذا العالم. حافظوا علي روح الطفولة، تعلموا و احلموا بمستقبل جميل تكون فيه فلسطين حرة و تسمعون فقط صوت العصافير و أصوات الطبيعة، الرعد و المطر.
احلموا بفلسطين الخالية من الأوجاع و الآلام ، الخالية من الدموع؛ فلسطين الزيتون ، فلسطين الإبداع، فلسطين الحرة، فلسطين الحب.
أنتم الحب و الأمل و العزة و الصمود و الجمال و الطفولة.
نحن نحبكم كثيرا ♥
To the children of Gaza,
The whole world loves you very much and would love to see you happy and would love to see your smile on your face. Don’t stop playing and having fun. You are the light and happiness in the world. Keep the childhood’s spirit high. Keep learning and dreaming of a beautiful future where Palestine is free enjoying the chirping of birds and the sound of nature, thunder and rain.
Dreaming of a Palestine free from pain and tears, of a Palestine of olives, of strength, Palestine of love.
You are the love, the hope, the pride, the beauty, the resistance and the childhood.
We love you a lot.
Letter 18
Beautiful soul
You are seen
You are loved