LONDON: A UK-based pro-Palestinian humanitarian charity has raised ?15,000 ($18,044) to provide medical aid for Palestinian communities at a gala dinner, organizers have said.
About 250 guests attended the “Come Dine for Palestine” event hosted by Medical Aid for Palestine, in Walthamstow, London, last Saturday, and organizers said that they had exceeded their target of ?10,000.
Organized by human rights activist, Arifa Nasim, the event was in memory of Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot and killed while wearing a press jacket by Israeli forces as she covered a raid in the West Bank town of Jenin last month.
“Shireen’s fearlessness and courage in the face of an unbearable reality inspired Arifa to hold another fundraising dinner in support of Medical Aid for Palestine,” the organizers said.
About 250 guests attended the ‘Come Dine for Palestine’ event hosted by Medical Aid for Palestine. (Supplied/Sana Memon)
“We are so grateful to live in a generous and compassionate community, where people will turn up to express their solidarity and their care for the plight of the Palestinian people,” they added.
Hosted by Tahreem Noor, a local radio presenter, guest speakers included MP and former shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, a representative from the Palestinian Mission in the UK, Khaled Fandi, and a Palestinian born in a south Lebanon refugee camp.
Entertainment included a musical arrangement of a Rumi poem by Everton Bahadur-Young, a short film screening, and introductory remarks by writer and producer of Home, Saalih Chaudhry, founder of NowPictures. The event also exhibited photographs of the Palestinian Olive Harvest courtesy of the Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
The gala charity dinner featured entertainment and an auction. (Supplied/Sana Memon)
Auction items included a signed Quentin Blake print made especially for MAP, an Imran Khan-signed cricket bat, a Muhammad Amir-signed cricket ball, a garment made by Palestinian women in the West Bank, and art by Vaseem Mohammad and Saiba Salam.
In 2018, MAP held a charity iftar during the Muslim month of Ramadan and raised more than ?21,000 in support of Gaza.
MAP works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees. With offices located in London, Beirut, Ramallah and Gaza City, MAP responds rapidly in times of crisis and works directly with communities on longer-term health development.
