Fakhoora launches tree planting project in memory of the children who lost their lives during Operation Cast Lead
The launch of Fakhoora's tree planting project in the heart Gaza City’s Al Rashid Street is underway, in memory of the child lives lost during Operation Cast Lead.
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The 22 day war claimed the lives of 1,419 people; 252 of whom were children below the age of 16 years old. 138 were planted last week, with each tree bearing the name of a child killed during the 2008/2009 war, and planting continues.
“After the war on Gaza, Al Fakhoora commissioned the collection and documentation of the names and stories of the children below the age of 16 who were killed during the war. We were exploring the best possible way to honour the victims. Planting trees in memory of each child seems befitting,” said Al Fakhoora Director, Farooq Burney.
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Al Fakhoora’s representative in Gaza, Shadi Saleh said of the tree planting: “The beach road is currently undergoing construction and contributing to the greenery and forestation of the area will have a great impact on the community as a whole. We also hope this project will encourage more youth-led initiatives in community development as well as environmental awareness.”
Farooq Burney added that he recognized the potential for the international community to want to participate in preserving the memory of the children and simultaneously contribute to Gaza’s green initiative.
“We are in the process of bringing the opportunity to an international platform using an online feature via the Fakhoora.org website, which will allow contributions and fundraising for this cause,” said Farooq.
Families of the lost children participated in the planting, most notably, Salah Al Samouni, whose family name is synonymous with tragedy in Gaza. The family lost 48 members, mostly women and children.
“Much of our agricultural land has been levelled and trees are constantly being uprooted. This initiative sends out two messages; that our children's names are not forgotten, and that we, the Palestinians, will always stand tall on our land,” said Salah.
