Wondering what this has to do with permaculture? Everything. Please stay with me.
https://chuffed.org/project/149153-support-eco-designersentrepreneurs-from-gaza-build-a-new-life
On Sunday I celebrated Hanukkah with some Jewish friends. It was a beautiful day of making candles with the kids, sharing food together and feeling a strong sense of connection in this increasingly fragmented world. I felt happy to be with people who can celebrate the faith, history and culture of Judaism, and distinguish it from the political ideology of Zionism and the violence of the state of Israel.
After saying goodbye to the dear friends, I became aware of the horrific attacks on Bondi Beach, and the happiness of the day quickly gave way to darkness. I felt deep despair, and the same thoughts kept on repeating in my head: how do we understand the centuries of antisemitism and pogroms leading to the Holocaust…what drives such violent insanity? How do we understand why a genocide is now being perpetrated against a people who had absolutely nothing to do with European anti-semitism – the Palestinians – and that criticism of the current genocide is called antisemitic? How do we make the urgent and necessary change towards understanding that antisemitism, Islamophobia and Zionism (among other destructive thought patterns) are all leading the world to social and ecological destruction? How do we make it become self-evident that Never Again means Never Again…for anyone.
If you are like me, watching and engaging with events in the world for these last years has been a very intense experience, with trauma and pessimism interspersed with inspiration and hope.
It cannot be more clear at this point that all three ethics of permaculture – Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share – are necessary for permaculture to be able to scale up and have a bigger impact. Without any one of the three, we can’t implement the other two, all three are inextricably linked. Do you want to regenerate landscapes in Europe, for example? If the far right fully takes over, corporations and billionaires will be the ones with access to the land…not you. Do you want to create projects and organisations that thrive and have long lives? Runaway climate chaos and economic breakdown will unravel your work. Want to live in a society where everyone has access to meaningful work, housing, healthcare and education? The Tech Bros have other plans with their AI and social media dominance.
One thing that is keeping me going is to be able to support people who, despite dealing with one of the most brutal situations in the world, continue to give all to create positive change, to feed the hungry, and to lead us towards a regenerative future. Last summer I began to organise a crowdfunding campaign to bring Palestinian permaculturists to a teacher training in Greece. Through this initiative I was fortunate enough to begin a long-distance friendship and colleagueship with two remarkable ecosocial designers and sisters from Gaza, Suzan and Qamar. In the half year that we have been in touch, I have consistently been inspired by how even in the trying conditions of their displacement, Suzan and Qamar’s commitment to Gaza never ceased.
Since 2023, Suzan and Qamar have been busy feeding hundreds of displaced Gazans through edible plant distribution with their initiative in the north, building emergency rooftop nurseries and preparing a community bioremediation training hub to support community to restore soil. In support of their vision, Suzan and Qamar have cultivated an international network of support and solidarity, collaborating with a global team of specialists and regenerative practitioners, while closely coordinating and caring for their Gazan team of agro-ecologists, permaculturalists, farmers, engineers, agronomists and volunteers.
For two years now, Suzan and Qamar have been stranded outside of Gaza, unable to reenter, unable to leave, unable to access residency, critical documentation or economic stability. But their supporters and colleagues are dedicated to coordinating a path to stability, and are now actively involved in a current process to help bring the sisters to a safe country where they can continue their work with the stability they deserve.
An opportunity has opened up, and now they need our support. Your donation will not only help Suzan and Qamar traverse the complex costs of relocation – from living to legal and travel expenses – but will support their ability to continue serving Gaza, their family, their community, and a free and fruitful future for Palestine.
The regenerative future of Gaza will be designed by people from Gaza like Suzan and Qamar, and not by Trump’s “Board of Peace”!
Learn more about Suzan and Qamar’s history of service in Gaza: https://verandadesign.org/
Here is the crowdfunding campaign where you can donate and share with your friends, family and networks: https://chuffed.org/project/149153-support-eco-designersentrepreneurs-from-gaza-build-a-new-life
Wishing you all the best over the holidays,
Love and solidarity,
Suzan & Qamar’s Support Team (Alfred & Eller in Spain, Alexis in Mexico, Asma in Egypt, and Vida in South Africa)