Help us rebuild the two IBBY children’s libraries in Gaza
Children in Gaza are suffering. As is always true in a war setting, children pay a terrible price. They have lost family and friends; they have had to leave their homes to find shelter – but there is no real shelter. Gaza is a tiny strip of land with no escape. And there is currently no news about the children from either library. Many of the children who used the Rafah library in the south and the Beit Hanoun library in the north found shelter in the UNRWA schools, but still their safety is precarious. Many schools were destroyed or heavily damaged in 2014 and they have not yet been fully repaired because of the blockade.
Our libraries are meant to be places of support and healing. But our IBBY librarians have been in the midst of this very intense and dangerous situation, and still are. We are happy to know that the librarians are safe although their own homes are damaged. The IBBY libraries are still standing, but badly damaged.
IBBY endorses the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child:
Article 6: to recognize that every child has the inherent right to life and to ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
Help IBBY to restore the libraries in Gaza. These children will need all our support and care as they once again rebuild their lives. Children in Gaza should be able to be in their libraries and in school enjoying a safe and dignified life.
To make a donation: https://bit.ly/3fyl9iT