A public gathering in Victoria Park this Sunday will mark the International Day of Peace and draw attention to the conflict in Gaza.
Organized by the Canadian Palestinian Social Association (CPSA) London, the event starts at noon at Central Avenue and Richmond Street and will feature doctors who have worked in Gaza, along with educators and journalists, followed by a vigil to honour lives lost.
CPSA London president Samah Al-Sabah, a PhD candidate at Western University, said planning the event has been emotionally heavy but necessary. “Watching what my family and so many others are suffering keeps me going,” she added.
Al-Sabah said her family has been directly affected. Her father was trapped in Gaza for two months in 2023 and several relatives have been killed.
“Sometimes I’ll sit and, out of nowhere, tears come down from my eyes. I’ve lost a cousin with her whole family, her children and her husband all in one strike.” She said.
CPSA London, ON
Al-Sabah added, ”If that doesn’t move you as a human, there’s an issue with your humanity.”
CPSA London has posted community agreements on its website and Instagram account outlining expectations for a respectful and safe space.
Al-Sabah wants people to leave the event understanding that they can make a difference.
She also noted, ”You don’t have to be a Palestinian. I have never lived there, but I see the cause. If you have bits of humanity in your heart, you know you should thrive all the time for social justice, for better humanity, for a better world.”
The gathering is open to the public.
