Written by Peter Symes
A campaign for urgent and sustained action
Yes, the choice of the word ‘people’ is deliberate. When I have travelled to places like Gaza—sometimes with trepidation, my experience has been otherwise, when I have discovered that most people anywhere in the world are just like you and me— with hopes and fears and just wanting a normal life for their families.
Amid the devastation in Gaza, displaced families—particularly women—have shown tremendous resilience by cultivating food with local Baladi seeds. Fast-growing vegetables have been vital for children’s survival, grown next to tents, on rooftops and in rubble. These efforts not only provide essential nutrition but also foster mental strength and hope for the future.
However, heritage seed banks in Gaza have been destroyed, crippling seed supply and distribution. While small-scale food projects could be scaled up to feed communities during rebuilding, families still face a critical shortage of seeds.
What can you do?
The Gaza Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) is working with not-for-profit, apolitical organisations in Australia (SUSTAIN – The Australian Food Network, JUST FOOD Collective and Global Gardens of Peace) to restore seed banks holding local/ Baladi seeds and distribute these seeds into the desperate hands of families.
Please attend the events listed below to hear directly from people on the ground and discover how you can support families to access seeds, tools, and their other needs for growing food, including shared knowledge.’
Website: https://sustain.org.au/seeds-for-a-just-peace-a-campaign-for-urgent-and-sustained-action/
- Tuesday 25th November 7-9 pm: Seeds for a Just Peace campaign event in the North Schoolhouse Studios Coburg, Victoria, Australia
- Thursday 27th November 7-9 pm: Seeds for a Just Peace campaign event in the West
Borderlands Cooperative Footscray, Victoria, Australia | AEDT
If you cannot attend, please consider providing a donation to help these people in need (see website)
