Mayo exhibition of poems by the children of Gaza

WESTPORT Library is hosting a month-long exhibition of poems by the children of Gaza, beginning with a launch on Saturday, February 15, at noon.

The launch will be performed by Nick Bilbrough, the founder of the charity The Hands Up Project, which has organised the exhibit which has just finished exhibiting at Gort Library in Galway.

Nick will be giving a talk and video presentation on the exhibition and the work of the charity in Gaza and will also have copies of the accompanying book, Moon tell me truth, for sale at the launch.

“Wipe out that sadness and weave the Dress of impossible from the tears” is the opening line of a poem written by 13-year-old Roaa Al-Masri from Gaza.

Roaa’s work is one of a collection of poems written and illustrated by children from Palestine which will be on display in a unique and poignant exhibition.

Established by Nick Bilbrough in 2016, The Hands Up Project is a charity trust which, through its network of volunteers, connects children around the world with young people in Palestine. By means of online interaction, drama and storytelling activities, it enables the use of creativity and self-expression to promote mutual understanding, personal growth, and the development of English language skills.

In 2023 The Hands Up Project had a poetry competition and out of that came a book, Moon tell me truth. The work of many of the children and the poems and drawings in the collection are by children aged nine to 15, also available in a book with a foreword by Alice Oswald, Professor of Poetry at Oxford.

Welcoming the exhibition’s arrival in Westport, Nick says he’s “delighted to see the work of these remarkable children reaching wider audiences and am especially pleased to be able to share their poems with the people of Westport.”

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the launch or call in and see the exhibition of work which will run until March 14.