At the close to the most successful Big Ride for Palestine (Australia) about fifty (50) from the community who support Palestine assemble near the Baladi (=home) Coffee Cart run by Farrah and Tony. Already 115 riders and walkers have completed over 11,200 kilometre Australia-wide and have raised over $44,545 for the Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organisation in the refugee camps in Lebanon. This, our 5th Big Ride for Palestine in partnership with APHEDA (Union aid Abroad), is a good example of practical solidarity and awareness raising!

TBR21 for Palestine Grand Finale
In Brisbane, this Saturday the 9^th October we celebrated this years Big Ride with a ride and walk at the Grand Finale on 237 Brisbane Corso Yeronga near Baladi Coffee Cart. Riders completed a 25 kilometer half-river loop and walkers went from Baladi up to the Dutton Park Cemetery and back. 

After Lachlan Hurse (TBR21 for Palestine) gave a welcome and acknowledgement of coutry never ceded, representatives from Brisbane’s community and activist groups spoke at the gathering. They were:

Omar Ashour (Falesteen Inc), Rosa – Justice for Palestine (Meanjin), and Wendy Turner – Labor Friends for Palestine. We then had a lucky dip to select gifts donated by Palestine Fair Trade (Australia) (winners to be announced).

Noor Zaman from the Rohingyan Community brought his nephew and his banner and looked after the TBR21 for Palestine stall during the ride and walk. Wendy spoke about how difficult it is to get the major political parties to pass motions in support of the Palestinians. Omar addressed the need for a Palestinian community and Rosa spoke about the need for Boycotts Divestments and Sanctions against Israel. JFP (Meanjin) are currently doing walks about the CBD in support of a boycott of PUMA which supplies the Israeli military.

Finally a word from the Director of Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organisation in Lebanon:

“Through my connections with Helen (McCue), I contacted APHEDA (union aid abroad) and with its help we were able to develop this (Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian) organisation and get some important projects off the ground, including job training in the new information technology industry, and in more traditional areas, such as dressmaking and hairdressing.

We also initiated much-needed childcare projects, after-school tutoring and summer school programs for children, and importantly for me, we aimed to keep our culture alive through a program that taught our young about Palestine and customs such as our traditional dance, Debkeh.

We also sought to empower women in the camps with workshops on their rights under Islamic law, and health and literacy education that gave them insights into how they could obey religious laws but still have planned pregnancies.” – Olfat Mahmoud in Tears for Tarshiha.

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We were joined by the President of the Palestinian Association of Queensland, Omar Ashour. Also our celebration was boosted by the Al Zayton (olive) Palestinian Dabke Troupe performed Palestinian Folk Dabke dance.

Refreshments , coffee and Middle Eastern food were available at Farrah and Tony’s Baladi Coffee Cart. Thanks for their hospitality in helping bring the community together.

Ian and Lachlan
for The Big Ride Team

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Free Free Palestine!