Sydney’s pro-Palestine community came together at a solidarity event aimed at supporting Gazan refugees who have recently arrived in Australia. The event, held at Yathrib Horse Riding School, provided a space for attendees to engage in cultural and fundraising activities, with proceeds directed toward relief efforts for Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis.

Providing Support for Gazan Arrivals

Mariam Tohami, the event organizer and activist in Sydney, highlighted the significance of supporting new arrivals in Australia.

“We can help them financially to establish their homes, pay their children’s fees, pay rent. The struggle with the Gazan arrivals is physical, financial, emotional, and we need to make sure that we can support them in every way possible. Also, the event would raise funds that will support people in Gaza,” she said.

She also spoke about the emotional toll of the ongoing crisis and the need for long-term resilience.

“Our aim is to try and heal what we have witnessed in the past 16 years, which has been devastating to our souls and hearts. Our community also realised that this is a very long-term journey. It doesn’t end with a ceasefire and there needs to be a sustainable kind of revolution, so in the process, we need to make sure that we connect with others, we bond with nature. We need to fill our spirits so we can keep going in this looking like a lifelong journey. So this place, Yathrib Horse Riding School, offers us a lot, and it’s wonderful with all the natural features, the animals, all the things that can help us heal,” she added.

Fundraising and Raising Awareness for Palestine

One of the core organizers and digital marketing lead, Olivia Soroki, emphasized the importance of ensuring direct aid reaches those in need.

“We know that aid has been terribly difficult to accessing Gaza so knowing that this money will go directly to the soup kitchen and feed people instantly was really important for us, and obviously second is just raising the profile of Palestine,” she explained.

She also highlighted the dual purpose of the event, stating, “This event about to raise a profile of the plight of the Palestinians but primarily to raise funds and we thought it’d be a good idea to get families together and some exciting activities and raise much needed funds.”

Maya, the event’s photographer, spoke about how the initiative was also an opportunity to introduce Palestinian culture to attendees.

“The goal of this event to raise awareness about Palestine’s, introduce people who may not know a lot about power sign to Palestinian culture through the market souls that I held there and as well as most importantly to raise funds to Palestinians,” she said.

Soroki also reflected on the shift from protest-based activism to community-driven support.

“Our primary objective was to help raise some money for soup kitchen in Gaza they’ve been doing some amazing work during the genocide feeding much needed people during this time, and we also thought a lot of the activism that we’ve been doing in terms of Palestine has been individual based where we’re out sort about rally’s and things from week to week,” she explained.

A Space for Connection and Solidarity

The local community expressed appreciation for the event, noting that similar gatherings are rare outside of central Sydney.

Nidal, an Australian-Lebanese social activist, highlighted the importance of coming together as a community.

“Enjoy a minute together and have the children play together and just socialise and exchange our support for one another,” he said.

The event also featured stalls showcasing small handicraft projects that celebrate Palestinian culture through clothing and accessories, providing financial opportunities for refugees while preserving cultural heritage.

Looking Ahead: Future Events and Ramadan Initiatives

With Ramadan approaching, the event’s organizers hope to continue their efforts and provide ongoing support for Palestinian families in Sydney.

“We’re approaching Ramadan and it’s important for us to look forward to the blessings of Ramadan and to re-energise our faith and make sure that we can make the most out of the coming days, Inshallah. So, the people who arrived from Gaza are supported in different ways, some of them are holding businesses here today, some of them are supported by organisations that are holding stalls here today who will support them financially through their own channels that they’re established since the beginning of the genocide,” Tohami said.

Soroki shared her hopes for continuing these initiatives beyond the event.

“If we can build that momentum, we would love to do this again, hopefully. During Ramadan we’re hoping to plant some things for local families who have nearly arrived. We want to show that they have support and solidarity here in Australia and that whereby their side because it’s a particularly lonely time for them,” she said.

The event remained open to the public, with walk-ins encouraged throughout the day. Organizers expressed optimism that similar initiatives will continue, providing both tangible support and a sense of unity for Palestinian refugees and their allies in Australia.