John Spillane, Maeve Higgins and Senator Frances Black to welcome The Freedom Flotilla in Ireland next month

The  Handala - A Gaza Freedom Flotilla boat will dock in Cobh Co. Cork  on Friday June 7 and depart on Monday June 10.

There will be two events run to fundraise for the Freedom Flotilla.

On Saturday June 8, there will be an open vent featuring live music, and will allow for people to meet the crew.

This will be followed by a tickets event at The Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh featuring music, food and conversation from John Spillane, Maeve Higgins and Senator Frances Black.

Tickets are available from €15 and are available to purchase here.

A second event is due to take place at the Cobh Community Centre and will feature music, arts and crafts and singing. This is a family event and tickets are free but must be reserved online here.

The Freedom flotilla Campaign set sail in mid-April with over 5,000 tonnes of aid for Gaza. The coalition has been unable to deliver this aid after their flag was confiscated by the Guinea Bissau International Ships Registry. Without a flag, they are unable to sail.

There is currently a petition with over 18,000 signatures requesting for the Flotilla to sail under the Irish flag.

Speaking on the arrival of the Handala ship, organisers of the ships reception in Cobh have said: "Handala’s “For the Children of Gaza” mission departed from Norway to challenge and break the inhumane blockade of Gaza and to shed light on the consequences of the inhumane measures taken against Palestinian children by Israel, with the support of the US and other countries, despite the global outcry for a permanent ceasefire and the end of an occupied Palestine".

The organisation continued saying: "Handala and the other ships continue to raise awareness and funds for the people of Palestine by sailing to ports around the globe and spreading awareness and solidarity. We are grateful and proud that Cobh is one such port".

The boat is named Handala after the prominent national symbol and personification of the Palestinian people, the Handala Cartoon, created in 1969.

Photographer Fellipe Lopes is currently on the Flotilla reporting especially for Hot Press, read it here.

Further information regarding the Handala's itinerary in Cobh can be found below:

 

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