Amid global tensions and war headlines, touching farewell messages poured from Gaza to Barcelona, reminding us that solidarity and friendship can transcend borders and challenges.
A quarter of a century ago, Barcelona, Gaza and Tel Aviv signed a twinning and cooperation agreement. Inspired by the 1995 Conference of Mediterranean Cities and the Oslo Peace Accords, these cities agreed to work together on cooperation projects that were unfortunately hampered by the conflict affecting the region.
Despite this, for 25 years, technicians from Barcelona and Gaza have maintained a valuable link of technical collaboration within the framework of this triangular agreement.
This commitment has been a symbol of hope and a reminder that even in the midst of the darkest moments in history, collaboration and friendship between people of different cultures and places can prevail.
Farewell messages in difficult times
The recent escalation of the conflict between Israel and Gaza has profoundly affected the daily lives of people in the region. In the midst of this situation, Gaza City Council workers, aware of the uncertainty they face, sent emotional farewell messages to their colleagues in Barcelona through the popular messaging platform WhatsApp.
In these messages, they expressed their appreciation for the cooperation and friendship shared over the years. It reads, “We don’t know if we will be able to keep in touch in the coming days, so please tell the coming generations how beautiful and lovely the people of Palestine were and how they were affiliated with their land and their cause,” they wrote in one of the messages.
The texts were signed by Mohammed Al-Shaqra, the director of International Cooperation of the Gaza Municipality, a technical reference in collaborative projects.
Despite the current challenges and tensions in the region, the farewell messages sent from Gaza to Barcelona are a testimony to the strength of human ties and friendship between people.
Over 25 years, the cities have demonstrated that it is possible to build strong relationships based on respect and collaboration, even in the midst of complicated geopolitical conflict.
The sad reality of the conflict
The situation in Gaza is extremely delicate, as Israel has given a 24-hour deadline to approximately one million inhabitants in the north of the city to evacuate the area.
This decision comes in a context in which Israel has carried out a series of bombardments in Gaza and the United Nations has warned of the devastating consequences of a large-scale evacuation. The prospects for peace in the region are grim.
