Peter Oswald's pilgrimage supports Gaza schoolchildren

A British playwright, Peter Oswald, has started a 150-mile fasting pilgrimage to raise money for schoolchildren in Gaza. He aims to stand against Islamophobia while marking the holy month of Ramadan. Oswald began his journey in Bristol on Tuesday and plans to finish in Parliament Square, London, after 13 days. The 59-year-old, who previously worked at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, will walk daily while fasting from dawn to dusk. His project, called “Pilgrimage4Palestine,” includes poetry performances along the way. He will read his own poems and works by young Palestinians, often joined by his wife, Alice Oswald. Oswald has been involved with The Hands Up Project, an educational charity, for nearly ten years. He has been teaching and supporting children in Gaza and the West Bank since 2017. He expressed how deeply impacted he was by the resilient spirit of the children he has met, despite the violence in their lives. During the pilgrimage, Oswald plans to walk about 12 to 13 miles each day and speak at events every evening. The route will take him along the Kennet and Avon Canal to Reading, and then into central London. He hopes his fasting will show solidarity with Muslims, especially in light of recent events in the UK. Describing his pilgrimage as a “peace march,” he aims to connect with the people of Britain through his journey. For more information about his fundraising efforts, people can visit his GoFundMe page.