30 March 2024
To BCBF, Palestinian Children Matter

To the organizers of the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF),

As Palestinian and Arab publishers, authors, designers, and illustrators, we write this letter to BCBF, the most prestigious children's book fair celebrating diversity of children's literature in all its forms.

Over the past 60 years, BCBF has grown to symbolize the best that literature and culture can offer to children, and thus is considered one of the biggest advocates for children's rights.

BCBF celebrates the wonderful diversity of children's literature every year. A new BCBF feature for 2024 is the collaboration with the United Nations, which has led to the creation of shared initiatives on sustainability and children’s rights.

The fair not only reveals the beauty of childhood, but also acknowledges its darker aspects.

In 2022, BCBF rightly highlighted the devastating effects of war on Ukraine with a fantastic collection of art and books from the region. It also shed light on the significant and lasting effects of the ongoing conflict on Ukrainian children.

BCBF also suspended Russia’s participation in the fair due to its role in the aggression against Ukraine and its causing of significant civilian casualties.

As we write this letter and for the past 6 months, we continue to witness Israel’s live streamed genocide on Gaza/Palestine unfolding in front of our very eyes.

More than 14,000 children have been murdered and over 17,000 have been orphaned so far.

The number of children reported killed in Gaza since October 2023 is higher than the number killed in four years of war around the world combined.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not a natural disaster!

Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war. According to UNICEF, one in three babies under the age of two in northern Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition.

At least 27 children have died due to malnutrition in northern Gaza so far.

The people of the world struggle to digest how this is allowed to continue to any of the world’s children today.

BCBF did not hesitate to condemn Russia and take a stance against the war on Ukraine. But when it came to taking a stand for Palestinian children in Gaza, BCBF are silent.

We battle with the question of how BCBF can so willingly condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine yet stand silent while Israel’s genocide on Gaza continues to unfold.

Does BCBF consider the safety of a Ukrainian child more valuable than that of a Palestinian Child?

Or that a Ukrainian child has more of a right to exist than a Palestinian child?

Is it not the essence of all that we do, as Children’s book publishers, to unite our children together and teach them acceptance, inclusiveness, tolerance and that they are all equal.

We, the undersigned, ask BCBF to highlight the suffering of Palestinian children in your exhibition, declare your support for an immediate ceasefire and urge BCBF to suspend the participation of Israel in the exhibition, which occupies Palestinian territories, steals land, tortures children and commits crimes against humanity with impunity.

469
signatures
342 verified
  1. Salwa Shakhshir, Publisher, Al Salwa Publishers, Amman
  2. Masarra Touqan, Publisher, KWD, Amman
  3. Noha Habaieb, Illustrator, Doha
  4. Sinan Sweis, CEO, Jabal Amman Publishers, Amman
  5. Lobna Shokry, Children’s book author, Virginia, USA;Cairo, Egypt
  6. Haya Halaw, Illustrator, Freelancer, Hamburg
  7. Taghreed Aref Najjar, writer, Amman
  8. Lucy Coats, Author, Northampton, UK
  9. Jessica Craig, Literary Agent, Craig Literary, Connecticut, USA and Asturias, Spain
  10. Telka Pelova, Bookseller, Pages of Hackney, London
  11. Halimah Manan, Assistant Editor, London
  12. Emily Sharratt, Editor, writer, London
  13. Clara Vulliamy, Author-illustrator, London
  14. Nabilla Doma, Brand Manager, Penguin Random House, London
  15. Miranda BESHARA, Children’s Author & Translator, Paris-Cairo
  16. N Shafi, Writer, Sheffield, UK
  17. Inda Ahmad Zahri, Author, illustrator, doctor, Riyadh
  18. E.G. Alaraj, Children’s Book Author, Vancouver
  19. Christabel McKinley, Literary Agent, London
  20. Stephanie Hewitt, Chesterfield
  21. Hatem Aly, Illustrator, Bathurst, NB
  22. Lina Abusamha, Writer, Miryana’s World, Amman
  23. Anjum Iqbal, Doctor, National Health service, London
  24. Bolich Jasmine, Freelancer, Burbank
  25. Héla Majdoub, Designer / Illustrator, Gloristory, Tunisia
  26. Fida Ghnaim, Author, Milwaukie
  27. Safa Salameh, Designer, Doha
  28. Marguerite Dabaie, Illustrator, Brooklyn
  29. Dina, Illustrator, Self employed, Dubai
  30. Maya Fidawi, Illustrator, Freelancer, Beirut
  31. Rachel Holmes, Writer, London
  32. Oriada Llubani, Photographer, Carmignano Di Brenta
  33. Ayshe Fadel
  34. Sarah Dyer, Illustrator, Hove
  35. Billy Ruffian, Illustrator, Devon UK
  36. Eileen Laurie, Artist, Freelance, Malmö
  37. Tracey James, Teacher, Nottingham
  38. Cara Rooney, Author + Illustrator, Dundee, Scotland
  39. Daniele Fior, Actor, Locomoctavia, Berlin
  40. Ersoy Halil, Trainer, London
  41. Elisabet Risberg, Librarian and translater, Stockholm
  42. Jehan Helou, President IBBY Palestine, IBBY Palestine
  43. Diana Necsulescu, Illustrator, Atelier Enot, București
  44. Minnah Hussain, Editor, Stirling
  45. Sreyartha Krishna, Teacher, Marudam Farm School, Tiruvannamalai
  46. Nouri Al Jassem, Translater, Nouri Al Jassem, Västra Frölunda
  47. Swapna Haddow, Author, Dunedin
  48. Mohamed Amine Zakaria, Student, University of liverpool, Liverpool
  49. Sonia Nimr, Writer, Birzeit Universoty, Ramallah
  50. hanada karma, Teacher, Birzeit University, Ramallah
  51. Mirvat bulbul, Academic, Birzeit University, Ramallah
  52. Hamza alahmad, Amman
  53. Emma McCabe, PhD student, UK
  54. Rami, Publishing Supervisor, Jabal Amman Publishers, Amman
  55. Lamees Abbas, Lecturer, Birzeit University, Ramallah
  56. Araceli Pascual Jover, illustrator, Elche
  57. Sayantan Chowdhury, Educator, Barefoot Academy, Chennai
  58. Zita Babarczi, Tutor, Dunblane
  59. Rasha Kassis, Admin & Finance coordinator, Birzeit University, Birzeit
  60. Liz Page, Treasurer, IBBY, Basel
  61. Edmiro Domingos, Birmingham
  62. Malcolm Page, Privatdozent, University of Basel, Basel
  63. Nora L Murad, Author, Auburndale
  64. Beverley Naidoo, Author, Bournemouth
  65. Yuliya Gwilym, artist, the Hague
  66. Leila Boukarim, Author, Berlin
  67. Shannon Docherty, Student, University of Stirling, Stirling
  68. Haitham Shubair, VP North America, Oracle, Reston Virginia
  69. Malin Färdig, Translator, Tarjameh AB, Malmö
  70. Lizzie Hodgkinson, Illustrator, North Wales
  71. Chris Haughton, London
  72. Bárbara Cáceres Chomalí, Publisher, Burro lector, Madrid
  73. Amal, Publisher, Author, Rummana publishing house, Lebanon
  74. Leyla Kushtova, Editor, Freelance, Ingushetiya
  75. Nayera Ibrahim, Amsterdam
  76. Natasha bolich, Student, Stirling
  77. Cherise Lopes-Baker, Executive Commissioning Editor, Words of Colour, London
  78. Linda Abujaber, Pediatrician, Ask Dr Lindax, Amman
  79. Hachimi Alaoui Amina, Publishr, Yanbow Al kitab, Morocco
  80. Afaf kazimi, Ex librarian, Amman
  81. Suzanne Ghawi, Children book Author, Amman
  82. Naomi Shihab Nye, Writer, San Antonio, Texas
  83. Kate Maher, Nurse, Private, Amman
  84. Luma Azar, Author and Artist, Freelancer, Amman
  85. Maddy Magee, Art Student, none, Edinburgh
  86. Rima Merriman, Professor, Individual, Bloomington, IN, USA
  87. Maria Tunney, Editor, London
  88. Rajvinder Horak, Designer, Freelance, Augsburg
  89. Fanan, Publisher, Shabek, Dubai
  90. Abz Hakim, Illustrator, Freelance, Istanbul
  91. Ann Lazim, Librarian, IBBY UK committee member, London
  92. Hiba, Illustrator, Nazareth
  93. Michelle Walsh, Teacher, Vallejo
  94. Samar Abou-Zeid, Freelance Editor, Beirut
  95. سحر شوقي, Illustrator, Freelancer, Cairo
  96. Yousef Qaryouti, Retired ILO official, Amman
  97. Susanna Selici, Hiking guide, teacher, illustrator, Pescaglia
  98. Wad Abu-Zurayk, Neurotherapist/ Occupational Therapist, Ujeed, Child Development Consultations, Amman
  99. Elle Uwakwe, London
  100. Karen Asfour, Author, Amman
  101. Andree Alouf, Entrepreneur, Amman
  102. Seif Salmawy, Publisher, Al Karma Publishers, Cairo
  103. Yasmin Bseiso, Author, A Family That Reads, Amman
  104. Helen Hamilton, Dublin
  105. Jenny Welbourn, Illustrator, UK
  106. Hannah Elliott, Illustrator, Bristol
  107. Sahar Naja, Author, Sharjah
  108. Kevin Neish, retired instructor, Victoria
  109. Aysha Awwad, Illustrator, London
  110. Caroline Rivera-Darsalia, Grenoble
  111. PATRICIA ALDANA, Publisher, Aldana Libros, Toronto
  112. Rachel Hillis, Illustrator, Liverpool
  113. Zuhair Zakaria. Ph.D, Psychologist, Independent, Amman
  114. Syeda Basarat Kazim, Advocate of children’s libraries/author, Alif Laila Book Bus Society, Lahore
  115. Amira Shalaby, Illustration artist, Egypt
  116. Emma Levey, Illustrator/Author, Freelance, Cardiff
  117. Suad Joseph, University Professsor, University of California, Davis, Davis
  118. Rola Al Banna, Literary Agent, Rola literary Agency, Dubai
  119. Nada Dahab, Author and translator, Abu dhabi library, Abu dhabi
  120. Nadia Muhtadi, Retired teacher, Amman
  121. Lama, Librarian, Amman
  122. Zeyna Al Jabri, Founder, Buzoor, Dubai
  123. Nashwa Mahmoud, Illustrator, Kuala Lumpur
  124. Sarah Zweck, Illustrator & Author, Freelance, Melbourne
  125. Najla Nemnom, Amman
  126. Françoise Vergès, Paris
  127. Jade Johnson, Artist, New Orleans
  128. Ahdaf Soueif, writer, Cairo
  129. Jacky Sawalha, Freelance writer, Amman
  130. ROBERTA SAWALHA, Retired, London
  131. Elena Consoli, Teacher, Bologna
  132. Sara Ababneh, Lecturer, University of Sheffield, Edinburgh
  133. Sophie Anderson, Writer, Penrith
  134. Olivia Villet, Author Illustrator, Buckinghamshire,UK
  135. Nadine Touma, Publisher and author, Dar Onboz, Furn el shubbak
  136. Khaled abdelhameed, Publisher, Marah publishing house, Egypt
  137. Lama Kamal, Designer- trainer, Amman
  138. Anas Abu Rahma, Writer, Dinason, Ramallah
  139. Lubna Taha, Illustrator, Writer, Publisher, Dinason, Ramallah
  140. Yumna batran, Retired, Home, Ramallah
  141. Anna Stern Taulats, Teacher, EOI Barcelona Drassanes, Girona
  142. May Asfahani, Book seller, London
  143. Dina matar, Professor, SoAs, London
  144. Abdullah Qawariq, Illustrator, Palestine
  145. Mary Kritikou, Greece, Workshops coordinator, Athens
  146. Ghada Dallal, Amman
  147. Zainab Al Qaisi, CEO, Al Nqsh Platform, Abu Dhabi
  148. Nada Badran, Teacher, London
  149. Mariangela Siani, Insegnante, Bologna
  150. Sara Ehsan, Poet, Karlsruhe
  151. Abeer Adel, Author, free, Dammam
  152. Michèle Homsy, Translator, Beirut
  153. نجاة حسن الفقيه, جامعة صنعاء, صنعاء
  154. Sepideh Jodeyri, Author, Washington DC
  155. Eva Hammad, Nurse, Children and Youth-center Foundation, Gothenburg
  156. Rula Habash
  157. Halah El Jamal, , Amman
  158. Rhonda Jamal, Consultant, Amman
  159. Kerstin C Odeen, Retired, Norwich
  160. Ahmad Ashour, Tamer Institute, Gaza office manager, Tamer institute, Gaza
  161. Mary Farah, Rome
  162. Saeed Tavanaee Marvi, Poet, Iran
  163. brita papini, Cultural worker, —, Gothenburg
  164. Heba Latief, Freelance illustartor, Heba latief illustartions, Cairo/Egypt
  165. Laebeh Aram, Writer, Bologna
  166. Giansandro Morelli, physioterapist, autore culturale, Associazione Culthurra, Napoli
  167. Katherine Sullivan, Retired writer-program director, Arlington
  168. Atefeh Chaharmahaly, Poet, Tehran
  169. Abdellatif Jaber, Journalist, London
  170. Gzour, Interpreter, Freelance, Brussels
  171. Canan Marasligil, writer, translator, freelance, Amsterdam
  172. Adel TAWIL AL NAJJAR, Retired, Fuengirola
  173. Shahriar Shafaghi, Author, Toronto
  174. Ramzi, Partnerships, Abu dhabi
  175. Katie Sullivan, teacher, School, London
  176. Amur Alaisri, Onan, SQU, Muscat
  177. Minoo Shams, Author of children’s books, Stockholm
  178. Abolghassem Golestani, Translator, Self-employed, Bristol, UK
  179. Fayez Al-Fasfous, Coordinator, Early Childhood Resource Centre, Hebron.Palestine
  180. Azim Lalji, Teacher, London
  181. Liz Shirley, Musician, PSC, London
  182. Elly witte, Therapist, London
  183. Peter Van Loo, Teacher, Brasschaat
  184. Loaay Wattad, Editor, Berlin
  185. Hanadi Uneisi, Writer
  186. Mohammad AbuSalah, Senior Telecoms Consultant, MAAS Consulting Ltd., London
  187. Baraa Awoor, Illustrator, Freelancer, Gaza
  188. NASEER NUAMAN, Doctor, NHS, Dartford
  189. Aoife Greenhan, Author Illustrator, Manchester
  190. Bassam T. Al-Gailani, Doctor, Retired, Baghdad
  191. Safia Ahmed, Teacher, Cardiff
  192. Christine Murphy, Surveyor, Surrey
  193. Nabiha Mheidly, Publisher -Author, Alhadaek, Beirut
  194. Gurbinder Gill, London
  195. Reza yazdi, Human Rights Commissioner, City of Richmond, Richmond
  196. Sharifah Tuanku Abdul rahman, Chair, Cardiff MEND WG, Wales, Cardiff
  197. Layan assayed, Illustrator, Independent, Haifa
  198. Prof Ezziddin Abu Sardneh, Professional, Education Centre, Sydney
  199. Asmaa Isse, Commissioning Editor, Harper Collins Publishers, London
  200. Giovanna Deiana, Global HR Manager, misshrhelp, London
  201. Ekram Alanwar, Researcher in Translation of children's literature
  202. Shokooh hajinasrolkah, Iran, http://www.cbc.ir, Tehran
  203. Amal Barghout Karzai, Author-Illustrator, Port Jefferson
  204. Mabel Sumner, Retired, LONDON
  205. Kasra Tabrizi, Poet, writer, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  206. Salieu jallow, Focilities coordinator, London
  207. Fereydoon Amouzadeh Khalili, Author, Iranian association of witers for children and youthand, Tehran
  208. Umayya Abu-Hanna, Author, Amsterdam
  209. Kaivan Ashtiani, Literary translator, Toronto
  210. Khalil Simaan, Professor, Diemen
  211. MaryAnn Jaraisy, Designer/Illustrator, Maryann Art, Amsterdam
  212. Sliman Abu Amara, Amsterdam
  213. Rasha Hilwi, Writer & Journalist, Amsterdam
  214. Azzeddine Chaoui, Retired, Casablanca
  215. Liza Hamzeh, Lincoln
  216. nuredin Vahid, West Haven
  217. Atefeh lari, the writer, Karaj Iran
  218. Reem Abdelhadi, Educator, N/A, London
  219. Suzy Christenson, Retired, Geneve
  220. Karim karamsoltani, Toronto
  221. Roya Maktabi, Librarian, International Youth Library, Munich
  222. Dalia AlAmad, Publisher, Wood Tales, Amman
  223. ELIANA D'ARMENTO, Insegnante, Ditta individuale Eliana D'Armento, BARI
  224. Biagio Scotto di Carlo, President and author, Cult Hurra, Napoli
  225. Marta, Operatrice sociale, Napoli
  226. V Ellis Vance, Retired Executive Director, United States Board on Books for Young People, Fresno
  227. seyed reza karoobi, publisher, ITPCo., tehran
  228. Ali, Bookseller, Bookstore, Tehran
  229. Roonaz Kamali, Journalist, Freelance, Tehran
  230. Anthony Larrazolo, Attorney, New York
  231. Shakila Akbari, Sociology student, Shiraz, Iran
  232. zahra.kaardaani, writer, qom
  233. Abbas Shokri, Publishers snd Writer, Aftab Publication, Oslo
  234. anonymous
  235. zm
  236. Reza, Iran, Manage, Shiraz
  237. Shera, Editor, Noura Publishing, Jakarta
  238. Behdja
  239. Rahma Alaa, Illustrator, Egypt
  240. Peyman, Teheran
  241. Safa Suleiman, Author, Educator, Colorado
  242. Sainz Nicole, Sophrologue, ANC, Toulouse
  243. Arash Sharifinia, Author, Alunia, Gothenburg
  244. Ramzy Nuqul, Investor, Amman Jordan
  245. Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, Translator, Cheltenham, UK
  246. Khadidja belaroussi, Children's book auther, Algiers
  247. Dena, London
  248. Dave Clinch, Retired schoolteacher, National Education Union and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Torrington, Devon
  249. Noushin Ansari, Administrator, IBBY/CBC Iran, Tehran Iran
  250. Roghayeh
  251. Narges, Student, -, Tehran
  252. Racha Mourtada, Publisher, Luqoom, Beirut
  253. Zeinab sadat rezazadeh, Thecher, Tehran
  254. Fatemeh Rezaei, Student, Tehran
  255. Ghodsieakbari, the writer, Mashhad
  256. Aseel saket, teacher, Amman
  257. Sara Cheraghlou, Editorial Assistant, London
  258. Hanie kazeminasab, Iran
  259. Sasha Haddad, illustrator, -, Athens
  260. Ali Tavakkoli, Msc in Epidemiology, KUMS, Tehran
  261. Masoude, Engineer, Arak
  262. Nora Alkhalefah, Illustrator, Riyadh-London
  263. Dalia menhall mirza, Author, Independent, Dubai
  264. Salma Ali, Illustrator
  265. Hamed Razavi, Director of the International Department, Behnashr Publishing, Tehran
  266. Frances Plumpton, Frances Plumpton Literary Agency, AUCKLAND
  267. Fateme siroos, نویسنده, Iran,Tehran
  268. Marta Alacevich, Illustrator, Freelance, Firenze, Italy
  269. Martina, Employee, Fashion, Milan
  270. Kosar Dashti, Tehran
  271. Elisa Chiappa
  272. Salsabil Araby, Children’s book author,, Egypt
  273. `Libby Limbrick,, academic, Storylines, Auckland,New Zealand
  274. Haniyeh maddahi, Bachelor student, Allameh tabataba'i, Tehran
  275. Eman Ismail, Mother & housewife, Cairo, Egypt
  276. Maha Rantisi, Retiree, Amman
  277. Emanuela Pettinari, Teacher, Senigallia
  278. Giulia Orecchia, Illustrator, Milano
  279. Myfanwy Woods-Jack, Author, Berlin, Germany
  280. A. Faten, Author, Mascara
  281. Amir Emami, R&D engineer, KFP, Mashhad
  282. Neda movahedi, Researcher, cbc Iran, Tehran
  283. Fatima, Administrator, Ontj co, Tehran
  284. Frances Thompson, Teacher and poet, Ilfracombe
  285. Maria Martelli, writer, Romania
  286. Maha Bakeer, London
  287. Mehdi fakhrzade, Journalist, Cheshmandaziran.ir, Tehran
  288. melissa tomjanovich, writer/filmmaker, Los Angeles
  289. Elisabeth Jaquette, Translator, Tucson
  290. Samaneh naderi, Tactile book producer and publisher, Tehran, Iran
  291. Khosro Pooyandeh, Writer
  292. Payam Hassanzadeh Glebsaz, university professor, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran
  293. Faye Amjadi, retired, Roswell
  294. Davood jalili, Writer, Tehran
  295. Zahra, Employee, University, Shiraz
  296. Maryam Esmaeili, Teacher and Author, Qazvin
  297. Dorothea Heras, Author, Toronto, Canada
  298. John Wade, Father, Local Government, Barnstaple
  299. elena fierli
  300. Giulia Franchi, Reasercher, SCOSSE, Roma
  301. Ruth Gamberg, retired teacheer, Dalhousie Uniersity, Halifax
  302. Alberto Emiletti, journalist, Roma
  303. Sara Marini, Researcher, SCoSSE, roma
  304. Mariella Bertelli, Storyteller, Biblioteca IBBY Lampedusa, Toronto, Canada
  305. Matt Chamings, Librarian, Barnstaple
  306. Mariacristina d’Angelis, Teacher, IC MILANI, Fondi LT, Fondi
  307. Sareh Arzpeima, Translator, Freelancer, Aurora
  308. Fatemeh jamali, Publisher, Peykeadabiat publication, Tehran
  309. Mansour Assim, Publisher, Nashre Ney, Tehran
  310. Paola La Rosa, Lampedusa e Linosa
  311. Anna Sardone, Lampedusa
  312. Anna Villani, Educatrice, Umana, Sulmona
  313. Javad Jourfian, Pension, Sydney
  314. Mary Beaty, Librarian, Toronto
  315. anonymous
  316. Paola Pizzicori, Lampedusa
  317. Golrokh Mohammadian Mehr, Translator, Tehran
  318. Francesca Saccomandi, Social Worker, Lampedusa
  319. Irene Cocco, Teacher, Lampedusa
  320. Javad hatami, Developer, Eslöv
  321. Abla ) Asfour Majali, Housewife, Amman
  322. Lina Kanafani, Gallery Owner, Mint, London
  323. Ibtisam Barakat, Author, Tasting the Sky, A Palestinian Childhood, USA
  324. Angela Iannone, Teacher, Fondi
  325. Selin Aşık, Analist, Istanbul
  326. Leila Mattar, translator
  327. Maryam Ahmadi Shirazi, Publisher, writer, Nashr e Madaran e Emrooz, Tehran
  328. Tiddia Michela, Insegnante, Cagliari
  329. Nasrin Karimi, Lawyer, Berlin
  330. Beyaert Nancy, Mortsel
  331. Ruth Kidane, Toronto
  332. Nora kort, Community Development Specialist, President/ ATTA Services, Jerusalem
  333. anonymous
  334. Sana, Retired, London
  335. Mirta Mattina, Psicologa, Napoli
  336. Arianna Santucci, Student, Rome
  337. Valeria Fogato, illustrator, Milano
  338. Laurence Egan, Pharmaceutical Operator, Glasgow
  339. Julia Denos, Author-Illustrator
  340. Serena Tabacchi, Curator, Rifugio Digitale, Florence
  341. Mozhdeh tamri, Writer, Poet, Toronto
  342. Rima Bordcosh, Mi.ssisauga
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