<div>My name is Rebecca Stonehill. I am a writer based in Norwich, UK and in 2024 I read an article by a young, Gaza-based writer called Shahd Alnaami entitled 'Gaza's Libraries will rise from the ashes.' (<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/12/14/gazas-libraries-will-rise-for-the-ashes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/12/14/gazas-libraries-will-rise-for-the-ashes" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/12/14/gazas-libraries-will-rise-for-the-ashes</a></a>)
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<div>I was struck immediately by the clarity and courage of Shahd's voice and I made contact with her through Instagram. Together, with our shared passion for books, writing, libraries and literacy, we managed to organise an online writing workshop which took place on 9th February 2025. During the preparation and organisation of this workshop, many people close to Shahd were killed, including her beloved 13 year old sister, Rahaf. She has also lost her home twice. She is currently living in the roof space of her uncle's house. Despite all this, she is continuing to study (although this is online as her University is no longer standing) and to write. Despite the gruelling challenges she constantly faced, Shahd was determined to go ahead with this workshop. We were joined by people from around the world - Gaza, the UK, the US, Canada and the Netherlands for what was a powerful and moving collaborative experience. Since then, we have run a second workshop online, based around tatreez, Palestinian embroidery.
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<div>The United Nations has reported that thirteen public libraries in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed and that many in Gaza are now being forced to burn books as fuel for fires to stay warm or to cook. In the words of Shahd, 'This is our heartbreaking reality: survival comes at the cost of cultural and intellectual heritage'.
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<div>Shahd's dream is to be granted a scholarship so that she can continue with her studies abroad. She has written for We are not Numbers and Al-Jazeera amongst other platforms. Shahd is a passionate advocate for literature, reading and libraries and the love for knowledge and education that runs deep in Palestinian culture.
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<div>Can you help Shahd to continue developing her talent so she can share the stories of Palestinian cultural heritage and resistance with the world? Palestinian voices have been censored and sidelined for too long.
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<div>Please share and spread the word.
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<div><a href="https://youtu.be/F6yPUNw0IGI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here is a video</a> that Shahd made interviewing the librarian of Maghazi Library.
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<div><a href="https://rebeccastonehill.com/a-voice-among-the-ashes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here is a link</a> to my blog in which you can read more about the background to how Shahd and I connected and how the first workshop went and <a href="https://rebeccastonehill.com/writing-for-gaza-stories-of-resistance-of-hope/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> is an account of the second workshop, Stories of Resistance and Hope.
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