'A heartfelt thank you': Organisers of Coffee for Palestine campaign thank customers for support
Participating businesses pledged the value of 10 coffees a day for seven days to the Coffee For Palestine campaign from June 23 to June 29.
The campaign reached many counties across Ireland, with more than 270 cafés, 51 of which were Cork-based, as well as Monks Coffee Roasters in Amsterdam and Humble Coffee in South Africa, participating this year.
But what made the campaign's impact even more special was a message received by participating café, the Palestinian-owned Izz Café, directly from Gaza.
Izz Café shared photos of one of their friends in Gaza standing amidst the ruins of their home, holding up the Coffee for Palestine campaign poster.
The team at Izz Café said the photos left them speechless and were brought to tears "because it showed that love and solidarity reached them'.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the campaign, Clare Condon of Good Day Deli said: 'Coffee For Palestine all began in June 2024 when it got to the point where we were so appalled and distraught about what was happening in Gaza, that we felt we had to do something as opposed to watching it on our screens helplessly.
'It was pretty clear that a lot of people in our industry wanted to do something also, but there was a lot of uncertainty around how to help or which organisation to donate to.
'I approached Eman from Izz Café and Deirdre from Studio Boon with the idea to ask cafés to pledge 10 coffees per day for 7 days to our campaign. The idea was simple and had the potential to raise a lot of funds with a multiplier effect of others joining. Eman and Deirdre were immediately on board and we started planning our campaign for September.
'Eman guided us on the political and cultural sensitivities and chose the charities for the campaign, as she has the best knowledge on what is happening on the ground.
Clare Condon of Good Day Deli and co-founder of the Coffee for Palestine campaign.
'Deirdre designed the logo and the visual identity of the campaign. The Coffee For Palestine logo utilises the tatreez coffee bean motif, known as 'Habbet Binn' ةبح نب. This symbol holds cultural significance in Palestinian embroidery, particularly in the Jaffa and Gaza regions. Serving as a delightful and intricate representation of a coffee bean, a fundamental element in Palestinian hospitality and social gatherings, this motif symbolizes warmth and welcome. The colour palette is inspired by the food and flora of Palestine.'
Condon said a lot of thought, work, planning and strategy went into their first campaign, with an aim to keep the campaign as simple and as sharable as possible so that it was easy for others to get involved and raise as much funds as possible.
More than 150 cafés and restaurants were involved in 2024 and more than €50,000 was raised for charities and communities on the ground in Gaza.
Condon said that the goal for this year's campaign was to engage even more cafés and restaurants to raise more funds – a goal which was met, with more than 270 establishments taking part this year.
'We had a new volunteer Campaign Manager, Emer, and Creative Producer, Shahd this year who were instrumental in widening the reach across Ireland,' Condon said.
She spoke of the importance of the campaign to show people in Gaza support and compassion by raising awareness and letting them know that we are thinking of them everyday and said 100% of proceeds from the campaign will go directly to five organisations providing urgent support on the ground in Gaza.
Those organisations include: Gaza go Bragh, a grassroots Irish initiative fundraising directly for emergency aid, water and food in Gaza; Unicef Gaza Gaza Crisis Response, delivering life-saving supplies and protection for children in Gaza; Medicine Sans Frontiers, offering vital surgical care, medical aid, and mental health services in Gaza's overwhelmed hospitals; Palestinian Red Crescent Society, emergency medical responders, providing ambulances, trauma care, and humanitarian relief; and Communities on the Ground, a community-led giving initiative selected by Eman from Izz Café.
'It's also important to support the cafés and restaurants that have committed to donating to the campaign. Small independent cafés and restaurants are so important in our communities and often have social impact goals as well as running businesses,' Condon said.
Speaking following this year's campaign, Eman Alkarajeh said: 'From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who shared a cup of coffee with us, you shared much more than a drink; you shared hope.
'A very special thank you to my dear friends Deirdre from Studio Boon and Clare from Good Day Deli, who stood beside me with their warm hearts and strong voices. This campaign would not have been the same without you. You made it feel like I wasn't alone, you made it feel like Palestine was right here with us.
'And to our talented friend who designed and printed our beautiful logo, thank you for giving our message a face. Your work brought light, even when the skies over Gaza were dark. From Gaza from under the rubble, from Cork with all our love, Thank you. We will never stop talking about Palestine.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Taoiseach warns trade ban on Israeli settlements could hit Irish companies under US anti-boycott laws
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government must tread carefully when considering the expansion of its proposed trade ban with Israeli settlements, stressing that including services could inadvertently harm Irish-based multinational companies due to US anti-boycott legislation. His comments come after Tánaiste Simon Harris last week published a fresh outline of the Occupied Territories Bill, which seeks to prohibit the import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements. The bill will affect imports from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights – territories occupied since 1967 and widely recognised under international law as illegally held. While the current draft focuses on goods only, Harris has signalled that he wants to include services in a future version of the bill. However, Martin expressed concern about the legal and economic risks of doing so. 'That's an issue we have to factor in, because we don't want any companies or multinationals in Ireland inadvertently being caught up in this,' he said, referring to US anti-boycott laws. Martin made the comments today during a visit to Japan. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'We do have to factor in the presence of American legislation, the boycotting divestment legislation, which is already passed by numerous states in America, which would penalise any company that, from an American perspective, participates in boycotts.' Martin said that several US states have passed anti-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) laws, which penalise companies seen as boycotting Israel or Israeli-controlled areas. More than 30 US states have passed so-called anti-BDS laws that penalise companies or entities seen to be boycotting Israel or Israeli-controlled territories. These laws often apply regardless of whether the boycott targets Israel itself or the settlements specifically – something Martin said poses a risk of misinterpretation. 'Whilst we're just involved in the Occupied Territories, not Israel as a country, there's a concerted campaign in terms of misrepresenting the Irish position, so that's an issue we have to factor in,' Martin said. Advertisement Martin also addressed criticism that the government is backing away from the moral argument in favour of protecting economic interests. 'It's not commercial, like it's putting bread and butter on people's table,' he said, noting the presence of 'hundreds of thousands' of jobs in Ireland linked to multinational employers. 'The object of the exercise here is to put pressure on Israel, not to disadvantage Ireland unduly and that's a factor.' The Taoiseach acknowledged the symbolic importance of the legislation, but said it was important to be 'clear-eyed' about its potential impact. 'There's no point in Ireland coming out worse if it has no impact on Israel. That's the only point I'm making, we have to be clear-eyed in terms of the impact. People should know about the impact.' He also raised practical concerns about how a ban on services would even be enforced. 'How do you actually detect, how do you punish the offence, the practicalities around all of that. Those are real and the bill is fundamentally symbolic, it's important.' The Occupied Territories Bill, first introduced in 2018, proposed banning the import and sale of goods and services originating in illegal settlements, as well as the extraction of resources from those areas. The revised version of the bill, now known as the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill, would criminalise only the importation of goods, under the Customs Act 2015. Services are not currently covered, though Tánaiste Simon Harris has said he is seeking further legal advice and wants to bring services into scope where possible. 'There isn't another country in the European Union that you can visit today and ask a government minister about their bill to ban trade and the detail of it, because they don't have one,' Harris said last Wednesday. 'Ireland is leading – but we have to do this properly.' The bill is expected to go before an Oireachtas committee for pre-legislative scrutiny later this year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
11 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork GAA secures documents order in €96m Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment case
A leading engineering consulting firm linked to the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh has until mid-September to hand over certain documents to Cork GAA. An order of the High Court was made this week relating to the key documents connected to the work carried out on the stadium project, which is believed to have cost in the region of €96m. Cork company Malachy Walsh and Partners was appointed as design project manager for the project, from inception to completion eight years ago. In court documents, Cork GAA chief executive Kevin O'Donovan claimed €6.6m had been paid to the consultancy engineering firm by Cork County GAA Board for professional services provided in relation to the Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium redevelopment. The order was made after the High Court heard the Cork County Committee of the GAA and Malachy Walsh and Co Ltd had reached agreement on the order to be made, which was by consent of both parties involved. James Burke BL, for Cork County Committee of the GAA, told the court the case seeking the documents, which had been expected to last over two days, had been settled and on consent of the defendant Malachy Walsh and Co Ltd, an order could be made by the court for the handover of certain documents requested by Cork GAA. Mr Justice Conleth Bradley made the order that the documents be provided by September 19 next. In an affidavit to the court, Mr O'Donovan said the Cork County GAA Board entered into a number of agreements, including an agreement with Malachy Walsh and Company, which trades as Malachy Walsh and Partners with a registered address at Park House, Bessboro Road, Blackrock, Cork, in respect of the redevelopment of the Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium. Malachy Walsh and Partners, he said, was a multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental and consulting firm which was appointed to design and manage the stadium redevelopment by a letter of engagement in February 2012. He said the project was the redevelopment of the stadium and adjoining areas at Ballintemple, Cork. Malachy Walsh and Partners, he said, was appointed the lead design consultant, project manager, civil and structural engineer, quantity surveyor, mechanical and electrical engineer and architect for the works. The project was handed over to the Cork GAA in 2017, with further additional works carried out in November 2017. In the 2023 affidavit, Mr O'Donovan contended the brief which formed part of the letter of engagement further specified Malachy Walsh and Partners was 'responsible for monitoring of cost and for the provision of all financial information to Cork County GAA Board". Cork GAA requested certain documents and contended it was entitled to receive the documents or copies. In another replying affidavit from last year, Mr O'Donovan said Cork GAA contended it had a contractual right to the documentation sought. Malachy Walsh and Partners contended in an affidavit referred to in court documents that certain documents had already been provided.
Irish Times
12 hours ago
- Irish Times
Dublin-anchored Lynskey Engineering to be snapped up by German giant
German engineering giant Dussmann has agreed to acquire Irish-headquartered mechanical and electrical specialist Lynskey Engineering for an undisclosed price. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval and was notified to the competition watchdog on Wednesday, is expected to be completed in the third quarter, the Berlin-headquartered company said in a statement on Thursday morning. The purchase price is confidential, the firm said. Lynskey generated an annual turnover of more than €57 million, according to its most recently available set of accounts, and currently employs around 120 people across the group. Based on the Kylemore Road in Dublin 10, Lynskey specialises in mechanical building services and electrical engineering. It has delivered projects for multinationals including Kerrygold-maker Ornua at its facility in Mitchelstown, Cork, as well as Penneys owner Primark, and LinkedIn, according to its website. READ MORE Dussmann, which reported annual revenues in excess of €3 billion in 2024, first entered the Irish market in 2019 with the acquisition of STS Group, a Waterford-based firm. Sean McElligott, Lynskey's managing director and controlling shareholder, said the deal presents the Irish firm with an 'excellent opportunity' growth. He said: 'Our clients will continue to enjoy the same level of superior service provided by our team, delivering complex technical mechanical projects within time and on budget, and will, post-acquisition, also benefit from the increased scale and service capability we can offer as part of a circa €3.3 billion turnover group. 'Similarly, our employees will find increased opportunities provided by the ambition and support of Dussmann to grow our business further.' The deal will see Lynskey join Dussmann's technical solutions division, which incorporates a number of different services across the life cycle of factories and other facilities like data centres, from design to installation and technical maintenance. Stephan Possekel, managing director at Dussmann Technical Solutions, commented on the planned acquisition, said the German firm has already worked closely with Lynskey on several projects in the data centre sector. 'Lynskey's portfolio of mechanical services seamlessly complements STS's electrical engineering services', he said. Oliver Finckh, chief technical officer and managing director, said: 'The acquisition of Lynskey will enable us to offer both main trades – mechanical as well as electrical services on complex large-scale projects, thus being a single source provider of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services.' Lynskey was advised by Anglesea Corporate Finance.
