Campaigners in Wales just did a 25-mile solidarity walk for Gaza

Before dawn on Sunday 7 September 2025, walkers gathered in Merthyr to begin a 25-mile walk ‘through Gaza’ in solidarity with the Palestinian people and in the name of peace.

Walk of remembrance ‘through Gaza’

Walking along the Trevithick and Taff Trails through North Gaza (Pontygwaith), Gaza City (Abercynon), Deir al Balah (Pontypridd), Khan Younis (Nantgarw) and Rafah (Tongwynlais) the group of more than 50 people ended their walk nearly 12 hours later in Alexandra Gardens, Cardiff.

Along the route, walkers dedicated poems, flowers, and songs to people the Israeli onslaught has killed in Gaza. This  included Eman Al-Shanti and her family, Dr Adnan Al-Bursh, James Henderson, and Sabreen Roh.

Local people, churches, and businesses supported the walkers along the way. The Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) community painted ‘Pebbles for Peace’ and placed them along the path.

So far, walkers have raised £6469 (including gift aid) for the life-saving work of the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.

A living memorial to the children of Gaza

To create the temporary, living memorial to children Israel has killed in Gaza, in Alexandra Gardens, a team of volunteers made name tags on paper embedded with wild flower seeds. These were for each of the 19,189 Gazan children Israel has killed since 7 October 2023.

The community hung name tags in the trees, creating an incredibly moving memorial. People were invited to take some children home, say their names, plant them in their gardens and remember them always:

Hayley Richards of RCT Palestine Solidarity Campaign said:

This was just a group of friends, old and new, walking for a day in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Through naming and remembering people killed by the continuing Israeli genocide in Gaza, we shared our collective grief and it became so much more.

None of us will forget this day or how we felt walking among the trees of Alexandra Gardens with the names of 20,000 dead children dancing in the wind. Our hearts are broken.

Together to meditate on the genocide in those ‘narrow 25 miles’

Walkers are all still processing the raw emotions of the solidarity walk. The day began with lashings of rain and ended with beautiful sunshine. One walker said:

We watched the children sway in a gentle breeze and couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of peace, after so much pain. May their souls be flying high.

Another walker said:

Thanks for a wonderful morning together. It was very special to watch the light come, walk and talk with strangers, to share and to meditate on what’s happening in those 25 narrow miles. Thanks to all for companionship and collective action.

The group were humbled by the generosity of donors. One said:

Llongyfarchiadau i chi i gyd. Roedd yn emosiynol iawn gweld enwau’r plant ar y coed a chlywed Côr y Bont yn canu ym Mharc Ynysyngharad. Congratulations to you all. Glad to have seen you reach Ponty.

Another donor said:

Thank you for doing this. The awareness raising/solidarity among those who oppose the genocide spreads hope that the wider world will again see right from wrong for equity and peace, then act.

The memorial will remain in Alexandra Gardens until Monday 15 September for the public to see and take children home. Any remaining children will be shared with community gardens, including the peace garden at the Temple of Peace & Health in Cardiff.

Supporters can still back the fundraising effort by donating here.

The RCT PSC branch has also separately raised £1,650 to help bring a group of Palestinian young people to the UK this month to share experiences with young people here and tell Welsh people about their lives.

Feature image via David Kilner and in-text image via Clare Anderson.