The Palestine Solidarity Campaign was forced to cancel their hot air balloon flight through the Sheffield sky due to weather conditions.

This was the fourth year that they were unable to fly the balloon and had to cancel the event. But in spite of this set- back, this year the event went on with different activities. 

Catherine Gaze, who has been a part of the cause for over 30 years said; “What is lovely is that the other times it just got cancelled. This year, we decided to have an event. So despite not having the balloon, it’s still a lovely event for people to come to.”

They were able to organise a small festival and picnic for people, with speeches from a few people, including Dr. Sahar Awadallah, ending the event with a march around Parkwood Springs.

This event started due to Pete, a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who first flew a balloon over a pit camp in March 1993. 

This inspired Dr. Sahar Awadallah to do the same in Sheffield. When asked about the importance of the flag flying above the Sheffield skies, she said; 

“I feel maybe the flight was a call, a cry out for everyone to see the Palestinian flag is flying free up there in the air, calling people to witness the genocide, to act right now,”

This event marks the 77th year since Nakba, the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestine.