Two authors, José Luis Ferris and Joaquín Juan Penalva, together with a broad lineup of poets, will host a poetic marathon this Saturday. The event operates under the banner Poetry for Palestine: Verses against genocide, a peaceful demonstration to protest the Gaza Strip tragedy and to raise aid for those affected. The gathering is supported by UNRWA, the United Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees.
Roughly forty poets from the Alicante province will participate at UA’s headquarters in Alicante, located at Ramón y Cajal 4. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to around 1:30 p.m. Among the participants are notable poets in both Spanish and Valencian, including Esther Abellán, Luis Bagué, Ramón Bascuñana, Pilar Blanco, Antonio Moreno, Ágora Reix, José Luis Ric, Emili Rodríguez Bernabeu, Mariano Sánchez Soler, Natxo Vidal, and Victoria Cremades, along with Ferris and Penalva, as well as Nesrine Khoury (Syria) and Fadwa Al Qasem (Palestine), who have settled in the province.
During the four hours, participants will read their own texts—poems, manifestos, or prose—with a clear, emotional and urgent voice that aligns with the Palestinian literary tradition, featuring voices from Refaat Alareer, Suheir Hammad, Mahmud Darwish, Yabra Ibrahim Yabra, Heba Abu Nada, Noor Hidar, and others. The readings aim to unite people through shared empathy and artistic expression.
One speaker described the day as deeply emotional, recalling how writing shifts when it comes from joy versus facing a born-in fear. The organization’s president noted that the plan began with around twenty participants in Madrid, but mobilization grew to nearly forty as the day approached, reflecting a strong community response.
Ferris shared that an extended recital approach has inspired similar efforts, with a twelve-hour format already staged in Madrid. The Alicante gathering follows that model and sets the stage for additional events in other cities, creating a network of readings that span across Spain and beyond, including Valencia and several international locations. The aim is to keep the momentum going and broaden the circle of solidarity through literature and shared memory.
UNRWA support account
Funds raised will be directed through UNRWA to support Palestinian refugees, many of whom remain in camps and face ongoing hardship in the region. The collection will be monitored by organizers with transparent accounting, and the final totals will be publicly reported to ensure accountability. A portion of the effort will also engage a local NGO, València És Refugi, to facilitate mediation and distribution. The project emphasizes open reporting so contributors can see how their generosity translates into aid for those in need, with receipts and progress updates shared as the campaign progresses.