Nearly 12 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, refugee children in the Gaza Strip of Palestine in the Middle East performed their annual ritual, praying for further reconstruction of the affected areas.
The event began in 2012 at the call of UNRWA, the United Nations agency that supports Palestinian refugees, and has been held every year except for 2020, when it was canceled due to the impact of the new coronavirus.
About 500 refugee children gathered on the 7th in Khan Younis in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, where girls dressed in traditional Palestinian costumes performed a dance called "Dabke".
Then, they hoisted colorful octopuses that they had drawn themselves, such as designs inspired by the Japanese flag, in hopes of further reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.
A 12-year-old girl said, "I hope that Japanese children will be happy and successful, and that Japanese people can live in peace and safety."
Mr. Thomas White, Director of UNRWA Gaza Office, said, “This annual event shows the solidarity between Japan and Gaza. It is also becoming."