Londoners run to raise $30K for Palestine and local charities

Hundreds signed up to participate in the ‘Run for Palestine’ in London, Ont. on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Jenn Basa/CTV News London)

Hundreds of Londoners signed up to participate in the ‘Run for Palestine’ on Saturday, a not-for-profit organization that fundraises for Palestine and Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East.

The organization holds events in cities across Canada, where participants either walked 1km or ran 5km to raise funds or several charitable projects.

“We’re very proud that this is our first year supporting a local charity as well,” said Nehal AL Tarhuni, an organizer at Saturday’s family-friendly event.

"We’re mostly from London so we love giving back to the community especially for a much needed cause.”

Al Tarhuni told CTV News that the not-profit has partnered with Islamic Relief Canada to help enhance its neonatal unit at Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem.

Donations will also go towards providing scholarship funding and support to the Canadian Palestinian Professional Foundation (CPPF) and the London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) neonatal intensive care unit.

For their 6th annual event, their goal is to raise $30,000.

In 2022, the organization raised over $166,802 which helped pay for medical equipment in the maternity department at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.

The event held at Greenway Park runs from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.