On September 22, people in numerous Italian cities participated in the national general strike for Palestine: thousands of people gathered and marched through the squares of Italy shouting “Free Palestine”, in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest independent initiative involving 42 boats with the aim of delivering food and essential goods to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.
The strike added to the many voices denouncing that the Palestinian genocide, perpetrated by Israel. For decades, Palestinians have faced systematic dispossession and violence that long predates the current crisis. Following recent escalations, the Israeli government launched a systematic campaign of extermination against the Palestinian population. Today the situation is tragic: sixty thousand are the confirmed victims of the genocide ongoing for almost two years, and thousands of other people have not even had the dignity of a burial. It is estimated that over 15,000 are missing under the rubble, a figure that is widely acknowledged by institutions and experts as an underestimation. Hence, the world can no longer remain a bystander.
The September 22 strike was a collective outcry, a moment of closeness to the Palestinian population and reflection on the importance of civic mobilisation and the commitment of institutions, associations, and citizens to the defense of human rights. It reminded everyone that solidarity is not an isolated symbolic act, but a fundamental component in supporting processes of peace and justice at a global level.
This wave of civic mobilisation resonates with ALDA’s ongoing efforts to promote peace and justice across its network. In August 2025, ALDA issued a statement in support of Palestine, approved by the Governing Board of the Organisation. The statement reaffirmed ALDA’s commitment to peace, justice, and an end to the massacres, emphasising the importance of civil society engagement in defending human rights. The full statement is available here.
In our modest way, we are mobilising to provide concrete support to the situation and the Palestinian population. We established an internal taskforce with the goal of monitoring the situation, evaluating the most effective ways to intervene, and identifying concrete strategies to mobilise the network of our members and partners. The taskforce is responsible for analysing scenarios, proposing practical initiatives, and facilitating coordinated advocacy and support actions, becoming an operational reference point for the entire ALDA network.
As a first operational step, on September 23, 2025, ALDA organised a webinar titled “What Can We Do for Palestine”, attended by humanitarian operators working in Gaza, ALDA members, and external partners. The meeting was an opportunity for discussion and exchange of experiences, during which concrete tools and operational methods to support Palestinian communities were presented. During the webinar, participants discussed how to mobilize resources, involve local and international networks, and translate solidarity into concrete and sustainable actions, promoting the active role of civil society in defending human rights.These initiatives may seem like small drops in the vast ocean of global solidarity, but every step and every action counts. Citizens around the world are coming together to give voice and provide concrete support to the Palestinian population. For ALDA this was only a first step: in the following weeks, we will follow up on all points raised during the webinar and continue doing our part to support Palestine and the Palestinian people.
The legend of the hummingbird
A legend tells that, in a forest, one day, due to the excessive heat, a fire suddenly broke out.
Faced with the advancing flames, all the inhabitants, terrified, ran away. All, except a small hummingbird, who tirelessly collected a drop of water in its beak and carried it to the fire. Then it returned to the pond, collected another drop, and brought it back to the flames.
A lion, who was observing the scene from afar, sarcastically asked the bird:
“What are you doing, fool? Don’t you see the forest is burning and all the animals are running away? What do you think you can do?”
The hummingbird looked the lion in the eyes and replied:
“I am doing my part!”
The lion laughed: “You so small expect to stop the flames?” and, together with all the other animals, began to make fun of him. But the little bird, unconcerned by the laughter and criticism, immediately returned to the river to collect another drop of water.
Seeing the courage of the little hummingbird, a young elephant, who until that moment had stayed sheltered between its mother’s legs, immersed its trunk in the river and, after sucking up as much water as possible, sprayed it on a bush that was almost consumed by the fire.
Even a young pelican, leaving its parents at the center of the river, filled its large beak with water and, taking flight, let it fall like a cascade onto a tree threatened by the flames.
Soon, all the young animals joined together to fight the fire, forgetting old grudges and millennial divisions. The cub of the lion and the antelope, that of the monkey and the leopard, that of the white-necked eagle and the hare fought side by side to stop the fire’s advance.
Seeing this, the adults stopped mocking them and, full of shame, began to help. With the arrival of fresh forces, organised by the lion king, when evening shadows fell on the savannah, the fire could finally be considered under control.
Dirty and tired, but safe, all the animals gathered to celebrate the victory over the fire.
The lion called the little hummingbird and said:
“Today we have learned that the most important thing is not to be big and strong, but to be full of courage and generosity. You have shown us that even a single drop of water can be important and that, together, we can put out even a great fire.”
