Tipperary students mark World Children 's Day by raising funds for Gaza

On November 20, World Children’s Day, students from the CBS High School in Clonmel  transformed awareness into action through a student-led cyclothon, Cycle for Gaza.

The event aligned with the UN-recognised day dedicated to promoting children’s rights, wellbeing and international solidarity. Students used the occasion to voice their concerns about global issues affecting young people, particularly the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

READ MORE: Tipperary Garda Superintendent welcomes introduction of high visibility foot patrols

The cyclothon was the latest in a series of student and staff initiatives focused on advocacy and empathy. As part of their 5th Year SPHE curriculum, students had been exploring the theme of community advocacy, culminating in this ambitious public demonstration of support.

Over recent years, humanitarian reports have highlighted the severe impact of conflict on children in Gaza. According to international sources, ‘a Palestinian child had been killed every 52 minutes, with more than 18,512 students and 791 teachers reported dead.’ Ninety percent of Gaza’s population has been displaced and for the third consecutive year, children were unable to attend school.

As UNRWA poignantly stated: “Education is more than learning—it is a dream and hope for a better future.”
Earlier in May, over 300 CBS High School students participated in a demonstration calling for a ceasefire, organised under the Teachers for Palestine initiative, Let’s Talk About Palestine.

The event aimed to humanise and contextualise Palestinian history and culture while responding to the escalating crisis in Gaza and the West Bank following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The situation remains under investigation by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is examining allegations of violations of the Genocide Convention by the Israeli Government.
In October, staff members hosted a bake sale, raising €1,140 for Concern’s Cook for Gaza appeal.

The fundraiser followed the declaration of famine in Gaza on August 22nd, with aid agencies warning of rising avoidable deaths due to the Israeli government breaching international humanitarian law by imposing restrictions on aid flows into the region.
On World Children’s Day, students channelled their compassion into a symbolic act of solidarity.

They collectively cycled 1,060 kilometres—10 times the approximate perimeter of Gaza—on stationary bikes placed at four public Clonmel locations: the Poppyfields, Fetch Coffee, the Post Office and the Showgrounds Shopping Centre. The students braced the bitter cold and were wholeheartedly supported by the community of Clonmel. Through words of encouragement and bolstered by motivating online comments to their idonate page and the school’s social media pages, the students were able to succeed in their cycling target and in doing so raised an astounding €4053. Having surpassed their target of €3000 for Uisce for Gaza, an Irish-led initiative providing clean drinking water to Gazan communities through desalination projects, the remaining funds from the cyclothon will be directed to the relatives of Clonmel-based Palestinian families, who remain in Gaza suffering inhuman living conditions for them and their children.

The students’ efforts were supported by generous donations from Camida Ltd, MH Engineering Ltd., Medite Ltd. and Phoenix Strength and Conditioning, which helped make the event possible.

READ NEXT: Tipperary councillors appeal for waiting lists for diagnostic scans to be tackled

Teachers described the project as a powerful example of youth-led advocacy. “It’s our hope that events like this help to remind students that change often starts small. When they act with compassion, their efforts can have a real and direct impact on the lives of others,” said Coordinator PJ McCoole.

On World Children’s Day, Clonmel’s young advocates didn’t just cycle—they stood up for dignity, hope and the rights of children everywhere.

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser please visit https://www.idonate.ie/
crowdfunder/Cycle4Gaza
CBSHighSchoolClonmel.