Global Animation Community unites for ‘To Gaza with Love: A Global Anijam’
Skwigly
Today the global animation industry is marking the online premiere of To Gaza with Love: A Global Anijam, a powerful international initiative coordinated by AC4Pal (Animation Community for Palestine). The project brings together 329 short films from over 50 countries, created by animators, students, and studios in a collective act of solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Founded by Oscar-nominated British animator Joanna Quin, Canadian animator and lecturer Thérèse Simard and Assistant Professor of Animation Sam Decoste, AC4Pal was created to support the work of Haneen Koraz, an animator based in Gaza who has been running animation workshops with displaced children and women across the region. For some time Koraz has been using animation to help children express their experiences. As the violence escalated, she remained committed to her work in camps across Gaza, delivering 51 animation workshops that offered a vital creative lifeline. She also trained a team of women to carry the work forward, and to date has reached over 1,500 children and empowered more than 80 women and mothers.
Her efforts inspired animators around the world to respond – not only with admiration but with action. The Anijam invited the global animation community to send short films of love, hope, and solidarity to Gaza. These films have already reached millions online and, most importantly, have been seen by the people in Gaza they were made for.
Haneen Koraz said of the initiative:
For me, the ‘To Gaza with Love’ films are a powerful act of solidarity. They show that artists around the world care deeply about Gaza – about our children, our art, and our future. These films give us strength and remind us that we are not forgotten. The children feel this too. They told me, ‘These films are like gifts from the world to us. They make us feel seen, like people care, and that our love for art is shared by many others.’ Even in the midst of hardship, these stories spark hope. They remind us that through imagination and creativity, our voices can travel where we cannot.”
The project aims to show Palestinians – especially Gazans – that they are not forgotten, and to give animators a platform to voice their support. It uses animation as a powerful tool of political expression, raises funds for Haneen’s workshops, and builds a global community of animators united in compassion and creativity. By highlighting Haneen’s work, the initiative challenges reductive narratives and affirms the humanity, resilience, and artistry of Palestinians – not as statistics, but as individuals with stories, families, and futures.
SEEDS OF FREEDOM (Martyna Sabadasz, Cheltenham, UK)
Joanna Quinn added:
Discovering the work of Haneen and her courageous team of talented women animators has been life-changing for me. In a world overwhelmed by hate, fear, and violence, their strength of spirit and selflessness offer a profound sense of hope – not only to the children they work with, but to the thousands who watch their films around the globe.
Animation is a beautiful way to show solidarity with the people of Gaza – a universal language that speaks beyond borders, cultures, and languages. Our Global Anijam is a unified collection of over 300 powerful messages of love and support for Haneen, her talented young animators, and the wider community of suffering Palestinians in Gaza.
Among the contributors are some of the animation world’s most respected voices:
- Joanna Quinn (UK), whose own contribution to the Anijam is a deeply personal and emotive piece, reflecting her long-standing commitment to using animation as a force for empathy and justice.
- Sam Fell (UK), Oscar-nominated director (Aardman, Laika) created a heartfelt piece reflecting on empathy and connection.
- Raman Djafari (Germany), known for his work with Billie Eilish and Adult Swim, contributed a visually stunning message of solidarity.
- Jin (Sonnye Lim) (USA), a rising talent whose emotionally resonant film has gained wide traction online.
- Mohammed Hosam (Gaza), whose breathtaking animation, created entirely on his phone from a tent, has captivated audiences.
- Royal College of Art (UK) animation students, whose collaborative film has garnered over 4 million views and heartfelt responses from Gaza.
As part of the Anijam launch, audiences will be invited to explore a beautifully designed interactive map by Bristol-based Australian animator Jane Abernethy. By tapping on playful watermelon icons, viewers can unlock and watch films from each featured location around the world. Four of the submitted films came directly from inside Gaza, a rare and powerful testament to the resilience of artists working under unimaginable conditions.
You can watch the online premiere of ‘To Gaza with Love: A Global Anijam’ via the official YouTube channel on Sunday 21st September from 12pm Gaza Time / 9am GMT
On Saturday 27th September the Encounters Film Festival, Cardiff Animation Festival and Bristol Palestine Film Festival. will host a special fundraising event for Haneen Koraz, 12:30pm at Bristol’s Watershed. For more info and to order tickets, visit 2025.encounters.film