More than 20 celebrities,
including Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan and
Harry Potter actor Paapa Essiedu, are coming together to raise money for students from Gaza.
According to
Variety, leading figures from across the cultural world are auctioning
personal items to help students from Gaza study in the U.K. Organized by Phoenix Space, a charity supporting marginalized communities, particularly young people, the initiative comes as hundreds of students in Gaza have secured spots at U.K. universities but lack the funding needed to attend.
The initiative was launched after the U.K. government announced that students from Gaza would be able to travel to and study in the country, provided they have fully funded scholarships.
“I can’t imagine almost all universities being destroyed and the immense talent in every discipline wasted: no opportunities and no choice at all,” Essiedu said in a recently shared statement. “What a beautiful thing if this book in some way can unlock the futures of these brilliant students too,” he added.
Other donors include Scottish actor Brian Cox, English former footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker, English singer Paloma Faith, Welsh singer Charlotte Church, English actors Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson, Harriet Walter, and Vanessa Redgrave, and South African-born British actress Janet Suzman. Together, they will be parting with a range of personal belongings, from signed books and scripts to clothing, jewelry, photographs, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia, with all proceeds going toward funding the scholarships.
The online auction kicks off on July 27, with bidding remaining open for the following 10 days via the Scholarships for Gaza auction website.