Skating their way through a conflict zone

As war rages between Israel and Hamas and the number of children killed in Palestine continues to rise, a group of Irish and British volunteers have arrived in the conflict-ridden country and are about to undertake an unusual but inspiring project that aims to enhance the lives of young people who call Palestine home.

Last year, a group of architects and skateboarding enthusiasts joined forces to start a project called SkatePAL, with the goal of building three new timber skateparks in Palestine. One of the architects working on the project is Kevin Loftus, a recent graduate from Co Mayo, alongside Down native, James McConville, and the project’s director, Charlie Davis, from Scotland. They have been planning, designing and fundraising for the skateparks for over a year.

Currently starting construction work in the village of Zebabdeh in the West Bank, Kevin arrived in the country a week ago when tensions in Gaza were at an all-time high and the security situation in the West Bank “volatile”.