The Children’s Shroud in Italy
The Gaza Children’s Shroud is not simply a vigil.
It is a global movement of remembrance, solidarity, and action.
It is an invitation to witness.
It is an invitation to act.
Until every name has been spoken.
Until every child has been honored.
Until every human life is treated as fully equal.
GOAL
Transform remembrance into action-honoring every child, speaking every name, and mobilizing the world to end the genocide in Gaza.
WE WRITE NAMES
In the last year, thousands have marched through Italy carrying a massive white shroud bearing the names of over 18,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza. The first time the shroud was unfurled was during a demonstration against the soccer match Italy-Israel in Udine on 14 October 2025. Since then, the shroud has traveled to more than 40 localities in Italy.
Inspired by this extraordinary act of collective witness, Priests Against Genocide USA, Doctors Against Genocide, and Justice for All are leading the creation of a hand-written Children's Shroud. Every child's name is inscribed by hand by congreations and groups, Christians, Muslims, Jews, people of other faiths, and those of no religious tradition are coming together in a shared act of remembrance, affirming the equal dignity of every child and our common humanity.
The corporal nature of inscribing the names of those is a spiritual practice rooting us in the best of our religious traditions with moral imperative to defend human dignity, to seek justice and peace, and stand up to those who abuse power and destroy lives.
In Gaza, Palestinian parents wrote their children's names on their bodies so they could be identified when homes were bombed and bodies torn apart. Writing their names on their skin was an act of refusing to let their children vanish into the statistics of war.
Join us in Philadelphia September 1, NYC September 16
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Join us in Philadelphia September 1, NYC September 16 •
OBJECTIVES
Lift Up Every Child — every child’s name spoken
Affirm the dignity and life of every child – that they are precious and loved. For each vigil participant, to hold the children as their own and to uplift them and the voices of the Palestinian people. These Palestinian children are the children of the world.
Make Palpable the Loss to the World — it’s a genocide
The overwhelming physical presence of the shroud (120 yards long, 6 feet wide), combined with the sustained public reading of names, makes tangible the magnitude of the tragedy. The naming will be read worldwide, with a global live stream for the world to witness.
Build Global Solidarity & Action — global participation
Engage as many stakeholders as possible across communities, faiths, organizations, and nations to demand the protection of life in Gaza, accountability for the devastation, and freedom for Palestine. Initiate the whole world in ending this genocide.
A YEAR-ROUND GLOBAL MOVEMENT
Doctors Against Genocide (DAG), Priests Against Genocide USA (PAG), Justice for All and partner organizations are launching The Gaza Children's Shroud: A Year-Round Global Movement of witness and action.
The Children's Shroud, bearing the handwritten names of more than 20,000 children killed in Gaza, will begin its journey in Philadelphia on September 1 with a major public gathering at City Hall calling for freedom, justice, and the protection of life in Palestine. From there, the Shroud will travel to New York City for its international launch at the United Nations Church Center on September 16, during the United Nations General Assembly. In October, the Shroud will continue to Washington, D.C., for a week of witness, including a Vigil and public reading of every child's name, and events with the public and members of Congress, before traveling to cities and countries around the world.
Each month, the Shroud will travel to a new city, where it will become the focal point of a week-long public vigil dedicated to reading the names of the children, honoring their lives, and expanding the global call to end the genocide in Gaza.
At the heart of this movement is a handwritten memorial shroud bearing the names of all 20,000 children. The writing of all the names is led by Priests Against Genocide (USA) in partnership with Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other faith communities and organizations across the United States and around the world.
GOAL
END THE GENOCIDE
Success is measured by initiating the whole world in ending this genocide, and all genocides, recognizing the full and equal worth and dignity of all.
FOUNDING PARTNERS
Doctors Against Genocide (DAG)
A global coalition of healthcare professionals and allies committed to confronting genocide and protecting civilian life.
Priests Against Genocide (PAG)
An international network of clergy committed to moral witness and action in the face of mass atrocities.
An American human rights organization founded in 2001 that focuses on advocating for the rights of Muslim minorities globally.
We invite organizations around the world to partner with Priests Against Genocide, Doctors Against Genocide and Justice for All by bringing the Children's Shroud to their city and organizing a week-long public vigil centered on reading the names of Gaza's children.
Together, these local actions will become one continuous global movement of remembrance, solidarity, and action.
CONGREGATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS
INSCRIBING THE SHROUD (USA)
The 2026 Joint Christian Advocacy Summit in Washington DC (May 5-7 at Shiloh Baptist Church - where the writing project was launched)
St. Camillus Catholic Church, Silver Spring MD
Al-Hidaya Islamic Community Center, Latham NY
Franciscan Friars at Siena University, Loudonville, NY
Islamic Center of Long Island, NY
Interfaith Action for Palestine
Riverside Church, New York, NY
Little Friends for Peace, Washington DC
Holy Trinity Church, Washington DC
St. Cecilia's Church, Boston, MA
St. Susana Church, Dedham, MA
Sacred Heart Church, Belfast, Northern Ireland
The Belfast Jesuit Center, Belfast, Northern Ireland
St. Moses the Black Orthodox Church, Pittsburg, PA
United Taybeh Americans Association
St. Francis of Assisi Church, Binghamton, NY
Catholic Caucus of Christians for a Free Palestine
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, in Washington DC
NOVA Community, Northern Virginia
Pax Christi, NY State
Immaculate Conception Church, Durham, NC
The People for Palestine group at First Presbyterian, CA
The Franciscan Friars of the Province of our Lady of Guadalupe, Provincial Chapter in St. Louis, MO
Catholic Worker, Auburn, NY
Catholics for a Just Peace in the Holy Land
Holy Infant Catholic Church, Durham, NC
Durham Friends Meeting, Durham, NC
JIAR Masjid, Durham, NC
Christ the King Lutheran Church, Cary, NC
Pax Christi chapter at St. John Neumann Parish in Reston, VA
Pax Christi, NY State
One Body Catholic Worker, Baltimore, MD
Viva House Catholic Worker, Baltimore, MD
Pax Christi at St. John Neumann Parish, Reston, VA
Catholic Caucus of Christians for a Free Palestine
Islamic Association of Raleigh, Raleigh, NC
One Body Catholic Worker, Baltimore, MD
Our Lady of Victory Parish, Baltimore, MD
St. Vincent’s Parish, Baltimore, MD
Daughters of Charity, Baltimore, MD
CONGREGATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS
INSCRIBING THE SHROUD (Ireland)
Sacred Heart Church, Belfast, Northern Ireland
The Belfast Jesuit Center, Belfast, Northern Ireland
St Agnes' Parish, Belfast
St Joseph's Church, Belfast
Bangor Peace Movement, N Ireland
South Belfast Quakers
Gaels Against Genocide, Belfast branch
Christines4Palestine, Ireland
St Paul's Church, Belfast
ORGANIZATIONS HOSTING SHROUD EVENTS
Philadelphia, USA (September 1, 2026)
Prayers for Peace Alliance (Co-Host)
Council on American-Islamic Relations Philadelphia
Freedom Road US
Friends of Standing Together Philadelphia
If Not Now Philadelphia
Jewish Boomers Against Occupation in Palestine
Jewish Voices for Peace Philadelphia
Korea Peace Committee Philadelphia
Maine Line Jewish Justice Collective
Mennonite Action Philly
Mishkan Shalom
Nonviolence International
Olivet Covenant Presbyterian Church
Palestine Justice Network of Palestine Coalition, USA
Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, US, Greater Philadelphia Branch
Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
Philadelphia Chapter of American Friends of Combatants for Peace
Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America
Philadelphia Interfaith Peace Walk
Philadelphia Palestinian Americans
Rabbis for Ceasefire
Red Letter Christians
Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Philadelphia Activist Chapter
Tikkun Olam Chavurah
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East Philadelphia