''This project was interesting because I felt compassion while I was reading the children's texts, and they made me think on how children, even when living difficult times like war, still follow their passions. Initially, it was difficult for everyone to translate the texts while keepingthem close to the original, but with helping each other, we managed to translate all the texts.''

'Translating these short poems gave me the opportunity to reflect on very important themes such as war. I was touched by reading these poems, and in some cases I was particularly moved, because they gave me the opportunity to reflect deeply and allowed me to understand, even in a small way, the pain of living in those conditions.''

"This experience was so amazing, but more than anything, it made me think. Not every day you can talk to kids who are living under bombs; it's hard to put yourself in the shoes of someone our age whose life is totally different from ours.It was super touching but also really beautiful. I'm so happy about the teamwork we had: the people who were better at English helped with the translation , those who had a nice handwriting helped others write the poems, and if someone was stuck for drawing ideas, they asked a classmate for tips.Even though we each had our own poem to translate, every single translation was the result of lots of sharing"

"Translating and reading theese poems was pretty touching. Up to now I hadn't truly realized what was happening, and I know it's impossible to completaly empathize with this situation, but just imagining being there gives me a sense of emptiness. It's absurd and baffling how all of this can really happen, war has always been a distant word to me, a legend; unfortunately, it's reality. The fact a lot of these kids see the Moon as their best fried really moved me: they're alone, lonely, vulnerable; they lost their innate carefreeness. I can't even describe in words what I'm feeling, all of this is simply out mind"

"Personally, I found this translation experience really interesting, both from a poetic and a human point of view. In fact, not only did I have the opportunity to read and translate poems and thoughts written by young Palestinian poets, but I also had the chance to understand their emotions and their fears. Moreover, I also found Alice Oswald’s consideration very interesting, because she described her experience with these poems.    The main difficulty was that the texts were written by children living in a war situation, and this made the activity more difficult than a normal translation. In fact, it was not just about translating words, but about trying to keep the original meaning of the quotes and the consideration without changing their meaning or their intensity. Reading them helped me understand, even if just a little, the reality that these children live every day.   Finally, it was a useful experience that allowed me to work on my translation skills and to think about important topics."

''This work was deeply engaging and captivating; I found the poems very moving and touching. Through the translation, I was able to feel the children’s emotions and sensitivity. Some of the poems allowed me to see how children’s imagination and hope never fade, not even during the deepest pain."

"During this project I felt many emotions, such as cheerfulness but also sadness. I understood that, even during a period of conflict, these children and teenagers have their own ideas, dreams, and deep thoughts, which they managed to express through these poems.

I received two poems. The first talked about love and, while translating it into Italian, it made me reflect on the fact that the author chose such an emotional and delicate topic despite the context of war. This made me realise how important feelings remain even during the hardest moments.

The second poem, written by a nine-year-old girl, talks about what some parts of our body should do. As I began translating it, I was moved by how such a young girl was able to deal with such a deep topic and by her way of seeing the world. Later, I found out that this girl died during the conflict. This news made me very sad, because it’s hard to accept that such a young girl could lose her life because of the atrocity of the war. 

This experience made me reflect even more on how war affects even those who should not be involved, and on how important it is to give a voice to these stories."

"This activity touched my heart particularly. Thinking that very young children, who should be at school learning and having fun playing, write poems so deep and sad made me understand how a war can change the world.  Now I understand how in these situations children are able to become bigger and stronger than adults."

"The first thought I had while I was reading the poems was how much more mature these children are than me in pre-adolescent age. I enjoyed the indirect connection that we created with someone that we don’t know. This activity has halped me to understand wich things matter  in life and how many little things i dwell on. I hope that this work can bring a smile in this delicate moment."

"I really enjoyed translating these poems because bringing the voices of children that wrote them in war situations into another language helps spread their message. This project also made me feel closer to their experiences, turning something that was thankfully distant into something more real, which now I can better understand."

"Reading and translating these poems surprised me, because even in the simplicity of these young people  you can find something that makes your mind travel through their sentences and for a moment forget their tragic fate. "

"This poem made me think a lot about how my problems are nothing compared to the ones the people in Palestine have. The most important thing that this taught me is to always have hope even if you are going through really different moments. The author of this poem is only fourteen and the fact that she's almost my age makes me wonder why we have such different lives. I think that we can't do a lot to help these people but little actions can be more helpful than we think. Some days ago I was with my dad and we met a friend of his and she told us that she was going to a center to give food, clothes and games to some children that had arrived in Italy in that period. So I came at home and i told my mum to give some old clothes to these children and then my dad brought the bag with all of these stuff and gave it to his friend. I know that this will not help to stop the war but i like to think that the children will be happy with some new clothes. In conclusion, people who are not living such a bad reality should learn to be grateful and happy with the life they already have despite the negative aspects."

"This work was very difficult because of the translation, but also very interesting, because I was impressed by the boys’ skill in writing these poems in English. During the lesson, I discovered that some of them died because of the war, and this thing made me think a lot. Their poems are full of meaning, and show the wish to have a normal life, like ours."

"Translating these poems permitted me to understand a point of view that is often left behind by people: children’s.

Reading these verses we can see with how much strength children try to be courageous and to imagine moments of serenity in times of pain.

This work exposed me to a reality different from our own, and this touched me deeply."

"Translating these poems has made me think, especially now taht the situation these children live in is very different from what we are used to. The poems reflect how different their life is from ours and this struck me a lot."

"It was a wonderful experience: having the opportunity to translate such deep poems written by children and young people living in a difficult situation, the type that a war creates, made me realize just how fortunate we are, and this fortune is not obvious. The recurring theme of the poems is the Moon; thinking that we all look at the same one but we experience different situations made me realize just how privileged we are to live in a much simpler environment tahn theirs."

"Working on these poems helped me to reflect a lot. We don’t think about the current wars every day, but at the same time there are men, women and children who are fighting for their life.

It’s very touching to think that some young children, like those who committed themselves to writing these poems so much, need to think about the moon to try to feel free and dream of a childhood like the others’.

It’s impressive how well and deeply they can express themselves through these poems, too. From reading them it seems like each of us looks at the moon with different eyes: those of love, happiness, melancholy or the need of freedom.

Also, thinking that two of the children who wrote these poems died during this war is really sad. It makes us reflect on how difficult and challenging their life can be and how precious it is, even if we all really understand it only when we find ourselves in a dangerous time like theirs."

"This experience has been engaging and it aroused some very strong emotions in me.Translating these young people’s texts brought me closer to them and made me feel their strength and hope.I deeply appreciated the words they wrote and I hope this work will raise awareness as much as possible and engage all who read it in this context,because it should not be unknown to us."

"Translating a book of poems written by children who have experienced the war in Palestine brings strong emotions, such as sadness and empathy. It is a delicate task: you must use simple and respectful words without changing the meaning. In these poems there is pain, fear, but also hope. The translator must be careful and help the reader understand these emotions, preserving the sincerity and strength of their voices."

"Taking part in this activity wasn't just a great experience, for me, it really opened my eyes to dynamics and lifestyles different from ours. Reading the poems was truly moving, I think it sensitized everyone in class and made us all more aware of situations that, even if they seem far away and don't feel like they affect us, they actually exist, especially nowadays. My poem in particular was about self-acceptance, and I realized that for these children and teenagers, these aspects are just as important as the more obvious ones. As a matter of fact, it is fundamental to convey the value of equality because, even though we are all different (fortunately!), we are all equally human."

"I think this poem is a perfect example for highlighting the differences between the less lucky and us. The traslation touched me because it caused strong emotions in me when I noticed how a simple activity, like singing, can be almost liberating and a way to avoid thinking about their hard situation. Finally I think their energy is admirable, it caused some emotion in me like sadness and empathy and it made me feel closer to the theme."

"This project was very engaging, interesting, and exciting. In particular, I found it very nice to read and translate short poems written by Palestinian, Spanish and South American children.

From these texts, we could see their imagination, their strenght, and their love for the world and for others. Personally, it made me reflect a lot and helped me see things from a different perspective."

"I really enjoyed this project because I had to translate the words of a young girl like me who lives in a different country from mine and lives a very different life from mine."

"As I read and translated the two poems I was given, I realised how important it is for a child to imagine a dream life – not a life of wealth or luxury, but a simple life, surrounded by love."

"It has been a very significant experience. Knowing that what we do and see every day is what they only desire, helped me realizing the reality they live in and that others often don't even imagine or definitely ignore."

"Translating these poems made me realize how difficult it is to keep the original meaning without changing the tone. The children’s texts are simple but very direct, and for this reason they require careful word choices. I had to reflect on every sentence to avoid losing the writer’s intention. This work made me see translation as a precise and responsible process. "

"I'm so happy I have had the opportunity to participate in this project. The poem I received inspired so much hope and humanity in me, despite the young age of its author. In it, I was able to visualize the colors with which this young girl observes the world around her, and despite the difficulties, she remains strong and unfazed."

"Translating this poem was like tiptoeing into the fragile world of someone who is growing up too fast. The words of a 14-year-old girl, who finds refuge in a tree in the middle of war, made me feel how powerful imagination is when everything else collapses. While translating, I wasn't just changing language: I was trying not to lose her voice, her innocence, her need to still have something stable to hold on to."

"While i was translating the poems of the Palestinians kids, and sharing my ideas with my classmates, i realezed how often we take many things of our daily life for granted, without thiking about people who are not as lucky as us. After translating "The Moon", the same night , i tried to look at the Moon  with the same eyes of the Palestinian girl."

"During the translation, I realized that translating word for word wasn't always effective, as I risked losing the true meaning. So I tried to catch the general meaning of the sentence and then translate it more simply. Some parts were difficult, especially the metaphors, and I had to choose between being precise or making the meaning clearer. This made me realize that translating a poem also means retaining the emotions. The fact that it was written by a Palestinian girl makes it more meaningful. The poem is addressed to a loved one, and this is evident in the way it expresses sadness and affection. The images of the moon and tears help to understand these emotions. At the same time, the text also evokes a more difficult situation, linked to Palestine, so the sadness can be both personal and more general. "

"This work was very meaningful because it helped me understand what Palestinian children living through war dream of doing and what hopes they have. Translating their poems was a real pleasure, as it allows their voices to reach a wider audience. I was deeply touched by the poems because, although written by children and teenagers, they are very deep."

"While I was translating the poem that had been assigned to me I thought of all the children and all the young people who cannot live a peaceful childhood because of the war. However, in the poem there were no words about the war, but there were only words of a boy who wanted to be happy, this surprised me because I didn't expect it from a boy who is living a war."

"Translating the poem "A Peaceful Girl" was a very touching experience: I noticed that, despite everything, the poem does not talk about war but about intimate and personal emotions. In the poem there is a softness that contrasts with what the girl who wrote it lives in her daily reality,and this made me think about how, even in the most difficult situations, there is still space for simple and deep feelings."

"Translating the Palestinian children's poems was a wonderful experience, but above all,incredibly difficult. In fact, for me, lucky to be born in a country where war isn't an everyday occurrence, it's almost impossible to find the corresponding words in Italian. This happens because those children are experiencing something inhumane and they convey all their feelings in those poems; how can I, living in a country where war seems so far away, face those texts?

This was the exact part that made the experience so beautiful, as it required me to empathize with those situations to try to give them a correct meaning and, above all, to take on the powerful emotions those poems evoke."

"Translating these two poems was quite difficult. Knowing that these are (or sadly were) the words of children who, despite being very young, are living a nightmare really affected me.These children live and see things that no human should ever see. This made me think about how lucky we are and how often we take things for granted. The first poem talks about a moment of peace, as if the girl wished this calm could last forever. The second poem reflects on time and how long Palestinian people have been trying to find freedom and peace."

"This translation work has really made me think about the state of mind and living conditions these children are forced to endure. Moreover, through translating these poems, I have been able to put myself directly into the person who wrote them, trying to comprehend the true meaning behind the words. I really enjoyed this project because I think it is interesting in itself, both for the translator and for the future reader of the translation, and because the real aim is to truly understand the meaning beyond the written words and the writer's original thoughts."

"Translating these two poems made me think more than I had expected. The poem about the moon gave me a feeling of calm and hope: even something simple can make you feel less alone.The poem about loneliness, written by a 15-year-old boy, touched me more. Knowing that someone else, like me, can feel so alone really makes you think. It helped me understand that we don’t always notice what others are really feeling.Translating was not easy, because I wanted to keep the original emotions. This experience taught me that even a few words can have a deep meaning. "

"Reading these poems opened my heart and made me see the world with hope, in my specific case the description of "Purple beam" completely changed my poit of view of the Moon. I have always considered it as a mass of stones, but now it has become a beam that guides the world in the darkness of the night. I hope one day i will be able to see the world as they see it."

"Reading and translating these two poems, written by two young people from different backgrounds, realities, and countries, Palestine and Argentina, was a unique experience thatmade me aware of how people of my age can live lives very different from my own. Despite the pain, they are still able to see a light of hope even where it might be difficult to see it.

The translation process was quite challenging, in fact finding the right words to convey the poets message without altering its meaning or emotional intensity was a real challenge."

"From an emotional point of view, translating this poem was a very intense experience. As I searched for the right words, I could feel the pain and suffering described by the girl, and what struck me most was the contrast between her young age and the harsh reality she lives in every day. Reading her words made the war be real and close, not just distant news, and her desire for peace made me reflect on how important it is to live without fear. It also helped me understand how important it is to truly listen to these stories and become more aware of what is happening in the world."

The poem I translated particularly struck me, especially in the second half, where it addresses the theme of loneliness and explains how it manages to understand people who feel alone. It is a project that really makes you reflect and should not be underestimated: there are people who are very fortunate and often don’t even realize it. 

"This project left something deep inside me; it was not just an assignment, but an experience that made me reflect. Translating poems written by children and teenagers from Palestine and Gaza made me feel closer to their reality. Their words, simple yet full of meaning, use metaphors that speak about pain but also about peace. Rewriting and decorating them made me feel like I was taking care of those messages, as if I were giving them even more value. Working on the website also made everything more concrete and shareable. It was meaningful to see how, starting from individual work, we were able to create something together. Despite the difficult topic, it was an important experience. In the end, I feel satisfied with the result and with what this project left to me. "

Reading and translating these poems made me think a lot about the lives of these children. Every day, they live with poverty and war, without rights or empathy. Their childhood should be about games and fun, but instead, it is full of fear and death. They have to grow up too fast and become "little adults" without enjoying their childhood. But even so, they don't lose their hope or creativity and these poems helped us understand that perfectly.

"The course that my class and I took, translating these poems, was a touching and meaningful experience. Translating them together with my classmates allowed us to understand deep emotions, authentic dreams, and fears. It was a moment of growth, empathy, and collaboration that brought us closer to distant yet humanly relatable realities. "