For students from Gaza: The stars' auction
Nicola Coughlan ("Bridgerton"), Paapa Essiedu ("Harry Potter"), and other British celebrities have joined an initiative to donate items from their personal collections for an auction, with proceeds dedicated to assisting students from Gaza who have been accepted to study in the UK. "I cannot imagine a situation where almost all universities have been destroyed, and the immense talent in every field is being wasted - without opportunities and without any choice."
More than 20 celebrities, including Nicola Coughlan ("Bridgerton") and Paapa Essiedu ("Harry Potter" series), are participating in a special auction where their personal items will be sold to raise funds for students from Gaza. These are students who have been accepted to universities in the UK but lack the necessary funding to begin their studies.
Essiedu, who donated his personal copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" to the auction, explained why he chose to participate in the initiative:
"I cannot imagine a situation where almost all universities have been destroyed, and the immense talent in every field is being wasted - without opportunities and without any choice. How beautiful it would be if this book could in some way open up the future for these brilliant students."
The auction follows the UK government's announcement that it would assist students from Gaza to come to study in the country, provided they receive fully funded scholarships. According to the organization Phoenix Space, which initiated the auction, hundreds of students have been accepted to leading British universities, including University College London, Imperial College, and the University of Edinburgh, but they still lack the necessary funding to begin their studies.
Among the items to be offered for sale: a signed behind-the-scenes photo from "Derry Girls" donated by Coughlan and actress Siobhán McSweeney; a signed Japan national team football shirt donated by former footballer Gary Lineker; a personal script from theater actress Harriet Walter from the production of "Julius Caesar"; a necklace worn by actress Vanessa Redgrave in the play "Long Day's Journey into Night"; and a vintage brooch by fashion designer Christian Lacroix donated by the South African-Jewish actress Janet Suzman.
Coughlan's positions regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians have been known for a long time: since October 7, she has expressed support for humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, signed a letter calling on the US administration to stop the supply of weapons to Israel, and was seen at various events wearing a pin calling for a ceasefire. Last year, after winning an award at the Cannes Film Festival, she addressed her support for the Palestinians and said that children were bombed in their beds and that, from her perspective, the killing of innocent people is never right.
Essiedu has also previously expressed his views on the war: in September 2025, he was among the signatories of a petition calling for a boycott of Israeli film institutions that the signatories claim are involved in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people. The petition stated that when many governments allow the massacre in Gaza, we must do everything in our power to confront the complicity in this ongoing horror.
