11/08/2026
Lajee Tour to Ireland Statement on the Cancellation of the 2026 Irish Tour
The Lajee Tour to Ireland group expresses its profound disappointment and frustration following the Irish Government’s decision to deny visas to our Dabke dancers, musicians and leaders for the second time, effectively forcing the cancellation of our planned cultural exchange tour.
We have worked closely with Lajee for over two years to organise this cultural celebration, bringing the rich tradition of Palestinian dance and music to communities across Ireland. It would have also given the young people from Aida Refugee Camp some much needed respite from the Israeli occupation.
Despite having had two previous successful tours, meeting all procedural requirements, submitting extensive documentation, and securing local community partnerships, the group were refused the necessary travel visas. This is also despite Lajee having sent youth delegations to Italy and Spain this summer without issue.
The Irish government inexplicably denied the visas by claiming that documents, which had actually been delivered by hand to the Embassy in Tel Aviv, were missing from the applications.
The Lajee Center and families of those intending to travel have lost thousands of euros in application fees, translation and notary fees for documents which had to be submitted as part of the process.
We are calling on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, to explain why young Palestinian performers are paying the price for an apparent administrative breakdown between her department and the Department of Justice.
