The Lajee Cultural Centre is based in Aida refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Founded as a space for young people, the center is dedicated to cultural resistance and community building under occupation.
Its programs span across music, dance, women’s groups, and environmental initiatives, providing opportunities for youth to express themselves, connect with heritage, and build resilience. Among its many projects is Lajee Celtic, a football club with teams for children as young as six through to senior players. The club has become a powerful symbol of solidarity, rooted in international connections between Aida camp and supporters in Glasgow, Scotland.
Why We Work With Lajee Cultural Centre
In 2016, Celtic Football Club fans, known for their vocal support of Palestine, were fined by UEFA for waving Palestinian flags during a Champions League match against Israel’s Hapoel Be’er Sheva. In defiance, supporters launched the “Match the Fine for Palestine” campaign, raising over £180,000. Half of these funds went directly to the Lajee Cultural Centre, enabling the construction of a football pitch in Aida camp and funding boots, kits, and equipment for Lajee Celtic.
Since then, Lajee Celtic has grown into a thriving football program despite the immense challenges of life under occupation. More than just a sports initiative, it is part of Lajee Centre’s broader mission: to use culture, sport, and community as tools of resilience and resistance.
We work with Lajee because they embody what Lifta Club stands for: heritage, community, and cultural resistance in the face of erasure. Their work sustains not only Palestinian youth but also the global solidarity networks that support them.
