Saving Lives heads to Mideast Conflict Zone with MEPI
Posted Tuesday 12 June 2007
 The world’s major disasters trigger the release of millions of dollars in aid and prompt international agencies to fly in teams of specialists with humanitarian emergency relief, yet within days or weeks the world’s media turn their attention elsewhere, leaving aid agencies to work on.
| Middle East Peace Initiative, Tel Aviv Conference, Sunday February 11th 2007
Posted Tuesday 27 March 2007
 Ambassadors for Peace from 12 Eastern and Western European nations converged in Israel for the February Middle East Peace Initiative in a very diverse and accomplished group of 34, including ministers, professors, parliamentarians, the head of an NGO, human rights activists and journalists. On the first full day the group visited Bethlehem for a series of meetings, briefings and some sightseeing. The following day they came to a conference in Tel Aviv to hear a range of Israeli perspectives on the prospects for peace.
| Visit to AL-TARIQ The Way, Ramallah, 21st October 2006
Posted Wednesday 25 October 2006
 During the latest Middle East Peace Inititiative the group from Europe received a presentation on the hopeful work of Al-Tariq, The Palestinian Institution for Development and Democracy.
| Middle East Peace Initiative Visit to Bethlehem August 23rd Part 2
Posted Wednesday 27 September 2006
 Dr. Emil Jarjoui, the Fatah Palestinian Legislative Council member for Bethlehem, spent the afternoon with us. When we entered the West Bank with Dr Jarjoui we were escorted by a Palestinian Police car that we later found had been funded by the UK.
| August MEPI Wednesday 23rd 2006 Part 1
Posted Wednesday 27 September 2006
 On the Wednesday the 23rd we began with breakfast where we were joined by two people. Daniel Seidemann (legal Advisor to Ir Amin – an organisation dealing with Israeli-Palestinian relations within Jerusalem) is a Jewish lawyer who works mostly in East Jerusalem. He spoke passionately about the history and the struggles of this great city. He spoke of the division of the city and the friendships even between right-wing Israelis and Palestinians within the city.
| Discussions With Israeli Influential Figures: August 22nd 2006, Tel Aviv
Posted Wednesday 27 September 2006
 On the 22nd of August we went to have a series of meetings in Tel Aviv. The first over lunch and for discussions afterwards our group included Akiva Eldar, editor of Haaretz newspaper, Gen. (Ret.) Freddie Zach, Prof. Sammy Smooha of the University of Haifa, Walid Sadik (former MK and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture) Dr. Marie Therese Feuerstein, Bruno Landesberg, Dr. Pietre Beelarts Von Blokland former Government Minister in Holland, Drora Bendov, an International Relations Consultant, Terry Newman Coexistence Trust, David Sasson and Shelly Elkayim of the Truman Institute.
| Visit to Haifa 24th August 2006
Posted Wednesday 27 September 2006
 On Thursday the 24th the group visited Haifa to see the results of the rocket attacks on that city. The Deputy Mayor of Haifa, Mr. Shmuel Gelbhart, showed us a short film of the conflict and then went to view where the rockets had hit the city. Twelve people had died in Haifa during the war. Approximately 450 civilians in Haifa had been injured in the conflict.
| Visit to Bethlehem May 19th 2006
Posted Saturday 08 July 2006
 A group of the Ambassadors for Peace visited Bethlehem on May 19th, 2006. Dr. Emil Jarjouie, one of a few surviving Fatah members of the Palestinian Legislative Council after the January 2006 elections and who represents the Bethlehem area, spoke to the group after lunch. He explained the plight of the Palestinian people where public sector employees are not receiving their wages due to the blocks on international aid after the election of Hamas.
| The Eleysinai Tent Community
Posted Saturday 08 July 2006
 Anat Hakamom, with her community from Eleysinai, walked out of Gaza on August 21st 2005 in the shadow of their own Israeli soldiers, leaving her family home of 30 years behind, to live in tents only 10 km away.
| Summary of the 18th Middle East Peace Initiative May 18-25th 2006
Posted Saturday 24 June 2006
 This MEPI gathered 300 participants, mostly recipients of the UPF ‘Ambassador for Peace’ award, from around the world, in particular the US, Europe, Korea and Japan for conference sessions, fact finding visits, briefings and sightseeing. The main programme was preceded by a scholarly Jewish-Christian dialogue. MEPI Conference sessions in Jerusalem and Amman placed in contrast a range of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian perspectives with the international opinions of informed experts. A small delegation gathered by the UN office of the UPF (IIFWP) considered the progress of MEPI and possible further initiatives.
| “Prospects for Peace: The New Political Landscape” IIFWP Middle East Peace Initiative, 16th March 2006
Posted Saturday 01 April 2006
 At the Christmas hotel in East Jerusalem we had a lunch gathering graced by the recently-appointed Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem. There were a number of speeches including an explanation of the importance of family life to establishing a peaceful society by Rev. Michael Jenkins. Archbishop George Stallings, perceiving a dozing post-lunch audience, gave a hilarious account of how family life should not develop, before expanding on the biblical ideal.
| Sample the Culture of Peace Charity Concert, Notting Hill, 26th February 2006
Posted Saturday 04 March 2006
 The Middle East descended upon Notting Hill on Sunday 26th February 2006, as we had the unique opportunity to welcome Iraqi-Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Saudi-Arabian musicians onto the same platform to share their talents and cultural influences, in a charity concert for the bereaved parents and families in Israel and Palestine.
Yair Dalal, originally from Iraq, is a composer, violinist and oud player as well as a key person in peace efforts to bring cultural harmony through musical and other projects. He began the evening with the Jewish Prayer for Peace, which he translated saying ‘Oh Lord, hear our call. Bring harmony to our scared lands.’ Together with his percussionists, Avi Agababa and Erez Monk, Yair performed for nearly 40 minutes, an enchanting mixture of soulful and weeping violin solo, soaring vocal harmonies and energetic drum rhythms.
| Visit to Bethlehem and the Hope Flowers School Ambassador for Peace Symposium Second Day Report September 27th 2005
Posted Monday 10 October 2005
 Upon arrival, participants of the Ambassadors for Peace Symposium on the 27th of September, beheld the city of Bethlehem, which appeared to everyone to be a deserted city. The Ambassadors for Peace first enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Church of Nativity and to join in prayer with other visitors. After this a visit to the Hope Flowers School in Akhoder Village had been arranged.
| Ambassador For Peace Symposium, Jerusalem, 24th to 29th September 2005
Posted Sunday 09 October 2005
 The first day of the Ambassador for Peace Symposium in Jerusalem has been very Middle Eastern experience. The arrival date fell on the Sabbath which created complications for checking in and the Opening Banquet. However, the guests appeared to deal with the complications and the delays in very good spirits. Our Ambassadors for Peace were on an adventure and nothing was going to disturb it. The give and take when we were waiting to begin the Opening Banquet was infectious. People mixed with each other in a way that would have not been possible in a straightforward formal Banquet.
| THE ROLE OF JORDAN: REALIZING ENDURING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, Amman, Jordan, March 31st, 2005
Posted Tuesday 13 September 2005
The Jordan Declaration March 31, 2005
As Ambassadors for Peace from throughout the Middle East, across America and around the world, we are gathered in the peace-loving city of Amman, capital of a free and sovereign state. We gather in Jordan to offer our heartfelt gratitude, praise and respect for King Abdullah II, the royal family and the central and most effective role he and the Hashemite Kingdom are playing to secure peace in the Middle East.
| "The Question of Palestine Today" Paris, France, July 13th, 2005
Posted Tuesday 13 September 2005
A new alliance for peace: New partners, new conceptions, new methodology
The Question of Palestine is a twentieth century problem that has unfortunately cross over the threshold and is still fully with us in the twenty-first century. Although there are signs of hope, the suffering continues and solutions are not easy to come by, for the root causes lie deep and do not lend themselves to simply solutions. In fact, the full scope of the problem cannot be fully understood nor solved if analyzed solely from the perspective of national sovereignty and political paradigms. Issues of national sovereignty are of course crucial, but, as the efforts of the last century have shown, as necessary as they may be, they are not sufficient to enable the people of the region to do what is needed to create peace.
| Report on the visit of Walid Sadik to the UK, 20th - 24th February
Posted Friday 08 April 2005
 An Israeli-Arab, a former Knesset Member for 12 years, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, elected former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset.
Mr. Walid Sadik's Message During His Visit:
The two communities are sensitive to what the Palestinian and Jewish diasporas are thinking.
The role of Israeli-Arabs is very important as they are able to bridge the great mistrust between the two peoples and act as mediators.
I am happy to be here. I am grateful to IIFWP for bringing me here and enable me to speak like this.
Sharon said recently that he ?has now awakened from a dream. Now he is trying to deal with reality of compromise. It is a very late realisation by Sharon but this provides a very cautious hope.
There is now a cautious optimism. The point is what is possible now. Yesterday I clashed with a Palestinian because he was emphasising the right of return and not looking forward to think what can build trust and move the peace process onward.
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