Loosening this historic “knot” and achieving reconciliation among Jews, Muslims, and Christians—all “children of Abraham”—has been the singular challenge of a series of initiatives of the Universal Peace Federation and, more recently, the Youth Federation for World Peace, which emphasizes the role of youth leadership. These peace initiatives, now numbering 41, have brought thousands of peace ambassadors from all over the world to the Holy Land and drawn support from a broad range of peace partners, such as Martin Luther King III’s Realizing the Dream, Faith Link from Europe, Mashatzim and High Cloud in Israel, and many others.

Coming from many backgrounds, the international delegates bring a fresh perspective to the conflict, and a recognition that everyone ultimately is a stakeholder in bringing peace to the region. The young leaders who join these delegations are committed to listening to both sides, exploring common ground rooted in shared aspects of faith, experiencing and celebrating the cultures of the Middle East, and bringing an ethic of service to the respective communities.

“Because we are all a big family, their conflict is also my conflict; their suffering is my suffering,” said one French participant from the recently concluded International Young Leaders Conference from June 21 through July 4, 2009. “I could feel this love for people very strongly. ‘One human being is happy and the whole humankind is happy.’ That was my motto. I tried to be a happy human being and to make my brothers and sisters happy.”

Service projects at St. Alexander's Church in Jerusalem.

During this conference, delegates from Europe, the United States, and Israel and Palestine committed themselves to a program of service that from the first night signaled an intent to cross religious boundaries in the search for peace. The group of Muslims, Christians, and Jews spent their first night sleeping in the pilgrim’s living quarters of St. Alexander’s Church and in the morning were enlisted to support the Palestinian Orthodox Society, with tasks ranged from sandpapering 130-year old windows to dusting antique icons of the Church, as well as arranging the garden and bouquets.

Making connections

During these first days in Jerusalem, delegates met with Israeli and Arab students at Hebrew University, gained the perspective of Eyal Raviv, founder of MEpeace.org; toured the Old City; helped develop curricula for Bethlehem’s SOS Children’s Village orphanage, and enjoyed a morning of sports with children at Yefe Nof Elementary school. Later they would return to visit the most holy sites of the Abrahamic faiths in the Golden City: the Western Wall, the sacred remnant of Israel’s Second Temple; the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam’s most ancient and holiest sites; and the Mount of Olives, where Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane.

“Meeting, experiencing and serving people from both sides of the camp really taught me something invaluable,” says Richard Graham, a British participant; “it is in meeting and understanding that we can see each perspective, and through serving we can build this heart to heart connection as brothers and sisters of humanity.”

Leaving Jerusalem and traveling to the north, the delegation first stopped to visit the magnificent Baha’i Gardens overlooking Haifa, then drove east to Nazareth and to the area of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus spent most of his early life. Listening to Jesus’ sermon of the Beatitudes while admiring the Sea of Galilee, and visiting other historic sites of Jesus’ life, participants could better appreciate the inspiration of the Holy Land on the faiths of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Before departing Galilee, participants boarded a boat on the beautiful inland sea and enjoyed a taste of Arab culture, dancing on the water to their joyful music.

The following days, June 27 and 28, were spent in Bethlehem, presently under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Participants were given a tour and historical presentation of the Dhesheish Refugee Camp and later helped at the site of the Bethlehem School for Computer Literacy by moving tiling, cement bags, and rubble. High Cloud provided a generous financial contribution for the construction of this school. The afternoon included a visit to the SOS Children’s Village orphanage, subsidized by European donors, where delegates made presentations from High Cloud’s education curricula as well as designed education materials that included nutrition, environmental stewardship, sports, English and geography.

The Bahai Gardens overlooking Haifa on the Mediterranean coast.

In the afternoon, the group toured Ramallah in the West Bank and heard a presentation by One Voice, a grassroots movement that is politically active in trying to end the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Later the delegation met Service for Peace representative David Walsh, who also introduced the Pluralistic Synagogue Project that he helped to coordinate. Over the course of three days, the group helped the Pluralistic Synagogue to renovate its property by weeding, clearing dead trees, decorating window frames with stained glass, constructing a sukka or temporary shelter and repairing holy books. Members put their heart into the service, wanting to do their best in leaving something long-lasting behind in Israel. The change from before and after the project was dramatic—an overgrown thicket of underbrush transformed into a beautifully manicured garden and tidied interior.

The group also seized the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem, or the Holocaust Museum. Though it is not an easy place to digest, members felt it was necessary to understand more the heart and strength of the Jewish people.

Although peace remains a distant goal, participants gained new insight and planted seeds of peace and reconciliation through many acts of service and compassionate listening. “I found it most rewarding to not only go beyond taking sides, but also go beyond neutrality and passivity,” said Richard Graham. “I feel this trip enabled me to take steps closer to becoming an individual who goes beyond sects and cliques, and who learn to serve both sides through sincere understanding of each situation and position.”

The MEPI International Young Leadership Conference combined service projects with meaningful interaction to create bonds of friendship beyond boundaries of religion and ethnicity.

“I was sometimes asking myself how me being here can actually help achieve something, when it comes to peace,” said Norwegian Kristie Krockow. “I’ve understood that in order to deal with individuals and create peace between people, you always have to start with small steps. In this way, we are showing people that we care about their situation.”

This kind of human diplomacy can add an essential dimension to the work of politicians and diplomats. Such people-to-people exchanges bring a growing recognition that “we are a big family,” and that when conflict disrupts the lives of any people, there is no true peace.