In September 2025, B8 of Hope hosted Juman Daraghmeh for a week in Geneva. An alumna and former facilitator at Tech2Peace who now works with Blend.Ar, two of B8 of Hope’s grantees, Juman shared her experience in Arabic-language and cultural education while advising B8 of Hope on social media, outreach, and preparations for the new website. During her stay, she was also connected with a local women’s network and received the Défi de Sophie award for her commitment to humanity and peace.
That same month, Israeli singer and peace activist Noa—Achinoam Nini—made an unexpected visit to B8 of Hope. The encounter offered another reminder of the role that music, culture, and artistic expression can play in sustaining hope and affirming dignity and shared humanity.
Through partnership with Solutions Not Sides and gatherings with activists, supporters, and B8 of Hope Next Gen members, a diverse London community is beginning to grow around dialogue, shared humanity, and support for peacebuilders.
At the Geneva Graduate Institute and the University of Lausanne, B8 of Hope introduced students to the work of our Palestinian and Israeli grantees, our pro-solution approach, and the role of trust-based philanthropy in sustaining peacebuilding.
In conversation with Palestinian host Amira Mohammed, Mehra Rimer reflected on the personal journey behind B8 of Hope and the complexities of supporting Palestinian and Israeli civil society as an Iranian peacebuilder.