Feed of Hope
In this section you will find some reading suggestions, inspirational quotes and interesting videos as well as various news.
Use the filters to select your main interests!
Across the Fence, by Hanan Schlesinger, Israel
It was a miracle that we ever met at all. I had lived in Israel for 35 years, but didn’t really know any Palestinians when, a few years ago, I received a strange letter. It suggested I go to a meeting a 20-minute walk from my home in the West Bank. I told my wife,...
Jacques Moreillon
About B8 of Hope... “These people make you believe that walking on water is, after all, possible! I really admire what they do and those 20 associations which they help and support. I am too old to participate…but not to admire!” Jacques Moreillon served as Director...
Jerusalem Youth Chorus celebrates a decade of musical harmony
Having toured internationally and recorded with Broza and other high-profile performers, the chorus has become an institution that combines song and dialogue.
Robi Damelin – bereaved Israeli mother
In war, “there is no winner, only a greater collection of broken hearts.”
Peta Jones Pellach – Women Wage Peace
“I have faith that peace will come. We pray for it every day. What we pray for, we should work for."
Robi Damelin – bereaved Israeli mother
“Every enemy is someone whose story who do not know."
Ali Abu Awwad: ‘I promise you: there is enough humanity on the other side’ – Fieldbuilding
Unlocking Transformation: Why People-to-People Peacebuilding in Israel/Palestine is more urgent than ever – Fieldbuilding
Huda Abuarquob – Regional Director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace
“Hope is a luxury we cannot afford losing. Especially women, if we lose hope, we lose the future of our children."
Robi Damelin – bereaved Israeli mother
“This wall of not knowing one another is what creates hatred, which creates fear, which creates violence."
In this place together
«Next time someone asks you if there’s still hope for justice and peace in Israel and Palestine, just hand them this book !» says journalist and political commentator Peter Beinart !
Des Genevois promeuvent les initiatives de dialogue au Proche-Orient – Tribune de Genève
Awards
Rebecca Bardach’s Blog in the Times of Israel – Jewish-Arab partnership can overcome the violence
Interview of our Co-Founder and Chair, Mehra Rimer on RTS
Combatants for Peace’s voice echoed in Switzerland
A Land for All, Two States One Homeland won the Luxembourg Peace Prize award
At B8 of Hope, we act sometimes as « artistic agents » except that our artists are inspiring Palestinian and Israeli peace builders and change makers emanating civil society organizations and movements. A few months ago, we nominated A Land for All, Two States One...
La Suisse, havre du dialogue israélo-palestinien – Une Plume en Ballade
Interviews on France 24 of our board members about recent events
Interview of our Co-Founder and Chair Mehra on France 24Iinterview of on of our Board Member, Jean Marc Liling on France 24Debate with John Lyndon, Executive Director of Alliance for Middle East Peace (Allmep), one of our partners, on France 24
Arab Aramin – Member of The Parents’ Circle
“We don’t talk about Peace, we make Peace."
Recent events
Événements récents
A week in the life of B8 of Hope!
Video of Zimam thanking us!
Photography can be a catalyst for dialogue
Noa Grandchamp is one of B8 of Hope’s Youth Group member. In the summer of 2018, she travelled with B8 of Hope to the West Bank, took some pictures, sold them and gave the money to Taghyeer, one of the organizations we support.Learn more about Noa’s experience by...
“Overcoming barriers to grassroots inclusion in peace processes”
18.02.2021 - Overcoming barriers to grassroots inclusion in peace processes. An interesting article by Marina Caparini and José Francisco Alvarado Cóbar in the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Click here to read the article.
Ruth Fayon
"Le hasard est le patronyme que prend Dieu quand il veut rester anonyme"
Premier festival du conservatoire de Nazareth avec des musiciens juifs et arabes – Times of Israel
La non-violence au service de la cause palestinienne – Fondation Jean Jaurès
Our activist of the week – Eran Nissan
Meet our activist of the week: Eran Nissan alumnus of New Story Leadership for the Middle East - a peace-building initiative that's on our radar ! Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet Eran !
Jerusalem Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi
A great cookbook that we love!
Raz Kones – Roots Youth Group co-director
In recent weeks we have been witness to a growing trend of violence on the part of our young people towards Palestinians. Incidents include rock throwing at Palestinian cars on the road and at private homes, incursions to villages and into homes. These acts of...
Israël-Palestine : une paix à quatre mains, Le Monde
Falastin Cookbook by Sami Tamimi & Tara Wigley
A great cookbook that we love!
Le Palestinien qui refusait d’être le Gandhi de Tel Aviv – Une Plume en Balade
Shedding light, spreading hope !
We have officially launched our newest project in partnership with The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and Pendulum. MID EAST STORYTELLERS is an online festival that showcases inspiring Palestinian and Israeli activists and their stories. This year’s theme...
Des colons se mobilisent avec des Palestiniens contre le plan d’annexion israélien – L’orient – Le Jour
Eran Nissan – New Story Leadership Alumn
"A conflict passed on to the next generation is a conflict we lost"
Paola Genovese – Founder of Philanthropic Adventures
“Because giving back and giving well is an adventure full of discovery and emotions"
Video of Jean-Marc Liling, member of our steering committee
This video is a video of Jean-Marc Liling, member of our steering committee on l'express explaining his story.
Rami Elhanan – Member of The Parent Circle
“Not one Jerusalem stone is worth even one drop of blood of our little girls”
Ali Abu Awwad – Founder of Taghyeer
“Non-violence is the art of practicing your humanity." “Non-violence, for me, is the art of being a being human. It’s the celebration of my existence.” “Your humanity is my weapon” “When violence is put aside, dialogue becomes possible. We don’t have to agree in a...
Young Palestinian peace activist from Gaza has been released
27.10.2020 - A Special thought tonight for a young Palestinian peace activist from Gaza who has been released after months of detention by Hamas (since last March). We just got the good news today that he was free. Peace building is often viewed as collaborating with...
Abdallah Hamarsheh – Founder of Zimam
“Martin Luther King once said "I have a dream" and I say "WE have a dream and WE have to make it happen together"
Building a Home from the Ground Up
by Peace Talks / Episode 12
Sami Awad – Founder of Holy Land Trust
“We negotiate peace out of fear, we resist out of fear. Fear is what motivates and if we are not able to bring about healing, there can never be any peace for the future." “Peacemaking is not about making a political commitment, it’s a commitment to a deep healing of...
“A win-win approach for Israelis, Palestinians is a two-state solution”
23.10.2020 - Common ground, win-win – words that I can really relate too. An interesting article by Nadav Tamir in the Jerusalem Post. Click here to read the article.
Khaled Abu Awwad – Co-Director of Roots
“To anyone who says that it is only by war or by force or by eradicating the other side that rights can be won or dreams achieved, I say, 'That is not so.' For one side cannot eradicate the other. We cannot kill their dreams and they are unable to kill ours. We must...
François Zimeray – Former Human Rights Ambassador of France
""We don't have a partner for peace". I have heard this excuse so many time to justify inaction ! What my journeys in a world of conflicts have thought me is that it takes effort to find one's partner. Mandela and De Klerk had found each other. There is always...
Avner Wishnitzer – Co-Founder of Combatants for Peace
"Wars are not like the weather, we have control over them, we make them happen, it is up to us to put an end to them""Hope is like a candle, the current situation like a hurricane, we must do everything we can to keep the flame alive."
Israelis & Palestinians learn lessons of conflict and trust from Northern Ireland
12.10.2020 - Always so inspiring to listen to Rev. Gary Mason. This article is about his zoom talk to 50 participants from Israel, Palestine and Northern Ireland (and Mehra!) in the framework of a Tech2Peace online workshop. Click here to read the article.
Our recent gourmet discovery
12.10.2020 - She is Palestinian, he is Israeli - Raya and Uzi are behind la Galette de l'Orient in Plainpalais - rue du Vélodrome ! One of the best Middle Eastern food in Geneva ! They have been running their take-away food business for years ! How come I didn't know...
Parent Circle
“If I who have lost a beloved one can walk the path of peace, then surely you can too”
An app idea from Tech2Peace seminars’ participants wins the Google for Startups pitch competition!
A HOPEFUL news which makes B8 Of Hope so proud ! Palestinian and Israeli Tech2Peace seminar participants developed a startup idea facilitating life saving medical transfers for Palestinians. The startup idea was developed during one of this summer’s Tech2Peace...
L’actualité vue par un Israélien d’origine palestinienne et un autre d’origine juive – Heidi.News
Nelson Mandela
"If you want to make peace with your ennemy, you have to work with your ennemy. Then he becomes your partner." Nelson Mandela
Melanie DeMore – Vocal Activist
"Music is a weapon of mass connection !"
Crash Course: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 12′
This video is the most balanced video we found to explain the conflict to children.
Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar – Founder of Polyphony Foundation
“Music enables young people to create something beautiful together that needs commitment—to music and to each other.”
Our recent book discovery
28.08.2020 - Received in the mailbox this morning: the novel "Apeirogon" by Colum Mc Cann, based on the stories of Rami Elhanan and Bassam Aramin. So grateful to Yuval Rahamim and Osama Abu Ayash and other members of פורום המשפחות השכולות Parents Circle Families Forum...
Israel-Palestine: ils ont perdu un enfant sous les balles ennemies, et veulent la paix – Heidi.News
Orna Raz – Member of Women Wage Peace
“It was very interesting for me to meet religious women who live in towns and settlement across the green line and to learn that they too are working toward peace and are eager to get to know their Palestinian neighbours.“One of the women told us directly that she...
This Land is Mine
This short movie made by Nina Paley is a brief illustration of the history of Israel / Palestine / Caanaan and the Levant. Music: The Exodus Song/This Land is Mine melody by Ernest Gold, lyrics by Pat Boone, sung by Andy Williams. Jazz instrumental (over end credits)...
Le virus fait le mur – So Good
Huda Abuarquob – Regional Director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace
“Louder than the sound of guns, let’s scream: Peace is possible ! "