Updated 6 November 2018.
Reflection on the Invest in Peace events
Peter Colwell, Deputy General Secretary of CTBI, reflects on four Invest in Peace Events with Palestinian Yasser Khaldi and Israeli Meron Guttel.
Report on Birmingham and Cardiff events:
You can read a report on the Invest in Peace events which took place in Birmingham and Cardiff on the Board of Deputies of British Jews website.
Press release: Hundreds hear Israeli and Palestinian talk about their hopes for reconciliation at @BoardofDeputies and @CTBI‘s ‘Invest in Peace’ events, in Cardiff, Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford https://t.co/Cvg9okKWw0 pic.twitter.com/ldpG61lIV3
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) October 31, 2018
Support from Archbishop of Canterbury
Good to meet new @BoDPres Marie van der Zyl today. We discussed continuing to strengthen Christian-Jewish relations; resisting #antisemitism & other discrimination; seeking the common good and supporting Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding through projects like ‘Invest in Peace’. pic.twitter.com/hOd7t8Bjoq
— Archbishop of Canterbury (@JustinWelby) October 24, 2018
You can read more details on the Board of Deputies of British Jews website.
Events
Invest in Peace events have been organised for Autumn 2018:
Monday 12 November 2018 – Woodford
Tuesday 13 November 13 2018 – Bushey
Wednesday 14 November 2018 – St Albans
Other dates and venues are to be confirmed.
About Invest in Peace
The Israeli-Palestinian ‘Invest in Peace’ initiative is supported by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) and the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Invest in Peace invites Christian and Jewish communities in Britain to come together in support of Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding projects. The initial events provided the opportunity to hear from two bereaved parents, one Israeli and one Palestinian, who promote reconciliation as an alternative to revenge – Robi Damelin and Bassam Aramin, members of the Parents Circle – Families Forum. The current events are organised in conjunction with Solutions Not Sides.
The Revd Peter Colwell, Deputy General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland said: “With so much violence, hatred and suspicion in the world, there is a critical need for different faith groups to come together. This is no less true than in relation to Israel-Palestine, where Jews and Christians often disagree, and cause each other pain in that disagreement. This approach aims to build bridges and create a sense of hope. The Parents Circle is a demonstration of the courage and bravery of people in the region whose pain and grief could easily lead them in a different direction. It is therefore a privilege for CTBI to be working in partnership with the Jewish community on this important initiative.”
Board of Deputies Vice-President Marie Van der Zyl said: “While geopolitics shouldn’t define the relationship between Britain’s different religious groups, we often find faith communities at loggerheads on the Middle East and taking stances which cause division between us. Invest in Peace presents an opportunity for Christian and Jewish communities to export peace rather than importing the conflict. A yearning for peace is integral to both our faith traditions, and so we are delighted to be leading this with our partners in the churches.”
You can read reports of the first events on the Jewish Chronicle and Christian Today websites.
