Holy Land Trust
How we envision the future
Through a commitment to the principles of nonviolence, Holy Land Trust aspires to strengthen and empower the peoples of the Holy Land to engage in spiritual, pragmatic and strategic paths that will end all forms of oppression. We create the space for the healing of the historic wounds in order to transform communities and build a future that makes the Holy Land a global model for understanding, respect, justice, equality and peace.
While Holy Land Trust is not a religious organization, we aspire to learn from the spiritual teachings of all faiths that bring unity to the human family and closeness to the Creator of all things. We believe that, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, Jesus Christ in his teachings, compassion and interactions “was an extremist for love, truth and goodness”. We seek and practice this extremism in our work and mission.
Who We Are
Holy Land Trust is a Palestinian Non-Profit Organization (NGO), located in the heart of Bethlehem on Star Street. Our work is centered on strengthening communities to empower them to find nonlinear solutions to problems; solutions which are rooted in social justice, compassion, and love.
Our History
Founded in 1998 based on strong principles of nonviolence, Holy Land Trust was the brainchild of Sami Awad, following the legacy of a family committed to peace and reconciliation work. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd intifada (“uprising” or “shaking off” in Arabic) bagan, and witnessed an upsurge of violence in the West Bank and Gaza. Sami, convinced that there was an alternative, was training community members on the principles of nonviolence as the way forward.
Nonviolence is the personal practice of being harmless to self and others under every condition. It comes from the belief that hurting people, animals or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and refers to a general philosophy of abstention from violence based on moral, religious or spiritual principles.
While there are many types of nonviolent resistance to oppression, Sami was most heavily influenced by Ghandi’s Satyagraha, which resonated with his Christian spiritual beliefs that right actions are guided by truth and love. When one manages to transform the self through to reject violence, he can then seek to eliminate violence from the social, political and economic environment.
After more than 15 years of community engagement, HLT continues to focus on nonviolence as the catalyst to end all forms of conflict and establish an enduring and comprehensive peace in the Holy Land.
Contact Us :
Manger Street#529, P. O. Box 737, Bethlehem, Palestine
Executive Director : Mr. Sami Awad
E-mail: Palestine@holylandtrust.org
Telephone: +972 2 2765930
Fax: +972 2 2765931
Web: www.holylandtrust.org
