United Methodists are responding to Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth ,a statement of faith and urgent call to action from Christians in Palestine. UMKR seeks, through nonviolent means and in partnership with Palestinian Christians, freedom, justice and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis.
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Responsible Tourism Recommended Trips
What is the And Still We Rise summit?
(included in this trip to Israel/Palestine)
And Still We Rise 2024 seeks to support the convening and elevation of Palestinian Christian women leaders, with a focus on potential topics like:
- Women in peacebuilding
- Ecumenical unity among Palestinian Christians
- Principles of gender justice in a local context
- How to advocate and support an end to the occupation of the Palestinian people
- The sustainability of the Christian presence in the Holy Land
- Acts of solidarity and advocacy that internationals can take to support the Christian community
- Extremism in the Middle East and the effects on minority communities in Iraq and the wider Arab world
The event will begin with a one-day pre-summit for local and international attendees; women and men are welcome on day one. It will feature female speakers but also be open to male speakers who are champions of women’s human rights.
Days two and three will be a summit that is open to women only, both the local multi-faith audience and internationals. These days will solely feature female speakers. Churches for Middle East Peace will be providing other volunteering/touring opportunities for men on these days.
The event will be held in the city of Jericho in the West Bank. We hope to have a significant amount of people coming from North America.
For more information: https://cmep.salsalabs.org/aswr2024/index.html
CMEP Regional Coordinators Trip
to Israel/Palestine
9-18 November 2024
See this trip at CMEP's site:
https://cmep.org/events/regional-coordinators-trip-to-israel-palestine/
General information on CMEP trips (scroll down the page):
https://cmep.org/trips
Join a group of Churches for Middle East Peace's Regional Coordinators as they venture to Israel/Palestine in November 2024.
This trip will highlight the spiritual significance of the Holy Land, the role local Christians play in the landscape of the region, meetings with religious and non-profit leaders in the region, and in depth analysis and engagement with the current realities on the ground. This trip also includes attending CMEP's And Still We Rise Summit in Jericho. The summit will be led by Palestinian women and gives international visitors the opportunity to engage with women peace-builders in their communities and in the wider Middle East.
CMEP hopes that trip participants will in return share their experiences and knowledge from this trip with their communities upon returning home — your local congregations, your denominational or organizational colleagues, and any others who may be interested in what you've learned.
Itinerary highlights include:
Dual-narrative guides through Jerusalem
Meet with groups like Breaking the Silence, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Holy Land Trust
Visiting with local peacemakers and various religious leaders
Touring Bethlehem and Hebron
CMEP's And Still We Rise Summit with Palestinian Christian women leaders (see more on the right)
PRICING
PLEASE NOTE:This price is a high end estimate. Final price is dependent on the total number of travelers. Once registration closes, we will invoice final totals. The more travelers, the lower the cost will be.
Max cost: $3460
A $500 deposit is due by August 1 to reserve your spot. Full payment due by September 26th.
*Flights are not included in the above cost*
Included in the cost of the tour:
Pre-Trip Orientation with CMEP (via video call) to learn more about the people, organizations, and places you will visit.
Post-Trip Debrief with CMEP (via video call) to discuss ways to engage your local congregation in conversations about the Holy Land and peacebuilding between Israel/Palestine.
Registration for And Still We Rise Summit (see on the right).
Does Not Include:
Flights
Travel insurance, strongly recommended to include civil unrest coverage
Airport transfers outside of scheduled group transfers
Customary tips for drivers, guides, and hotel staff
Anything not explicitly listed as included
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