Previous Speakers

Rev. Canon Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and founder/director of The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem.

His Excellency Afif Safieh, Afif Safieh is a Palestinian Christian and served as the Palestinian diplomatic representative to the United States. His prior assignment was as the Palestinian Ambassador to the Vatican and the United Kingdom.

Dr. A Rashied Omar, Coordinator of the Joan B. Kroc Institute's Programme in Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding (PRCP), University of Notre Dame.

Donald Wagner, Dr. Wagner is the faculty advisor for MESA and a scholar of Middle Eastern studies. Donald E. Wagner is Professor of Religion and Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies North Park University, Chicago, Illinois.

Mitchell Plitnick, National Director of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), its newsletter editor, and an editor of Jewish Peace News.

Corinne Whitlatch, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). CMEP is a Washington-based coalition of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations and church organizations.

Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal and past President of Bethlehem University.

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Official Spokeswoman for the PLO during the Oslo Peace Process. She also founded the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). Dr. Ashrawi is a member of the Independent International Commission on Kosovo, numerous international advisory boards including the Council on Foreign Relations, the World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region, and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development .

Fr. Drew Christiansen, Former Director of the Office of International Justice and Peace of the United States Catholic Conference (USCC), the coordinating organization of the U.S. Catholic bishops, and has continued to serve as a counselor to the USCC on Mideast affairs. Fr. Drew is also currently editor of America magazine.

Dr. Jeff Halper - 2006 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Dr. Halper is a retired Professor of Anthropology from Ben Gurion University in Israel. Dr. Halper is also founder of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (www.icahd.org).

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(Catholic Near East Welfare Association), Under-Secretary, Brother David Carroll.

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Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation , Sir Rateb Rabie- Knight Commander of the Holy Sepluchre and Fr. Alex Kratz, a Franciscan priest. HCEF builds community between American and Palestinian Christians through pilgrimages, publications, and communications. They are a nonprofit organization founded by an ecumenical group of American Christians to preserve the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

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Art Gish, Christian Peacemaker Teams - Hebron, West Bank, Palestine. He is author of Hebron Journal. Hebron Journal is a considered the primer in CPT activities. Hebron Journal envisions Jews and Arabs living together in peace. Jews, Arabs, and Christians celebrating holy-days and Scriptures and food in common, as well as, the formation of "Muslim and Jewish Peacemaker Teams."

The Ibdaa Health Committee (IHC) at Dheisheh Refugee camp is comprised of Health and Mental Health professionals, including nurses, physicians, social workers, psychologists, sociologists and other interested volunteers. The IHC is a community based non-partisan democratic association. Today, Ibdaa serves over 1,500 children, youth and women every year.

Tent of Nations - The Tent of Nations project seeks to bring youth of various cultures together to build bridges of understanding, reconciliation, and peace. We invite youth from around the world, especially from areas of conflict, together for face-to-face interaction. They offer programs and facilities for solidarity movements, churches, youth organizations, and tourist groups.

Bereaved Parents Circle - Families Forum (PCFF) is a grassroots organization of bereaved Palestinians and Israelis. The PCFF promotes reconciliation as an alternative to hatred and revenge.

Israeli Teddy Katz - Mr. Katz is a former Israeli soldier and a noted Jewish historian. He is an organizing member of one of the largest Jewish Peace Groups in Israel - Gush Shalom (www.gush-shalom.org).

Palestinian Michael Zoughbi - Michael is Coordinator of the Bethlehem Olivewood Collective located in Bethlehem, Palestine. Michael is a Palestinian Christian currently living in Bethlehem.

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Past Conferences

Sabeel Regional Conference -Cleveland, Ohio :

Making a Difference in Palestine, Israel and the Middle East 

International Nonviolence Conference

TransNational Video Conference for Peace

One of 50 national sites hosting a live video conference from Jerusalem and Washington, sponsored by the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative and A Different Future

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In addition, we have worked in conjunction with the following organizations;

Catholic Relief Services, Tikkun-Jewish peace group, ACCESS-the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, CAIR-Ohio-The Council on American Islamic Relations, Cleveland Diocesan Council for Global Solidarity, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Diocesan Social Action Office and the Cleveland City Club, as well as schools, universities and various faith communities.

Articles on our work have appeared in the following;

The Universe Bulletin, the Arab Gazette, Al-Sahafa, the Plain Dealer, The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and MBC International News Service.

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