What is Holy Land Trust?
Learn about the organization that brings you the Bet Lahem Live festival!
Holy Land Trust is a non-profit organization located on Bethlehem’s historical Star Street — the location of the Bet Lahem Live festival. Since 1998, Holy Land Trust has been working with different communities in the Holy Land. to promote values of peace and community empowerment for a creative and transformstive future.
Our vision is the achievement of lasting peace and justice in the Holy Land that transcends political solutions, and directly addresses the core causes of threat, violence, and oppression. The peace for which Holy Land Trust advocates is founded on honoring the dignity of all people, the sanctity of the Holy Land, guaranteed rights for all peoples and communities, without exception. This peace allows all communities to live in equality, justice, respect, and trust — and free from fear.
Holy Land Trust exists to lead in creating an environment that fosters understanding, healing, transformation, and empowerment of individuals and communities, locally and globally, to address core challenges that are preventing the achievement of a true and just peace in the Holy Land.
“The Holy Land Trust is neither a political nor a religious organization; we aspire to learn from the spiritual teachings and values of all faiths and traditions that bring unity to the human family and closeness to the Creator of all things, practicing and promoting love, truth and goodness, between all people, and acting always with empathy and compassion.”
The core values of the Holy Land Trust are:
Empathy and Compassion, recognizing that true humanity accepts the equal rights and existence of others. We are called to listen and understand the needs of all individuals and communities, and to honor, support, and protect everyone equally and treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves.
Nonviolence, recognizing that violence and oppression have no place in human life. Lasting peace cannot be achieved through active or passive aggression or violence. We strongly denounce all acts of violence, and hold that the practice of nonviolence is the most powerful force to expose all acts of injustice, end occupation and oppression, and achieve peace, justice, and equality in the Holy Land.
Community and Individuality, recognizing the unique expression of each human life and its fulfillment in what we share and achieve together. Strong communities recognize, value and support individuals; they nurture traditions and provide a supportive environment for development and change. Individuals make up communities and sustain them. We are called to celebrate and uphold distinct and different ways of living that fulfill human potential.
Equality and Justice, recognizing that all human beings and communities are equal, and must be granted equal opportunity to prosper regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnic, or national affiliation. We call for all to be granted equal rights to live and prosper in the Holy Land, in an environment that upholds and defends such rights.
Trust and Respect, recognizing that the possibility for real peace can only be achieved when mutual relations of trust and respect are created in the midst of diversity within and across communities. Trust is the cornerstone of human relationships; trust leads to respect, and respect leads to love, unity, and commitment to building better futures. Trust arises from personal integrity and transparency. We are called to engender trust and actively respect the legitimate rights and individual nature of others.
Spirituality, recognizing the sanctity of the human spirit and the Holy Land. We hold that lasting peace is founded on a deep connection with and love for the Creator, which leads to deep connection with and love for others. This leads to oneness in human relationships. We value spirituality as an essential basis for human living and development.
In the Bet Lahem Live festival, Holy Land Trust’s core programs focus on holistic empowerment of communities and individuals through non-linear leadership, women and youth empowerment, music and nonviolence communication, and outreach and research development.
Since 2013, Holy Land Trust has worked to concentrate on the sanctity and significance of the City of Bethlehem, by engaging the local community to organize a festival that responds to their needs and celebrates their city — while also connecting with international audiences that support peace and human rights.
