‘I Care About Peace’ Series: Preserving Christian Presence in the Birthplace of Jesus (with Rebuilding Alliance)
On September 14, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Rebuilding Alliance hosted a conversation on the challenges facing Palestinian Christian communities and the work being done to protect their future. Palestinian Christian journalist and activist Alice Kisiya, founder of the Save Al-Makhrour Initiative, and Sanad Sahelia, a journalist from the Christian village of Taybeh, shared experiences of protecting their family land and heritage and their hopes for rebuilding and sustaining a vibrant Christian presence in the Holy Land. Watch the recording here.
Panelists
Alice Kisiya, a Palestinian Christian journalist, activist, community leader, and founder of the Save Al-Makhrour Initiative and the Al-Makhrour Community Development Foundation. She advocates for the protection of Palestinian land, Christian heritage, cultural identity, and the rights and resilience of local communities. Through journalism, advocacy, and community work, she raises awareness about land protection, human rights, youth and women’s empowerment, agriculture, and the preservation of the historic Christian presence in the Holy Land.
Sanad Sahelia is a Palestinian journalist, writer, and researcher based in Taybeh, the last fully Christian Palestinian village in the West Bank. His work focuses on Palestinian rights and aspirations, and on the Christian presence in the Holy Land as an integral part of Palestinian history and its national and cultural heritage. He serves as Executive Director of Nabd El-Haya Media Platform in Taybeh, operating under the Latin Parish of Taybeh / Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. He is also involved in developing the Christian Presence Observatory in the Holy Land, which monitors and documents the reality, rights, and concerns of Christian communities. With more than 25 years of experience in journalism and media, he has worked with international outlets, including EWTN News in reporting, editing, content production, and news coverage.
Co-Moderators
Kyle Cristofalo, Senior Director of Advocacy & Government Relations at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
Nisreen Malley, Director of Advocacy at Rebuilding Alliance