Middle East Peace Programs
The Middle East Peace Initiative has been promoting peace since 2003 through dialogue, people-to-people diplomacy, fact-finding trips, interfaith pilgrimages and conferences. It brings religious leaders, parliamentarians, academicians, women leaders, youth and civil society representatives together in Israel, Palestinian Territories and Jordan. Forums explore Track II approaches to the crisis in Syria. Read UPF's Statement about Middle East Peace.
UPF's Jerusalem Office for Interfaith and Cooperation among Religions and Office for Peace and Security Affairs convene forums of academics, political and religious leaders, and peace advocates. UPF-Israel organizes culture of peace tours and leadership seminars for international youth. For information email
- Written by: Eliezer Glaubach Gal, Chairman, Professors World Peace Academy, Israel
"There is clearly a younger generation in the Middle East, sick and tired of conflict and beginning to understand that their future and hopes reside not in confrontation over territory but in the challenges of science, technology and communication, and that they can win new life and a new future without boundaries."- Shimon Peres, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
- Written by: Robin Marsh, Secretary General, UPF-United Kingdom
UPF's Middle East Peace Initiative programs from 2005-07 included fact-finding tours to inform participants of the perceived prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict from a range of informed opinions from both Israelis and Palestinians.
- Written by: Robin Marsh, Secretary General, UPF-United Kingdom
Plans for a collaborative health care project are evolving out of the Middle East Peace Initiative fact-finding trips. Participants in a European MEPI fact-finding tour visited the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem in 2007.
- Written by: UPF-Lebanon
Events organized by the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace and by the Universal Peace Federation in Lebanon
- Written by: UPF-Israel
Families in an Orthodox Jewish community opened their homes to Palestinian youth in a December 2007 Global Peacemakers Project.
- Written by: UPF International
Delegations of Ambassadors for Peace from Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States visited Jordan on several peace trips.
- Written by: UPF International
Various humanitarian initiatives have grown out of the Middle East Peace programs.
- Written by: UPF International
MEPI participants gained important insights from briefings with Israeli parliamentarians, scholars, diplomats, and journalists as well as from members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and municipal officials.
- Written by: Joy Pople
The Bereaved Families Forum sends pairs of Jews and Palestinians to speak in high schools. Each year they hold meetings in more than 1,000 schools. They also give briefings to MEPI groups.
- Written by: Marty
The Bereaved Families Forum sends pairs of Jews and Palestinians to speak in high schools. Each year they hold meetings in more than 1,000 schools. They also give briefings to MEPI groups.