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Mariapolis: a small temporary ‘city’ where people of different ages, languages, and backgrounds try to practice together the only law of this city: Jesus’ new commandment, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ The focus of everything is on being a ‘neighbour’ to the others, by listening well to them, serving in concrete ways, sharing joys, sorrows, and fears for the uncertain future of our planet…

A Mariapolis was held in Beit Jala from March 28-30, 2025, and included courageous talks on ‘hope’: not ‘I hope that things will change,’ but the hope that stems from the certainty of God’s Love and is expressed in loving every neighbour, working for justice and trying to build peaceful relationships everywhere.

In fact the main theme of those days was ‘Who are you for me?’ This idea of being close to others was the topic of the talks, the exchanges in six sharing groups, the common prayers among Christians from different Churches, the daily supplication to God for peace, the six workshops and even the festive final evening with many families, young people and children present, who also had programs of their own on this theme.

Some impressions:

“From the very first day, we felt like one family, even though we didn’t know each other. My impression was extremely positive.”

“We live in a world that promotes materialism and consumerism, teaching people to take instead of give. Here, we experience a culture of giving—a way of thinking and loving others.”

“Every moment that we experienced was filled with joy and the grace of being able to be together. The Mariapolis continues in our hearts and in our daily lives.”

Original video published in cmc-terrasanta.org

“We had only one reason for coming here, to be near to you, to be close to the community in this land.  We came with only one desire: to bring hope, to bring all the prayers and all the unity of all the members of the Focolare Movement throughout the world.”

This is how Margaret Karram, president of the Focolare Movement, in a brief video message, described the motive for her visit to the Focolare communities in the Holy Land in December 2024.

On several occasions, Patriarch Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, had encouraged her to made this trip, as he said: “to show the Christian community your closeness, your support.” This is particularly relevant because this year the theme that the whole Focolare family throughout the world is trying to live is “Proximity: being close to others.”

We publish here some news of this trip, recorded for Focolare communities around the world, which also includes some pictures of those days.

Select ‘subtitles’ for other languages

On Thursday, October 24, about 300 people gathered at the Terra Santa College in Bethlehem for the official opening of “TogetherWEconnect,” a project aimed at forming young leaders in schools located in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and in the surrounding areas. The goal is to promote active citizenship and a culture of caring, inclusiveness, sharing and cooperation. The audience included more than 150 students, who are the key players in this project. Also in attendance was the mayor of Bethlehem, Mr. Anton Salman, principals from all the schools involved, and many others who support the project

It was a joyful hour of meeting together, almost an oasis within the context of the tension and conflicts experienced here every day. The program featured a presentation by the Focolare Movement, the main promoter of the project, and included a message from the current Focolare president, Margaret Karram, who encouraged each one present “to be a person who builds bridges, opens new paths, removes walls and opens people up to hope!” [Here is the full message]

The project was then presented by students from the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th grades (the first year will start with 7th grade students). The program offers a pathway that develops gradually over three school years to ensure that each student will achieve a deep understanding of the concepts presented and internalize the content. Three themes will be addressed over the course of the year.

Each theme will be accompanied by “actions” featured on the “Cube of Peace”, a cube that features phrases on each side which suggest ways to build peaceful relationships. Here are the themes for this first year, 2024-2025 (and the associated Cube of Peace actions):

• Understanding oneself, self-esteem and personal development (“Treat others as you would like to be treated)
• Training in conflict management; working as a team (“Forgive those who hurt you”)
• Intergenerational and peer dialogue (“Discover the good in others”)

Gen Rosso and Gen Verde musical bands, which were prevented from being present due to the current situation, sent a video greeting, encouraging everyone to become leaders in promoting hope and fraternity. [Here is the video of their greeting].

The event was a real celebration thanks to each school’s artistic contributions, including presentations by a student band, a choir and a cultural dance. It was a mosaic of colors and sounds that made everyone experience a seed of a “united world,” a world of brotherhood and peace.

October 2024 – A three-year initiative that the Focolare Movement in the Holy Land launched on 25 October. At the theatre of the Terra Sancta College in Bethlehem: the ‘Together We Connect’ project, a new ray of hope in light of the challenges facing the region. The project brings together five schools in Jerusalem and Bethlehem to build bridges between students, promote common human values, cultivate peace and train young people as leaders for active citizenship.

In this context, Tamer Zakkak, project coordinator of Together We Connect, says that a drop announces rain:

TAMER ZAKAK
Project coordinator of the ‘Together we connect’ project
One of the most important topics we will be working on is self-understanding and self-esteem. Personal development, peer education and intergenerational dialogue: we are looking for new leaders for a more aware generation. In small steps, like a drop, but we would like to start with something. And we hope that this drop will expand to reach more generations in the future, and broaden the vision of the project through these students.

MARCO DESALVO
The Focolare Movement – Holy Land
We would like to make a difference together! Because we know that we cannot do it alone. We focus on different values, which young people can initiate in their own environment, to be agents of change, to spread a culture of care, fraternity and solidarity in the places where they live.

The Focolare Movement is developing this programme in collaboration with the association Children Without Borders – Bethlehem, the Permanent Conference of Historic Cities of the Mediterranean, the Institute for Mediterranean Studies and Programmes and the New Humanity NGO. The aim is to offer students an experience that enhances their participation in society, promoting responsibility, respect for differences, teamwork and mutual support.

Br GEORGE HADDAD, ofm
Director of Terra Sancta College in Bethlehem
With the arrival of the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land some 800 years ago, their goal was to preserve not only the shrines, but also the ‘living stones’, that is, every human being. Today, more than 400 years after the foundation of our institute, the Terra Sancta College in Bethlehem, we continue this mission. We work with our children and young people, to help them grow so that they can truly be the future to be proud of.
We are happy to join the project of the Focolare Movement in the Holy Land, with the intention that this initiative may become the seed for a prosperous future, rich in goodness and peace, as St. Francis of Assisi taught us.

EVA AZAR
Executive administrator of the office of education and instruction of the Lutheran Schools
We believe in young people and their ability to change with love and peace and to build bridges, not walls and barriers, and I believe that this beginning will build a great bridge and give light to young people and children who will in turn extend it to others, young people and adults.

‘Together We Connect’ represents a commitment to a future built by our young people, based on the values of peace and solidarity. The goal is to continue together to fan the flame of hope and change.

Original post published in cmc-terrasanta.org