In 1996, Sami Awad, returned to his homeland in Palestine after completing his studies in the United States. Excited by the Oslo Peace Process and the prospects for peace, he returned with a desire to serve his Palestinian community in building the nation and forging the path for peace.
Yet, upon arrival, the reality of the situation struck him hard. While continuous negotiations and meetings between politicians repeated the rhetoric of peace, at the local level, peace was in jeopardy. The peace process instead became a process of segregation, a reframing of the occupation, in which political and economic leaders ignored the most basic tenants and values of peacemaking.
As a result, Sami reflected on his work with the Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence and his uncle Mubarak Awad, who asked: Where is the voice of the majority of the people on both sides, who demand freedom and peace? Why, after all these years of struggle, have the people simply stepped aside and left politicians to protect their own agendas and ideologies without regard for future generations?
Despite the challenges of a failing peace process, Bethlehem preparations for the new millennium celebrations were underway. Sami saw an opportunity to build new relations and renew a commitment to peacemaking after meeting an American couple who had a vision for a unique celebration for the birth of Christ.
Following the legacy of a family committed to peace and reconciliation, Sami founded Holy Land Trust in 1998 based on strong principles of nonviolence. After more than 10 years of community engagement, HLT continues to focus on nonviolence as the catalyst to end all forms of conflict and establish an enduring and comprehensive peace in the Holy Land.