” Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. “

– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dear Friends and supporters,

For many children around the world, the beginning of summer break is filled with excitement. It is a season children often wait for with joy — time away from school, family visits, trips, play, rest, and the making of beautiful memories.

But for many Palestinian children today, summer begins under a very different reality.

Instead of simply dreaming about holidays, games, and family gatherings, many children are carrying the daily psychological impact of fear, loss, displacement, and uncertainty. For some, the most basic foundations of life — safety, shelter, food, clothing, and protection — are no longer guaranteed. Many are also living with the pain of losing loved ones, homes, and the sense of security every child deserves.

In Gaza and across the West Bank, Palestinian children continue to grow up in an environment shaped by violence, instability, and deep emotional stress. Their childhood is not only interrupted by political injustice, but also by the daily struggle to feel safe, seen, and supported.

At Holy Land Trust, we believe that children and families need more than emergency assistance. They also need safe spaces where they can breathe, express their emotions, release fear, process grief, and reconnect with hope.

Through our programs, Holy Land Trust works to strengthen psychological resilience and community wellbeing by creating spaces for creativity, emotional expression, and mutual support. Art, storytelling, play, reflection, and group activities become tools that help children and families deal with difficult emotions in safe and life-giving ways.

This summer, Holy Land Trust is focusing on supporting creative summer camps and community-based activities that give children opportunities to express themselves, build friendships, experience moments of joy, and regain a sense of safety. These spaces are not a luxury. In the Palestinian context, they are essential for protecting the emotional wellbeing and dignity of children.

At the same time, Holy Land Trust continues to develop the Sumud Fund , a program that supports marginalized families and communities in the West Bank. The fund helps create small economic sustainability projects for vulnerable families, supports cultural and creative initiatives that strengthen the resilience of artists and communities, and provides practical support for communities living under threat.

Our work is rooted in a simple belief: resilience is not only about survival. It is about protecting dignity, restoring hope, and creating conditions where children, families, and communities can continue to live, grow, and imagine a better future.

As summer begins, we invite you to stand with Palestinian children and families. Your support can help create safe spaces where children can play, express, heal, and hope again. It can also help families and communities remain rooted, resilient, and dignified in the face of ongoing injustice.

Thank you for walking with us, for believing in the power of community, and for helping us create spaces of safety, creativity, and hope in Palestine.

Between May 16 and May 24, 2026, activities continued under the project Women of Dialogue: Reclaiming Civic Space and Building Community Resilience in Jerusalem and the West Bank , implemented by Holy Land Trust in partnership with ACT for Conflict Resolution , Jerusalem Center for Women , and Tomorrow’s Women , and funded by the European Union through Expertise France.

During this period, women participants from Ramallah and Jerusalem took part in a series of training and psychosocial support sessions designed to strengthen dialogue, emotional wellbeing, leadership, and community resilience.

In Ramallah, ACT for Conflict Resolution implemented mediation and negotiation training sessions for Ramallah participants, facilitated by Mai Abu Ghazaleh . The sessions focused on strengthening communication, active listening, collaborative problem-solving, peaceful conflict transformation, and nonviolent approaches to conflict. Through practical exercises, role-playing, and interactive discussions, participants explored how women can play stronger leadership roles in addressing conflict with empathy, respect, and understanding.

In Jerusalem Inside the Wall and Jerusalem Outside the Wall, the Jerusalem Center for Women implemented social cohesion sessions facilitated by Nabil Al Jondi . These sessions provided safe and reflective spaces for women to explore emotional wellbeing, stress management, psychological resilience, empathy, trust-building, and collective care. Participants engaged in interactive activities and discussions that encouraged emotional expression, mutual support, and stronger community connectedness during challenging times.

Together, these activities contributed to creating safe spaces where women could build skills, share experiences, strengthen resilience, and deepen their role in promoting dialogue and social cohesion within their communities.

On Saturday, May 16, 2026, Holy Land Trust organized the first “Safe Space Hub” monthly gathering as part of the Generation to Generation – 5th Edition project, implemented in partnership with Bethlehem University and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

The gathering brought together 14 participants and was facilitated by Riham Jahshan from Ardi Natures . The session included a creative soap-making workshop using natural products, offering participants an interactive and calming experience that encouraged self-expression, connection, and the sharing of traditional and natural practices within a supportive community environment.

Following eight intensive training sessions on self-awareness, communication, emotional wellbeing, and dialogue, this gathering was intentionally designed to help participants step outside the formal training routine, reconnect with one another, and experience a moment of emotional release and reflection.

The activity also highlighted the importance of reconnecting with nature and natural elements as part of self-care and emotional wellbeing. Through working with natural products, participants were encouraged to slow down, be present, and experience the process as a grounding and mindful practice.

The gathering created a meaningful space for calmness, creativity, collective connection, and renewed energy after weeks of intensive learning and engagement.

Your support enables Holy Land Trust to provide creative summer activities, emotional expression spaces, and Sumud Fund initiatives that strengthen dignity, resilience, and hope in vulnerable Palestinian communities.

In Palestine, summer should be a time for children to rest, play, and create memories. Yet many children enter this season carrying fear, loss, and uncertainty.

At Holy Land Trust, we believe that creating safe spaces for children and families is not a luxury — it is an essential act of dignity, resilience, and hope.

Elias Deis,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Holy Land Trust