Nonviolence in the Holy Land

The situation on the ground in Israel and Palestine today continues to grow more frightening, with accounts on social media of increasing acts of violence and a major feeling of unrest and uncertainty plaguing everyday life. How can we respond?Reading the news and staying informed is important. What then do we do when faced with quotes such as, "[N]ever before in my memory has there been such a total absence of any sense of hope of political horizon," or when friends who live in the region post on Facebook harrowing, hard-to-believe experiences they and their family and friends are having in the heart of what seems to be a conflict poised to explode? Is it enough to know about it? Or is there some way to actively throw your weight on the side of good, the side of conflict resolution, even from halfway across the world? Watch this and you'll get an idea.Sami Awad is the Executive Director of Holy Land Trust (HLT), a Palestinian not-for-profit organization established in Bethlehem in 1998. Through a commitment to the principles of nonviolent action, HLT seeks to strengthen and empower the Palestinian community in developing spiritual, pragmatic, and strategic approaches that will allow it to resist all forms of oppression and build a future that makes the Holy Land a global model and pillar of understanding, respect, justice, equality and peaceful coexistence.Awarded as Euphrates' first-ever Visionary of the Year, Sami spoke at the "Our World Beyond 9/11" Summit in 2011. His calm and balanced approach, his faith in humanity, and his commitment to nonviolent principles are so inspiring. You can watch his keynote acceptance speech here.