ALLMEP Members Channel Grief and Shared Loss into Action with Upcoming Events in the Region

On April 29th, 2025, ALLMEP members Combatants for Peace and Parents Circle – Families Forum, will host the 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Ceremony. The event, taking place on the eve of Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day), will provide an opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to come together to grieve over their shared losses. There will be testimony from Palestinians and Israelis who have tragically lost family members due to the conflict, as well as musical performances, and speeches from leaders in the peacebuilding community. 

Yom Hazikaron is one of the most solemn and significant days on the Israeli calendar, devoted to commemorating fallen soldiers and victims of terror. The following day, May 1st, is Yom HaAtzmaut, which marks the celebration of Israel’s independence. For Palestinians, though, Yom HaAtzmaut represents the anniversary of the Nakba, a painful history of Palestinian uprooting and dispossession. By holding the memorial event on April 29th, just before both of these meaningful national commemorations, the communities are able to experience a moment of joint grief before honoring their individual, deeply painful histories. 

The Joint Memorial Ceremony is now in its milestone 20th year and has grown exponentially. What began in 2006 with fewer than 100 attendees has now expanded into one of the most significant joint Israeli-Palestinian events in the region. In 2023, over 15,000 people attended in person, and hundreds of thousands more joined virtually from around the region and the world, illustrating the growing resonance of the event. This year, the ceremony will be live-streamed from the region and accompanied by satellite events in cities  across the world.

While the Joint Memorial is focused on mourning, it is not permeated by a sense of passive despair. It also represents a collective call to action. The organizations who initiated the event affect tangible, on-the-ground change all across Israel and Palestine, honoring the memory of those lost while working to build a more hopeful future. Combatants for Peace, formed during the Second Intifada by former Israeli Soldiers and Palestinian fighters, works throughout the West Bank to rebuild demolished homes, foster solidarity, and host nonviolent protests. And The Parents Circle Families Forum, made up of around 600 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families, leads dialogue and educational programs for communities throughout the region.

The grief expressed at the Joint Memorial Ceremony is not stagnant, nor standalone. Just over a week following the ceremony, on May 8th and 9th, The People’s Peace Summit, run by It’s Time, will convene in Jerusalem. 

The It’s Time coalition is made up of more than 60 organizations who have come together to call for an end to the war, a deal to release hostages, and a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict grounded in justice, equality, and mutual self-determination. The coalition was founded only recently, with a launch event in July of 2024. After October 7th, Israel’s peace camp was jolted into urgent action, with formation of the It’s Time coalition marking a crucial turning point in the peacebuilding space. 

Thus, the People’s Peace Summit will help It’s Time bring awareness to the peacebuilding movement and give increased exposure to the coalition’s member organizations. The Summit aims to show that peace is crucial, as well as possible, answering the critical question for both sides of, “Do I have a partner for peace?”. Through cultural events, advocacy workshops, and panels, the event will provide a vision for change in Israel and Palestine. 

The Joint Memorial and the People’s Peace Summit show that the movement is growing. These events are not paralyzed by the weight of Israeli and Palestinian loss; rather, it is that shared grief, and the urgency it creates, that propels these peacebuilders to demand real change. They are not gathering simply to mourn, but to act, to insist on a future that allows for safety and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.

These peacebuilding efforts are backed by courageous civilian activists. Events like the Joint Memorial and the Peace Summit draw thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, and international allies, all of whom are united in purpose. When grief is held collectively and is backed with strength, solidarity, and determination, it becomes more than sorrow. It catalyzes transformation, resistance, and the creation of solutions.