ALLMEP’s 2023 Unite the Field marks record attendance as the largest conference in the organization’s history

Yesterday, more than 600 people gathered at the Jerusalem International YMCA. ALLMEP’s Unite the Field conference. Attendees from our community, including peacebuilders, diplomats, and philanthropists, joined together to celebrate their work and discuss a joint agenda for peace and equality in the region.

ALLMEP welcomed the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, as our keynote speaker, who remarked on the peacebuilding field and the role of the diplomatic community in it, “You have to meet people somewhere. You have to meet where you are. That’s what you are doing. I really salute your work… You are a superbly important element in how diplomats should redefine their priorities. We need to listen more to you. Speak up, come to us. And we will go behind you or in front of you. As you deem appropriate.”

Wennesland was joined by U.S. Ambassador, Thomas R. Nides, and the German Ambassador Steffen Seibert, who voiced their continued support for ALLMEP and the work of the peacebuilding community.

Ambassador Nides stated, “We spend a lot of time on the big picture, which is important to do. But it’s the little things that matter as well. That is why in my last couple of years with Amy (Tohill-Stull) and with my team, we spent time on getting things like the Allenby Bridge open, getting hospital money for East Jerusalem Hospital, trying to get the roads done, trying to do health care and education programs that changes people’s lives. That’s what the work you all do. And I want to thank you all very, very much.”

And Ambassador Seibert explained, “The work of civil society actors is more important than ever, meaningful encounters are what is most needed, (especially) exchange between youth.”

Chair of the MEPPA PPF Advisory Board, George Salem, added, “How do you build trust? You’ve got to start at the grassroots level. And that’s what ALLMEP is about. That’s why ALLMEP was so instrumental in the passage of this legislation (MEPPA), along with other civil society organizations, led by ALLMEP. And there is so much work to be done, but I’m a big believer in success begets success.”

The field has never come together in this way before. Workshops focused on engaging youth, building new partnerships, and forging strategic initiatives for engaging funding entities and growing financial support for this work. Parallel to the workshops, ALLMEP brought in a host of expert speakers to explore the most pressing issues facing the field. Their insights were incredibly powerful, and drew on their years of experience as peacebuilders and policy professionals.

Additionally, we hosted a members fair with tables for 40+ members to showcase their work as well as multiple interactive art and media experiences. The members fair demonstrated the incredible diversity and reach of ALLMEP’s membership. The organizations represent so many different sectors within the peacebuilding field, including tech, environment, education, entrepreneurship, religion, dialogue, sports, and more. These members serve both cross border and shared society communities through their amazing programs, and the conference was special environment where they could network with donors from around the world.

ALLMEP’s MidEast Storytellers program showcases the real stories of activists working on the ground, , many of whom are alumni of the peacebuilding community, in an art exhibition with a digital storytelling component. Powered by ALLMEP and B8 of Hope, in partnership with Pendulum, MidEast Storytellers was a tremendous success at the conference. The program also included a virtual reality peacebuilding experience, where VR headsets offer a glimpse into people to people encounters and the realities on the ground.

The full suite of video recordings from the panels and throughout the conference will be available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more information.