MIFTAH
Monday, 6 May. 2024
 
Your Key to Palestine
The Palestinian Initiatives for The Promotoion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
 
 
 
New Page 1

It is an honour to be the mayor of one of the most famous cities on earth. Bethlehem is a name that lives in the hearts of millions of people. It signifies love and hope for mankind and when you look back at its history you understand why. Even before the birth of Jesus, when Bethlehem was truly a little town, it always provided a welcome for those who needed shelter.

Today Bethlehem embraces the same ideals of openness and diversity. It has been endowed with natural wealth, emerging as a fertile corner from the heart of a desert. It also has a wealth of culture, standing at the crossroads of the ancient world as one the most visited places on earth. The great tradition of Christianity that began in our town has at its heart a message of love. This message has shaped Bethlehem: from the days when we opened our homes to pilgrims to today, a time of air travel and grand hotels, Bethlehem has welcomed travellers from every corner of the globe.

Our history is full of inspirational stories but also of bad times. The bad times have led to many Bethlehemites and their descendents being scattered around the world. In some countries of Latin America there are whole communities that can trace their family tree back to our town. Many Bethlehemites have gone out and come back again to populate the streets of our homeland because they could not stay away. Others have kept Bethlehem in their hearts despite the distance. I would like to say to all of Bethlehem’s children around the world and to all people who care about our values that Bethlehem, today, needs you more than ever before.

The wall, which is encircling Bethlehem’s urban areas and grabbing the city’s hills and farm land is an extremely dangerous development. Illegal settlements around the city are fast expanding at great cost to the life and livelihood of original Bethlehmites. These settlements have no respect for the environment or the ancient history of the place or the lives of the people whose culture has shaped the taste and texture of biblical times.

For more than 3000 years our city has survived some of the darkest chapters in the history of mankind and has remained a light to the world. In the year 2005, as Mayor of Bethlehem, I hope that the city of Christ can overcome our most recent and gravest crisis. I believe it can, if the positive energy of those whose love for the city can be translated into a vision for the future.

This is why I am so proud to announce the creation of Open Bethlehem, and the inauguration of the Bethlehem Passport. Open Bethlehem is an international initiative that builds upon the positive story of Bethlehem, reminding the world that we all face a poorer future without the hope and promise of our little town. Open Bethlehem will launch its programme in November in London and Washington in the week that Israel completes its wall. In that same week, sixteen years ago, we saw the fall of the wall that cut through the heart of Berlin. One day, the wall around our town will also fall. We will strive to bring that day closer. But until then, we can refuse to live in its shadow: we can declare Bethlehem open because our town stands for the values of openness: an open democracy built on the open hearts of its citizens. As long as the wall stands, the Bethlehem passport will be a badge of honour we can offer to anyone who loves our city and contributes to its life. Wherever they may come from, they will be welcome.

Yours in friendship,

Dr. Victor Batarseh

Mayor of Bethlehem

 
 
Read More...
 
Footer
Contact us
Rimawi Bldg, 3rd floor
14 Emil Touma Street,
Al Massayef, Ramallah
Postalcode P6058131

Mailing address:
P.O.Box 69647
Jerusalem
 
 
Palestine
972-2-298 9490/1
972-2-298 9492
info@miftah.org

 
All Rights Reserved © Copyright,MIFTAH 2023
Subscribe to MIFTAH's mailing list
* indicates required