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 Bethlehem

 Pilgrimage

 Concerts for Peace

Under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Holy Land, Jerusalem

Come join us in the 2008 Pilgrimage of Solidarity
to the Holy Land this October

Also coming up: the 2008-2009 Concerts for Peace

Read all about the recent visit to London
of our Patron, the Custos

In the Divine Comedy (Canto XI of Paradiso), Dante Alighieri immortalises the true story of Francis of Assisi, the saint of peace, who travelled to the Holy Land in 1219 at the height of the crusades and met cordially with Sultan Malik al-Kamil, the nephew of Saladin, thereby commencing a new chapter in Christian relations with the Holy Land.

It is this prophetic gesture of love and courtesy toward other faith communities which is at the heart of the work of the Franciscan Order (the Custodians of the Holy Land) in the Middle East and underpins the ethos of the TERRA SANCTA EDUCATION TRUST’s work supporting their local schools in Bethlehem today. In line with the Franciscan example of love and respect for others, the objectives of the TERRA SANCTA EDUCATION TRUST are:

  • The advancement of education and relief of poverty of Christian families living in the Holy Land;  

  • The promotion of respect and dialogue between different monotheistic faith communities.

Dr Jordan Lancaster, founder of the TERRA SANCTA EDUCATION TRUST,
with Bethlehem scholgirls on a field trip to the Jerusalem zoo

Although we are a small charity, we have already seen significant success in our first year of operations:

  • Over 50 scholarships offered so far to students ages 4-14 at Terra Sancta College, Bethlehem;

  • We have facilitated a field trip to the Jerusalem zoo for 300 young schoolgirls from Bethlehem;

  • Flora and fauna nature trip to the Judean desert for 150 schoolchildren, organised with the Palestinian Wildlife Society and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association;

  • “TERRA SANCTA EDUCATION TRUST” library established in Bethlehem.

Such good works are made possible by the generous support of our benefactors, who represent all three of the monotheistic faith communities of the Holy Land.

The Trust also organises an annual Pilgrimage of Solidarity to the Holy Land, which is a special opportunity for benefactors to meet and support the scholarship students and their families. The TERRA SANCTA EDUCATION TRUST supports the Inter-religious Coordinating Council in Jerusalem and bases its work on a philosophy of respect and dialogue between people of the monotheistic faith traditions.

The Trust is run by committed volunteers who give their time and personally donate their own funds to meet operating costs ... every pound received goes to the people who need it most ... in the Holy Land!

 

All site photographs by
Frank Rehwaldt

 

 

Web design by
Paula Gonzaga de Sa
on behalf of the
Terra Sancta Education Trust