Know Thy Heritage Delegates meet with Dr. Hanan Ashrawi in Ramallah

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) is proud announce the successful completion of the 5th Know Thy Heritage (KTH) Leadership Program to “Explore and Live” Palestine. This year, KTH carefully chose 40 delegates, Palestinian youth of the Diaspora from 10 countries and 5 continents, to take back home. For most of these delegates it was their first time stepping foot in Palestine. They experienced lessons of Palestine’s past, cultural events, every well-known dish of the land, tours through ancient cities, the world’s holiest sites, meetings with municipal and national leaders, humbling walks through refugee camps, inspiring talks during the 4th Annual Diaspora Conference, workshops with leading business people and investors, joyful moments discovering family members, and more, all of it culminating into a journey of a lifetime. These delegates were given the chance to explore their heritage for the first time. They were given the opportunity to go home.

Along with striving to take Palestinian youth back to Palestine, KTH is also designed to empower each of its delegates to become Ambassadors of Peace and capable leaders, no matter their study or occupation. KTH is not only about the journey, but also about what one does with the experience he or she gains through it. To emphasize this aspect of KTH, each year a focus is chosen. This year that focus was on strengthening Palestine through business and investment.

As a result of KTH 2015, HCEF has developed its newest initiative, in partnership with the Palestinian Market Development Programme (PMDP): Future Business Leaders (FBL) of Palestine. FBL will be a major component of HCEF’s mission to highlight business and investment opportunities in Palestine, attracting various corporations and individuals through a model centered on positive engagement, positive investment, and continued dialogue in Palestine FBL’s primary means of empowering the Palestinian economy is by educating Palestinian Diaspora youth on the current and projected state of the Palestinian economy, and how they can affect it positively with their influence. FBL will utilize HCEF’s current access to inspiring and successful Palestinian business leaders throughout the world and connect them to the new generation of Palestinians who hope to achieve success in the business. The young leaders will know what has worked for the older generations, but also what hasn’t, and they will be inspired to develop new, innovative business and investment ventures. Ultimately, FBL will facilitate Business-to-Business and Investor-to-Investor relationships through Future Business Leaders acting as ambassadors in their country of residence.

FBL completed its pilot phase during KTH, initiating 15 young Palestinians of the Diaspora into the business and investment world of Palestine. These 15 youth are already using the resources and knowledge they gained during the program to establish the FBL Committee. Through this committee, FBL youth will be able to organize FBL members and their partners into an effective acting body that will build upon a presently growing network of Palestinian businesspeople and investors throughout the globe. The FBL Commitee will also include members involved in a wide array of sectors, not exclusively businesses, and utilize the KTH Alumni network that consists of over 200 members spread of 15 countries and 5 continents. Tapping into this rich and varied source of human ingenuity among young Palestinians of the Diaspora will enable FBL to pave new areas of commerce in their Palestine.

Ultimately, FBL and its new Committee will to facilitate a Palestine that is a land of opportunity, united with Palestinians from all over the world and their fellow citizens, of a variety of backgrounds – business, medicine, science, education, and more – in investment, securing a strong state with a secure economy and ensuring a future of prosperity and peace.

Learn more about KTH and the new FBL initiative by joining HCEF for its:

17th International Conference & Awards Banquet
Reception: Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Awards Ceremony: 7 p.m. -9 p.m.
Conference: Saturday, Oct. 17, 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Washington Marriott Georgetown
1221 22nd Street, NW
Washington, DC, 20037
Register for the conference HERE!
See our Letters of Support HERE
See our Honorary Committee HERE

If you are moved by the mission of KTH, and would like to help us bring more Palestinian youth home, please donate HERE