welcome – salām – shalom – hos geldiniz – ahoj – kalos órisate – teple pryvitannya – namaste – karibu!
A warm welcome to you!
Winner of the European Diplôme d’Honneur award from the Fondation du Mérite Européen
Latest news from 29.04.2026 (further information in the current newsletters):
Dear members and donors, dear people interested in our association’s activities,
Despite all the anticipation, the suffering of the people, especially in Ukraine, Gaza, the West Bank, Iran and Lebanon , should not be forgotten. In view of the disaster in the Iran war with global repercussions, it is very difficult not to give up hope for a new beginning, confidence, love and peace in the world.
(May news are online. Link: www.gregorschroeder.de – for all who love humor, literature (+ interpretation) and creative political-satirical and poetic texts of all kinds. New: Trump and whale satires, Jesus vs. higher self)
Thanks to donations of € 25,000, the Birgittinnen convent on the Mount of Olives has been saved! They were without electricity for 14 days. Their situation is still very difficult (thank you letter attached).
Situation on the ToN (28.4.; moving Easter message from Daoud on 4.4.: www.tentofnations.com)
There are currently 9 volunteers, all of whom arrived via Amman. 5 volunteers are due to arrive in May (via TLV?). There are now 2 new watchtowers directly at the ToN. Further living containers have been erected and are partly inhabited. Despite obstructions, including flying checkpoints, it is still possible to reach and leave the ToN by car. Nevertheless, work continues on the ToN. Everything there is getting more and more expensive. Daoud would like to buy more solar panels + olive oil press as soon as possible, which he would like to bring to the ToN as long as he can still bring larger materials there. A 65-page ToN brochure (picture) is also to be printed in German, which will require translation and repositioning of the pictures. Information about ordering + price of the brochure will follow. For this, considerable further ToN donations are urgently requested.
The Israeli Supreme Court expelled settlers from Palestinian land on 11.3.26 (attachment). However, since it has postponed the ToN date to November for the umpteenth time, this ruling does not help Daoud. Efforts are being made to achieve better protection for the ToN, Daoud Nassar for the to nominate her for the 2027 Nobel Peace Prizeeven if the chances of this seem quite slim.
On the other hand, the Iranian freedom activist Narges Mohammadi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 as a deliberate political signal for her courageous fight against the oppression of Iranian women. The awarding of the prize to Daoud as a peaceful fighter for the preservation of the ToN could also be seen as a signal for Palestine’s struggle for its continued existence, which is highly threatened by the Middle East war. Members of a state parliament can propose a candidate until the end of 2026, in this case members of the Bundestag, ideally from all democratic parties.
We should work together to get at least some members of the Bundestag enthusiastic about such a proposal. This would certainly be a good protection against a possible annexation of the ToN.
Due to the precarious security situation, Daoud will not come to Germany until September 15 (see below).
We are still looking for more adult volunteers who would like to help out at ToN for 2-3 weeks from mid-May (registration at www.tentofnations.com). If you need more detailed information in advance,
you can also contact me (see below). JIK supports the ToN stay of volunteers from 2-3 weeks by subsidizing/covering the flight costs (for information contact me: 01636-335535). Thanks to our help, volunteers will again be able to help out there for longer periods of time. Costs for accommodation, food etc. approx. 150 € per week.
30.4.-3.5. 2026: JIK trip to Paris (only for active and potential JIK employees)
Uriel Kashi, Country Representative for Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste Israel on an evening with Holocaust survivor Eva Erben on 15.4. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZwjgN7fjGw very worth seeing!
The artist couple Dietrich/Merten(www.engel-der-kulturen.de) is very active in Germany in April with the distribution of their peace-building,
intercultural EdK symbol(see attachment), donations are requested .
15.5.26: 11:00: Katholikentag in Würzburg (Daoud Nassar as speaker via Zoom)
18.5.26: Presentation of the Axel and Sabine Becker Peace Prize (€1,000) of the Bergisch Gladbach-Beit Jala town twinning association to Daoud Nassar. Here, too, he is connected via Zoom.
New: 14.-20.6.26: Preparatory trip to Romania to prepare 2-sided exchange with German-Romanian youth group in summer/autumn 27
10.- 18.7.26: planned date for the visit of the youth group from Bethlehem; as the school dialog is cancelled:
3-day performance workshop at BG Bonn with Sonja Hellmann (attachment)
11-16.07.26: New, attractive JIK cultural program (free tickets for members, info to follow)
09.10.26, 20:00: African Pulse, Nordic Space & Indian Spiritual Sound
Where: Aula Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium, Hubert-Minz-Str. 20, 53757 Sankt Augustin, Admission: 19:00 Admission free, donation proceeds for Palestine
Nils Kercher (D): Kora / West African harp, vocals, percussion
& Kira Kaipainen (FIN): percussion, vocals, balafon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_2kyv6sGXY
BarouKouyate (Mali): Ngoni / Malian lute, guitar, talking drum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmyjaGayFRo
Dr. Ranajit Sengupta (IND): Master of the sitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOk3S-hPsnw
11.10.26: 18:00: Tiki Küstenmacher (© Bild): Living and believing more simply & happily, Admission: 17:30
Where: Aula Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium, Hubert-Minz-Str. 20, 53757 St. Augustin, admission free, proceeds for Palestine
The world bestselling author of “Simplify your life” (over 5 million copies) and Protestant pastor cleans up our entire lives with this classic book on life management! From desks and finances to health, relationships, partnerships and faith, he covers all areas of self-management and time management. He illustrates his talk in a meditation style with live cartoons on the tips for a more carefree, relaxed and happier life & faith.
17.10-1.11.26: Israel-Palestine-Jordan youth trip (fall vacation), 16 participants (18 years and older), 10 places available, with 160 € early bird discount until 15.5.26: only 790 € !!! (online registration), great program see website: Reports Youth Exchange: Oct. 22. We very much hope that the trip will be possible.
Appeal for donations
The situation of many people in the Near and Middle East continues to be catastrophic. A return of pilgrims/tourists to Bethlehem, for example, is probably not to be expected before the fall. Christian institutions, monasteries (e.g. the Birgittinnen), schools, universities, but also large parts of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, especially in Bethlehem, are facing ever greater financial hardship or are even threatened with extinction.
The greatest concerns are still the famine, the 80% destruction of Gaza and
the aggressive, forced settlement policy in the West Bank and its planned division.
| Therefore, once again my urgent request: Transfer a generous donation also for Bethlehem University and the 5,000 Jahalin Bedouins who are to be forcibly resettled next to a garbage dump! |
Successful fundraising campaign since 1.1.23: 655 T € Ukraine, Africa, Latin America, India, Middle East etc. As our donations are also declining overall, in future we will concentrate on the many threatened and disadvantaged people in the Middle East (ToN, monasteries, schools and universities in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jahalin Bedouins, Angel of Cultures etc., see bank details below).
Our bank details (with information on donation receipts)
JugendInterKult e.V., Volksbank Köln-Bonn; BIC: GENODED1BRS; IBAN: DE09 3806 0186 0704 8870 19
(If you provide your address + e-mail address or send an e-mail, you will receive a donation receipt by e-mail for donations of €100 or more. Donations up to 300 € are recognized by the tax office without a donation receipt). If you would like to donate to a specific fundraising campaign or a special project, please state this in the reference (e.g. Birgittinnen-Kloster, Uni Bethlehem, Jahalin-Beduinen, ToN).
| With the help of your donations, many thousands of children and their families, but also Christian institutions (monasteries, schools, etc. in Palestine, among others) and persecuted Christians around the world, especially in disadvantaged countries that have fallen into particularly great need due to the current wars, could and can be helped through food and medical aid and care in all areas of life. We would like to thank all donors once again for their extremely generous support of our projects! We hope you will continue to support our work as benevolently as before. |
Stay healthy and, despite all the discord, remain confident and happy to donate!!!
Kind regards
Your Gregor Schröder (0163-6335535), schroedergregor@aol.com
Am Köppekreuz 21, 53225 Bonn – www.jugendinterkult.de
Founded in 2011, our Sankt Augustin-based association has both a local and global focus and is committed to intercultural understanding, justice as well as sustainable development worldwide as a basis for peace.
- We would like to inspire adolescents for intercultural youth exchange with Israel-Palestine-Jordan through specially sponsored and inexpensive bilateral youth encounters.
- JIK promotes intercultural creative projects (music, theater, dance, art) with socially and otherwise disadvantaged young people, young talents, refugees in many countries as well as volunteer work in Christian institutions, e.g. in Palestine.
Art project in Bethlehem
Music project in Zanzibar
- We support 50 aid projects in Colombia, Afghanistan, India, Congo, Palestine, etc. in over 25 countries worldwide.
- Total JIK funding for all projects and fundraising campaigns since 2011: over € 2.5 million
With the help of the donations, tens of thousands of children and their families, as well as Christian institutions (monasteries, schools, etc. in Palestine, among others) in many countries that have fallen into great need as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the Middle East war, could and can be helped with food and medical aid as well as support in all areas of life.
Street children Colombia – Don Bosco
Afghanistan Aid – Caritas International
- We still need more people for our projects, people to accompany us on our trips, but also support through membership and of course especially donations for our many aid projects.
- Accompanying persons urgently needed for bilateral youth exchange with Palestine. We are not only looking for volunteers for the ToN and other employees for our projects, but also urgently for accompanying persons (e.g. religious teacher) for our bilateral youth encounters with Palestine from 2026, who would like to prepare and accompany these trips as leaders after participating in the trip in October 2026 and intensive JIK training. Applicants should be between 30 and 50 years old(preferably female), live in the Bonn – Leverkusen area, have good English skills and pedagogical experience in dealing with projects and adolescents, and preferably already be familiar with regional studies, the Middle East conflict and the 3 world religions. As a responsible manager from 2027, you will receive an expense allowance.
Participation in the following trips/two-sided youth encounters is welcome:
1. 28.3.-6.4.26 (approx.): Preparatory trip to Israel-Palestine (approx. 4/5 participants), small cost contribution from participants
2. 10-18.7.26: Visit of approx. 15 participants from Bethlehem in Bonn
3. Trip to Israel-Palestine-Jordan: 17.10. -01.11. 2026 (maximum 16 participants aged 18 and over)
Email applications to: schroedergregor@aol.com
Let yourself be inspired by the variety of our activities and take advantage of our offers by participating in international youth encounters, our creative projects, fundraising activities and/or by joining or becoming a member of us. As a member, you take part in all activities free of charge, have the opportunity to get free tickets for all cultural events from the JIK free ticket contingent and receive an early bird discount of €160 on trips.
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