Bethlehem Link?

To find out more about the events or how you can help, contact us on our email address

The Background

The idea for Bethlehem Link developed following a visit to the West Bank in 1997 by Nina Beaven. During her visit, Nina met Ibtisam Ilzghayyer, the Director of the Ghirass Centre in Bethlehem (formerly called the Bethlehem Children's Cultural Centre). Ibtisam asked if Nina could arrange a connection with a school in England as part of the Center’s efforts to help Palestininan children appreciate the world more fully. As a result of this visit a link was established with St Gregory's School in Bath. Shortly afterwards the dance group of the Cultural Centre was invited by the charity ABCD to perform at Westminster Abbey in a celebration of Palestinian life. This generated a great deal of media interest and the local radio, BBC television and press as well as MBC television, reported on the fund-raising events which led up to the visit as well as the visit itself. The money for their flights was raised from donations, an Arabic meal with Edward Enfield as a speaker, guided tours of Bath, busking and sales.

The Palestinian children performed in various venues in the West Country including

Strode Theatre, Street
St Gregory's School, Bath
Whitstone School in Shepton Mallet,
Yeovil (town centre)

The children perform the exciting and colourful dabka dance in traditional costume.They have performed internationally (inc France Dance Festival, Norway) and won first prize during Christmas 2000 in a Folklore Day set up in Bethlehem by the Palestinian Minister for Culture.

What is Bethlehem Link?

Bethlehem Link was established to provide the opportunity for cultural exchanges between young people in England and Palestine with the intention that those involved would be able to learn about each other's cultures first-hand. It is hoped that this will be a stimulating experience for all the children and will help raise young people's awareness of the world, encourage greater tolerance and establish lifelong friendships.

Nina Beaven and Ibtisam Ilzghayyer

Our aims are to:

1a provide opportunities for disadvantaged children from the Greater Bethlehem area and others to meet children in similar situations as well as meeting more privileged children.

1b promote such encounters, not only to create the appropriate atmosphere for the relief from hardship of such children, but also to enhance their mutual cultural education.

1c provide young people from the Greater Bethlehem Area and others with the opportunity for first hand experience of another culture (including Britain) and to enable them to form lasting relationships with each other.

1d establish channels of communication to help promote and support such relationships.

2a promote racial harmony and mutual understanding between young people from the Greater Bethlehem Area and others and young people from Britain by affording them the opportunity and the encouragement to take part in cultural exchange programmes between them.

2b encourage tolerance and independent thought by providing education in the cultural diversity and life experience of both groups of young people in order to awaken and activate their awareness of the world at large including human rights.

3 advance the artistic and creative talent of participating children and to encourage the appreciation of literature, art and culture of the participating children of the two countries and other countries through education, including the provision of facilities, bursaries, scholarships and other educational training especially for the more talented children.

[Home] [Bethlehem Link] [Children's Centre] [UK Visits] [Events] [Fund-Raising] [Charity Status]