As we approach the one-year mark since October 7th and the war on Gaza, we invite you to join us for a time of reflection and action. This moment calls us to honor the sacredness of every life lost to the ongoing violence, to acknowledge our deep sorrow, and to renew our commitment to peace, freedom, and safety for all.
As part of many initiatives that are happening globally, on October 6, 7, and 8, we invite you to join our international community online each day at 2:00pm ET/9:00pm Jerusalem Time. Through these three virtual gatherings, we seek to establish a unified ritual space to process grief, confront the systems of oppression that perpetuate immeasurable suffering, and reframe the crisis in Israel and Palestine by fostering a shared vision of reconciliation, justice, and collective actions to bring about peace.
The virtual gatherings will be facilitated by Nonviolence International, Parents Circle Families Forum/American Friends of Parents Circle Families Forum, and Combatants for Peace/American Friends of Combatants for Peace.
Facilitators on October 6:
(Moderated by Sami Awad)
Amira Hass: Author, Israeli journalist, and Haaretz correspondent for the Occupied Territories. Since the early 1990s, she has reported on the human impact of conflict, having lived in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Rawan Roshni: Palestinian/Balkan activist and artist based in Jordan. Through her music and workshops, she promotes empowerment and healing in the SWANA region, focusing on conflict transformation and community building.
Ahmed Alnaouq: Gazan journalist and the co-founder of We Are Not Numbers. He holds a Master’s degree in international journalism and co-founded Border Gone, a media project sharing Gaza’s stories in Hebrew.
Facilitators on October 7:
(Moderated by Shiri Ourian)
Bassam Aramin (Parents Circle - Families Forum): Incarcerated at 17, Bassam spent 7 years in Israeli jails. He later studied history and earned an MA in Holocaust studies. He joined the Parents Circle after losing his 10-year-old daughter, Abir, who was killed by an Israeli border policeman outside her school.
Anat Marnin (Parents Circle - Families Forum): Born in Israel as the youngest sister of two brothers. Her life changed dramatically when both brothers were killed in the Yom Kippur War on October 7, 1973. This profound loss led her to the Parents Circle, where she promotes peace and reconciliation.
Special Message from Ma'ayan Inon (Parents Circle - Families Forum): A bereaved Israeli daughter sharing her insights on loss and healing.
Facilitators on October 8:
Miriam Turmalin: Spiritual midwife and holistic art therapist, creating spaces for healing and transformation through art and connection with nature.
Noam Enbar: Singer and composer, bringing music to peacebuilding efforts.
Hannen Sabbah: Palestinian nonviolent activist and organizer from Gaza.
Mai Shahin: Therapist and peace activist specializing in nonviolent communication and war trauma-focused therapy.
Souli Khatib: Co-founder of CfP, Souli was sentenced to 15 years in prison at 14 yrs old, serving 10.5 years. During his incarceration, he participated in hunger strikes and studied nonviolent resistance, shaping his commitment to collective liberation.
Chen Alon: Israeli lecturer and activist, former combatant and co-founder of CfP, co-resisting to end the occupation.
In addition to joining us online, we encourage you to take action and organize your own in-person gatherings throughout these days—community vigils, sharing circles, sit-ins, peace walks, days of fasting, humanitarian efforts. We invite you to wear a black ribbon or armband as a symbol of our shared grief and shared commitment to collective liberation.
During this difficult time, we can create global momentum by uniting our voices to call for an end to the violence while advocating for peace and justice for all. Together, we remind one another that we are the change-makers we have been waiting for. We hope you will join us for Every Life, A Universe: Global Days of Remembrance and Action.
