Mejdi Tours

25/09/2024

*Exciting Opportunity*: Learn about the 2025 Healing Across the Divides Study Tour! 
Join us for an informative webinar on September 29th at 10 AM Eastern Time to discover more about our transformative study tour planned for Spring 2025. Jointly sponsored with Mejdi Tours.
Registration link on first comment!

Let's bridge divides and foster understanding together!

09/09/2024

"...travel must challenge stereotypes and increase understanding of different communities. “You have a responsibility to be this bridge and act like a diplomat, just like you have a responsibility not to litter or contribute to overtourism..."

’Agents clients don’t need to be into peacebuilding, they just need to be intellectually curious,’ the duo behind socially-conscious tour operator Mejdi Tours tell TTG’s Ilaria Grasso Macola

22/07/2024

Tomorrow in Washington DC

22/07/2024

If you're in the DC area tomorrow night (July 23), stop by Busboys and Poets to join Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon for an evening of discussion, connection, and community building. They will share their vision and look forward to an engaging Q&A session.

For those in DC, please join us on Tuesday, July 23 at 8pm ET, for a public conversation with peace activists and . While Netanyahu represents the past, Aziz and Maoz represent an alternate future with a blueprint of 5 Core Principles to get us there.

Click here to learn more: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-evt-41579102/

Location - Busboys and Poets at 450 K St NW, Washington, DC. We hope to see you soon.

17/06/2024

We're excited once again to share that our public Dual Narrative Tour of Israel and Palestine "Beyond the Headlines", departing this September, has been confirmed to run.

This tour is incredibly special and timely. Developed collaboratively by our team of Palestinians and Israelis, this experience is meant to show life in Israel and Palestine "beyond" what the mainstream headlines depict. It is meant to shine light on and elevate all sides, stories and narratives. During the 7-day tour, you'll travel to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

✨ Meet with TED Speaker Maoz Inon and hear his personal story about losing his parents on October 7th, and his unwavering belief that peace between Israel and Palestine not only possible but necessary.

✨ Meet with Rabbis for Human Rights and learn about how the day-to-day operations have evolved since the start of the war.

✨ Meet with Combatants for Peace, an organization made up of both Israeli and Palestinian ex-combatants dedicated to peace.

✨ Meet with Bedouin communities in Southern Israel and hear personal stories of how they were affected by both October 7th and the ongoing war in Gaza.

There are only a few spots left on this tour, so if you've been considering joining, now is the time.
https://mejditours.com/open-tour/2024-mejdi-mission/

17/06/2024

We're incredibly proud to share that our very own Aziz Abu Sarah will be speaking at this year's Aspen Ideas Festival. Happening June 23 - 29, 2024, this year's festival will last 7 days, host 100+ sessions, and hear 300+ speakers.

Celebrating its 20th year, the Aspen Ideas Festival brings brilliant leaders and thinkers from around the globe to discuss the ideas that will shape tomorrow and help us understand today.

Learn More ⤵
https://zurl.co/6pgb

Attend the Aspen Ideas Festival on our campus in Aspen, Colorado. The Festival is 10 days of hundreds of fascinating discussions with more than 3,000 attendees.

14/06/2024

We have even more exciting news to share! Our upcoming dual narrative tour of the Balkans, departing this October, has been confirmed to run!

Here are just a few of the highlights of the tour:

⭐ Explore the Land of Blood & Honey in Dual Narrative, with a Serbian and a Bosnian guide.

⭐ Sit down with a local journalist and discuss how the vestiges of Belgrade’s war-torn past are shaping its current political and socio-economic situation.

⭐ Meet with a refugee from the Yugoslav wars and hear a first-hand account of Serbia’s tumultuous and not-so-distant past.

⭐ Sit down with a local resident of Mostar to hear about how families were divided throughout the war.

Learn More:
https://zurl.co/jokO

12/06/2024

We hope you'll join Americans for Peace Now next Thursday, June 20th, for a special webinar hosted by outspoken peace activists, entrepreneurs, and social advocates Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon.

These two speakers feel the loss and pain of October 7th and the carnage in Gaza that has followed especially keenly: both have lost family to the conflict before and on October 7th.

Since 10/7, the two have appeared on various international forums regarding their partnership in establishing peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Most recently, they traveled together to Verona, Italy to meet Pope Francis and share their vision for the future: one where Israelis and Palestinians can move forward and live side by side.

Date: Thursday, June 20th, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM EST
Register Now ⤵

Please join us on June 20th at 1:00pm Eastern Time for a webinar with outspoken peace activists, entrepreneurs, and social advocates Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon.These two speakers feel the loss and pain of October 7th and the carnage in Gaza that has followed especially keenly: both have lost famil...

06/06/2024

Our October Dual Narrative Tour of Northern Ireland departure and our September Ancient and Modern Egypt tour departure have been confirmed to run!

For those who have been waiting to sign up, now's the time.

Ancient and Modern Egypt
September 19 - 29, 2024
Photo 📍 The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut • Luxor, Egypt

A Dual Narrative Tour of Northern Ireland
October 6 – 13, 2024
Photo 📍 The Giant's Causeway • Northern Ireland

https://zurl.co/1Pb2

29/05/2024

Earlier this month, Mejdi Co-founder Aziz Abu Sarah reunited with Dr. Rev. Gary Mason in Northern Ireland.

Gary spent 28 years as a clergy person in Belfast, was involved in the "Northern Irish Peace Process" and continues to be a close advisor to Protestant ex-combatants on the civilianization efforts of paramilitaries.

He also helped Mejdi develop our dual narrative tour of Northern Ireland.

15/05/2024

We love following the updates from our recent student group traveling through Spain and Morocco. From Northeastern University's"Dialogue of Civilization" program, this group of college students is exploring Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Tangier, Fez, Chefchaouen, Marrakech, Casablanca and Rabat, through a Medieval History and Literature lens.

08/05/2024

A special thanks to MEJDI traveler Rabbi Ariel Stone for sharing her experience during our recent "Beyond The Headline's" Tour of Israel and Palestine with her local Portland, Oregon community.

This special group of travelers who joined us in March is one of a kind. Each person signed up to attend solo, not knowing what the other group members might be like, but bonded immediately over the deep need to connect with both Israelis and Palestinians during this tragic time. The group met this morning over Zoom for a monthly debrief, and the bond was as strong as ever.

If you're curious about connecting with someone from this group to hear a first-hand account of the experience of traveling to Israel and Palestine with MEJDI during this time, please contact [email protected].

03/05/2024

We're so proud to share this moving and powerful TED Talk between MEJDI co-founder and friend . This is why MEJDI exists - to provide a place for travelers to have these dual narrative conversations, ask hard questions, and learn from one another's stories.

01/05/2024

Recently, MEJDI co-founders Scott Cooper and Aziz Abu Sarah were guests at the 18th annual Travel Weekly Consumer Editors Roundtable. This annual roundtable was moderated by Arnie Weissmann and included editors from across the travel space such as Condé Nast Traveler, AFAR, National Geographic Travel, The New York Times, Robb Report, Town & Country Magazine and Wonderlust.

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"Scott and I worked together on peacebuilding missions in Afghanistan, Syria, Colombia and Northern Ireland. And while doing that work, we realized we wanted to do something more sustainable toward peacebuilding. We wanted to reach many more people, and it occurred to us that people, when they travel, are more open to hearing things they might never hear otherwise.

So we came up with this concept called 'Dual Narrative.' We thought - what if we had an Israeli and a Palestinian co-lead tours together... and in Northern Ireland, put in a Unionist Protestant and a Nationalist Catholic... and in the Balkans have both Serbian and Bosnian guides? And, on the tours, visit people with different positions, from different walks of life?"

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Read the full discussion to learn more about Aziz and Scott's peacebuilding journey and the impact 'Dual Narrative' travel can have in the and industry and throughout the world. ⤵

In the first installment of this year’s roundtable, a unique tour operator and top travel editors tackle whether tourism's reputation for combating ignorance, bias and fear can make a difference.

26/04/2024

Very kind words about our work from our dear friend, Arnie Weissmann at Travel Weekly . We sincerely appreciate it! ❤️

The definition of "meaningful travel" is expanding. Can it include engaging with host residents about thorny local politics?

24/04/2024

"The trip to Greece and the entire experience from beginning to end was beyond my expectations. As it happened last year when we went to Israel and Jordan, this trip again proved that Mejdi is the best company I dealt with. The standards were extremely high in all the details of the tour, from the interesting and balanced itinerary to the tour guides who were all extremely knowledgeable, caring, and professional, to the people who welcomed us at the airports, the hotels, restaurants, sites we visited, etc. I cannot thank you enough."

We loved hearing such kind words from **Palmer Trinity School** after their recent student group tour of Greece.

If you're curious about what a sample MEJDI itinerary of Greece looks like, take a look below.

As always, we'd love to customize an itinerary for your group (groups start at only 2 people!)

https://mejditours.com/open-tour/greece/

19/04/2024

“People look at us and think we are divided because you’re Israeli and I’m Palestinian. But if you must divide us, people should divide us as those who believe in justice, peace, and equality — and those who don’t yet.” - Aziz Abu Sarah

🤝 Maoz Inon

Sitting across from one another — and facing each other, rather than the audience — Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon took the stage for the first TED Talk of the annual TED Conference.

17/04/2024

We're excited and proud to share this moving and powerful TED talk between MEJDI's co-founder Aziz Abu Sarah and friend Maoz Inon. This is why MEJDI exists - to provide a place for travelers to have these dual narrative conversations, ask hard questions, and learn from one another's stories.

"We do not let anger drown us in hate and wanting vengeance. Instead, I think of anger like nuclear power. It can make destruction or it can make light. My hope is that we continue to use anger as a way to bring people together to ask ourselves 'what can I do to make things better.' - Aziz Abu Sarah

"The first step in realizing a shared society and shared future is knowing the other side's narrative." - Maoz Inon



These conversations are now more important than ever. ⤵

How can Israel and Palestine achieve peace? Palestinian peacemaker Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli peacemaker Maoz Inon discuss the immeasurable tragedies they've experienced growing up in the region — and how they choose reconciliation over revenge, again and again. With a fierce belief in a better fu...

15/04/2024

We're excited, overjoyed and downright proud that Aziz Abu Sarah - MEJDI's co-founder and TED alum - will be headlining this year's TED Conference, sharing the stage with friend and partner in peace Maoz Inon.

Aziz (Palestinian) and Maoz (Israeli) will speak side-by-side about their childhoods, their upbringings, their mutual experience of losing loved ones at the hand of "the other side," their decision to choose hope over revenge, and their shared vision of how Palestine and Israel can find a peaceful future.

As Maoz says - "I don't see hope. I make it."

Themed "The Brave and the Brilliant," this year's flagship TED Conference is taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Aziz and Maoz will headline the opening night of speakers starting at 5:00pm PST this evening. If you'd like to stream their talk live, there are day pass options available for purchase.

https://tedlive.ted.com/webcasts/t2024/purchase

12/04/2024

The story of MEJDI starts with Israel and Palestine. Our first Dual Narrative Tour - where MEJDI travelers are guided by one Palestinian guide and one Israeli - was originally launched in the region 15 years ago. That became so popular that we began creating socially conscious, multi-narrative tours all over the globe.

Since then, we've expanded to travel to 20 destinations on over 5 continents. Families, couples, schools, organizations and groups travel with us monthly working alongside a team of guides from all over the world.

Here are just a few of our favorite destinations that we currently lead tours in.

10/04/2024

"We need to grapple, especially, with the economic disparity between tourists and host countries. I still have a lot of questions about how to do this responsibly, but the people at Mejdi have thought as much about this as anyone, and have put in place a model that builds relationships rather than transactions, all for the sake of peace-building. Travelers want to contribute substantively to the building of peace, so we need to find ways to do this effectively and it will be successful."

Wise words from Rebecca Esterson, Dean of Swedenborgian Studies at the Graduate Theological Union. During a recent interview, Rebecca was nice enough to sit down with us and expand on her work. A notable Dual Narrative travel alum, Rebecca spoke about her experience traveling with MEJDI to Israel and Palestine and how that experience informs her work and relationships today.