In 2005, Palestinian entrepreneur Aziz Abu Sarah realized that even well-traveled individuals could hold deeply entrenched biases. This insight led him to co-found Mejdi Tours with Jewish-American Scott Cooper, aiming to foster understanding between communities in conflict through a dual-narrative approach. Each Mejdi tour features two guides from opposing backgrounds, offering participants the chance to engage with different perspectives firsthand.
For years, Mejdi operated more than 300 annual trips to Israel, but the aftermath of the October 2023 Hamas attacks brought operations to a near standstill. Since then, the company has shifted focus to global speaking engagements, virtual workshops, and community discussions while expanding dual-narrative tours to other regions.
Mejdi’s latest ventures include a sold-out Uzbekistan tour where participants meet both Russian immigrants and local Uzbeks to explore the countries’ complex history. Upcoming itineraries include a South African journey delving into apartheid’s legacy, led by guides of diverse racial backgrounds, alongside cultural excursions such as safaris and visits to Table Mountain.
Another travel company, Pomegranate Travel, shares a similar mission. Originally focused on educational tourism in Israel, Pomegranate is now expanding to destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, and Morocco. Their Morocco tour offers insight into the country’s Jewish history, with visits to Marrakech and Fez’s Jewish quarters and meetings with Muslim preservationists maintaining abandoned Jewish sites.
In the Balkans, Mejdi leads tours guided by both Serbian and Bosnian hosts, with discussions on historical conflicts complemented by cultural activities such as wine tastings and coastal retreats. Pomegranate is also preparing trips to Saudi Arabia, highlighting the evolution of women’s rights. These journeys encourage open dialogue, allowing travelers to ask complex and often controversial questions in a safe space.
As travel to Israel resumes in 2025, both companies are adapting their programs to reflect recent events, incorporating voices from Gaza via Zoom and speakers from Jewish communities near the border. Despite increasing tensions and resistance to collaboration in the region, Abu Sarah remains committed to peace-building.
He believes that travelers can play a transformative role in fostering understanding, arguing that tourism has the power to create more impactful change than diplomacy. With over 1.5 billion international travelers each year, he sees an immense opportunity for people to become citizen-diplomats, bridging divides through personal experiences and storytelling.
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