“When people are given trust, space, and human connection, ideas can grow, relationships can deepen, and hope can continue to survive even in the darkest moments.”
One of the most meaningful retreats we hosted in Geneva took place in February 2024, when B8 of Hope welcomed a group of 10 Israeli and Palestinian alumni from our grantee organization New Story Leadership (NSL).
Based in Washington, D.C., NSL traditionally brought cohorts of young Israeli and Palestinian professionals to the United States, where they were hosted in Israeli-Palestinian pairs by American families for several weeks and placed in pairs in internships with members of Congress and Senate offices. Through this experience, participants gained exposure to American policymaking in the Middle East while also sharing their own perspectives and aspirations as young leaders shaping the future of the region.
Following October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza, NSL had to adapt to a dramatically changed reality. Crossing between Israel and Palestine became nearly impossible. In response, a group of alumni began meeting regularly over Zoom, determined not to give up on dialogue or on thinking about “the day after.” Together, they worked on ideas related to Gaza’s reconstruction and a future political and social framework.
B8 of Hope then offered them the opportunity to finally meet physically in Geneva.
For seven days, our workspace became their workspace. The participants — together with the Director of NSL, two staff members, and a facilitator (14 people in total) — were hosted by families in Chêne-Bougeries, experiencing both Swiss hospitality and life in Geneva.
During the retreat, they worked tirelessly on refining and finalizing the project they had initiated online months earlier. The outcome of this collective work was first published as the Phoenix Framework and has since evolved into what is now known as SHAPE. Their work was presented and shared in important forums, and the group itself continues to grow as additional Israelis and Palestinians join the initiative.
The group was also introduced to aspects of the Swiss political system through an excellent presentation by local Swiss politician Julien Lévy (Parti Vert’libéral). Members of B8 of Hope’s Executive and Advisory Boards also met with the participants. Notably, Hiba Qasas gave them a presentation on her peacebuilding work through Principles for Peace.
What makes this retreat even more remarkable is that the entire project — including flights, accommodation in host families, and meals prepared by B8 of Hope volunteers — cost approximately 4,000 Swiss francs.
The participants came from the West Bank, Gaza (the Gazan participant was studying in Brussels at the time of October 7), Israel, and among Palestinian citizens of Israel. Despite war, grief, political divisions, and physical separation, they chose to continue imagining a shared future together.
What this experience taught us is that sometimes, with very modest means, meaningful transformation can happen. When people are given trust, space, and human connection, ideas can grow, relationships can deepen, and hope can continue to survive even in the darkest moments.