Holding on to Humanity: The Parents Circle 2024 Annual Report
In a year of unbearable loss and widening divides, the Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) has remained a powerful voice for reconciliation. Founded in 1995, the PCFF is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization made up of over 800 bereaved families—those who have lost loved ones to the conflict. The 2024 annual report offers a sobering yet hopeful glimpse into how these families have chosen connection over hatred in the wake of October 7, 2023.
From uni-national healing circles to binational Zoom gatherings, from summer camps in Cyprus to legal battles with the Israeli Ministry of Education, PCFF programs persisted even as war and trauma reshaped every part of life. The group welcomed 75 new bereaved families this year, expanding its base of personal stories that serve as catalysts for understanding and peacebuilding.
Highlights of 2024 include:
Over 150 Dialogue Meetings in Israel, Palestine, and globally, including outreach to over 3,000 international participants.
Youth Engagement: 39 Israeli and Palestinian teens attended a joint summer camp in Cyprus.
Care and Solidarity: 500 care packages and 1,200 school kits were distributed to Palestinian families amid deepening humanitarian needs.
Global Advocacy: The “Listening from the Heart” initiative, run in collaboration with Georgetown University, introduced PCFF’s dialogue model across 35 U.S. colleges.
Media and Storytelling: 29 audiovisual testimonials, podcasts, and creative campaigns shared messages of peace and reconciliation worldwide.
Recognition: PCFF received major peace awards, including the Pax Christi International Peace Award and the Danish PL Foundation Freedom Award.
The report also highlights structural challenges. The group faced removal from Israel’s school programming platform—a decision they continue to contest legally. Despite these setbacks, their message has reached more people than ever.
To read the full 2024 annual report, click here.
