RIMINI (ITALPRESS) – The 46th edition of the Rimini Meeting opened with a powerful testimony of reconciliation: an Israeli mother and a Palestinian mother, both of whom lost their children to conflict, shared their stories and their choice to turn grief into a path toward peace. This year’s event is entitled: “In deserted places we will build with new bricks.”
On stage was Elana Kaminka, mother of Yannai, a young Israeli soldier killed on October 7, 2023. “He hadn’t yet turned 21 but he was clear-minded, a deep thinker who questioned what it means to create change in society,” Kaminka said. “After his death I felt I had lost everything, because a parent’s first duty is to protect their children — and I failed. But after witnessing the horrific images of October 7, I told myself I had to live by his words and values: to build change and peace, but not through violence.”
Also speaking was Layla al-Sheik, a Muslim mother from Bethlehem who lost her son Qusay during the Second Intifada. “Life after October 7 has become even harder,” she said. “Those who worked in Israel lost their jobs, the economic situation is dramatic, we have no shelters, we don’t even know what is happening. Children can’t go to school anymore, and the Israeli government has imposed even tougher restrictions.”
Kaminka acknowledged the suffering on both sides: “Everything happening now is frightening, especially for Palestinians — in recent months terrible things have been taking place. But it is possible to live side by side, to work together. Dehumanization is one of the greatest dangers on both sides. Through my actions, I try to set an example.”
On the question of forgiveness, al-Sheik admitted it remains difficult.
“It is easy to talk about reconciliation and peace, but we must ask ourselves whether we can truly forgive. Forgiveness gave me the courage to keep going, even in these very hard times,” she said.
Adding her perspective was Sister Aziza Kidane, who has spent 12 years in the Holy Land working to bridge divides.
“We need to tear down the walls that separate us. Our mission is to be bridges, especially for the most vulnerable. With war and violence there is no hope. Without reconciliation with others, there can be no peace,” she concluded.
– Photo: Meeting Rimini 2025 –
(ITALPRESS).
