The Abraham Path Initiative (API) is working to inspire the opening of a route of cultural and religious tourism through the heart of the Middle East. The route will be centered on a new long-distance walking trail that follows the journey made by the Prophet Abraham – the common patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – some 4000 years ago.
The purpose of the Abraham Path (Masar Sayyidna Ibrahim) is to inspire cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding; to promote sustainable tourism and economic development; to help preserve the region’s historic sites and natural environment; and to generate positive media coverage that highlights the hospitable people of the Middle East and the shared heritage of Abraham’s children.
The path will begin in Harran, Turkey, where Abraham heard the call of God to ‘go forth’. It will cross Syria and Jordan, pass through Jerusalem, and end at Abraham’s tomb in Al Khalil/Hebron. Covering a total distance of 1200 kilometers, this path will link some of the finest landscapes, historic sites, and holy places of the Middle East into a single itinerary of outstanding beauty and interest. Later, the route will be extended to include other lands that are associated with the travels of Abraham, including Egypt, Iraq, and for Muslims, Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
It will become a permanent way of pilgrimage and tourism, open to people of all faiths and attracting travelers from around the world. Some of these people will travel all or part of the path on foot. Many will use the trail as an itinerary of sites that can be visited by bus or car. All will be invited to explore the cultural wealth of this region and to experience the kindness that is habitually extended to travelers in these lands.
The Abraham Path Initiative is an international affiliation of scholars, religious leaders and tourism experts that exists to support the creation of this trail. Hosted by Harvard University and sustained by a worldwide network of supporters, especially in the Middle East, the Abraham Path Initiative is a not-for-profit, non-political organization which honors all faiths ands cultures.
HOW WILL THE PATH WORK?
The Abraham Path will be open to all. Some of the many ways in which it will be used include the following:
Walkers
Some people will walk the full length of this path, which would take about 10 weeks. Others will walk a shorter section. These hikers will be supported by maps, waymarking, and by a guidebook which provides practical, historical, and cultural information about the route. Walkers will stay in hotels, hostels, and campsites along the way. Much of this infrastructure already exists. More will develop in response to demand. Where necessary, the Abraham Path Initiative will work with local communities to support the creation of accommodation for travelers.
Travelers
The Abraham Path is not just a trail for walkers. Many more will use the path as an itinerary of outstanding sites that can be visited by bus or car. The Abraham Path Initiative is already developing an international network of tour operators which will offer a range of itineraries along the path. Some of these tours will have a religious focus; others will be based around nature and hiking, or have a more secular theme of history and culture. Organized tours will help to publicize the path, to bring immediate economic benefits to communities along the way, and to establish the idea of a safe and beautiful trail that can be followed by independent travelers.
Virtual and worldwide participants
The story of Abraham and the creation of this path is already inspiring media coverage around the world. As the path develops, this story will be told and retold through newspaper articles, television reports, documentaries, films, books and websites - highlighting the cultural heritage and hospitality of this region, generating a positive news story from the heart of the Middle East, and extending the reach of this initiative to a worldwide audience of millions. These people may be inspired to travel the Abraham Path or to join in one of the local ‘Abraham Walks’ that are now being organized in towns and cities across Europe and the Americas.
The Benefits
The Abraham Path will become a place of meeting - inspiring respect and building friendship between people of different faiths and cultures. There are also a number of more tangible priorities that are central to this vision. First among them is to make a positive impact on the lives and well-being of the people who live along the path.
Economic prosperity through sustainable tourism
The path will create demand for products and services required by tourists and stimulate local entrepreneurial activity to supply that demand, thereby generating income and employment along the length of the route. Similar long distance trails in other parts of the world have revitalized the economies of entire regions, and even managed to reverse the steady drift of young people away from the villages and towards the cities.
The success of these routes demonstrates the strong and rising demand for challenging forms of travel which involve nature, faith, history, and adventure. The creation of the Abraham Path will help to establish the Middle East as a leading destination for eco and cultural tourism, and to bring a share of the prosperity generated by tourism into rural communities that have not traditionally been beneficiaries of the industry.
Preservation of the region’s heritage and environment
Sustainable tourism can transform the neglected cultural heritage and landscape of a rural area into its most precious economic asset, encouraging local people to protect both the urban and rural environment of their region. As well as creating these incentives for conservation, the Abraham Path Initiative will work with local people to restore sites of historic interest and to clean areas of the landscape that have already been damaged. Heritage projects might include the restoration of ancient places of worship, Byzantine mosaics, Roman roads or traditional village architecture. Environmental initiatives might include village-level projects (such as clearing litter from a local beauty spot) or more ambitious initiatives to clean up entire river valleys or create wildlife conservation zones.
Locally led development projects
Where appropriate, the Abraham Path Initiative will work with local people to develop accommodation for travelers. Old village houses that have been abandoned may be converted into ‘waystations’ which are operated as self-sustaining businesses, owned and staffed by local people. These guesthouses will be supplied with food from the village’s own fields and gardens. They may become centers for the manufacture and sale of traditional crafts and other merchandise made by village women, or for the training of local guides to the trail. The Abraham Path Initiative is also supporting the development of a network of host families who will accommodate travelers in their own homes, providing a memorable experience of family life in return for a direct source of income. This and other initiatives may be supported with micro-credit where appropriate.
Education and recreation for young people
The Abraham Path will become an educational and recreational resource for the region’s young people, used by school teachers and youth leaders to help children to access and engage with the landscape and history of their region.
HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE
The Abraham Path Initiative was begun in 2004 under the leadership of Dr. William Ury, co-founder of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and co-author of the worldwide bestseller on negotiation Getting to Yes.
Phase I (2004–2006) was devoted to studying and testing the feasibility of the Abraham Path. The Global Negotiation Project at Harvard University conducted a study on the political, security, and logistical challenges of the Path, as well as its economic, cultural, and political potential. In order to test the technology, a segment was mapped in Jordan, utilizing topographic maps supplied by the Royal Jordanian Geographic Society, GPS locator technology, and geographic information system (GIS) software with a field computer. A Web site, white paper, and DVD were developed and initial staff hired. Extensive consultations were conducted in the Middle East and around the world, culminating in the first study tour in November 2006. Twenty scholars and leaders from ten countries traveled the entire route from Harran to Al-Khalil/Hebron by bus, meeting along the way with government leaders, including deputy prime ministers and ministers of tourism, religious leaders from all three faiths, and business and non-governmental organization (NGO) leaders.
• In Sanliurfa (Urfa), Turkey, twenty-one civic leaders participated in the consultation, including the deputy prime minister, the governor of Urfa, the mayor and vice mayor of Sanliurfa, the mayor of Harran, the president and vice president of Harran University, the mufti of Urfa, the patriarch of the Turkish Armenian Community, and the vicar of the Catholic church in Turkey. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Abdüllatif Sener, said: “The fact that the members of the first study group from Harvard are here is an important message to humanity. In a period when we are trying so hard to give peace and respect to humanity, it is meaningful to seek common humanity in the footsteps of Abraham. I want to thank you again for this initiative.” The two largest national Turkish newspapers (Referans and Hurriyet) carried stories of the Path .
• In Amman, Jordan, fifteen civic and religious leaders participated. Senator Aqel Biltaji, the former minister of tourism and now a senator in the upper house of Parliament, said: “We each see God in this Path.” Father Nabil Haddad said: “You don’t need to convince the Jordanians that this is a great initiative; as long as it relates to Abraham—Jews, Christians, and Muslims are committed.”
• Ameera Ya’aqbeh, the general director of the Baghdad Chamber of Agriculture based in Amman (an Iraqi NGO), said: “I must tell you that this initiative is absolute genius and will extremely strengthen ties between different cultures and backgrounds.”
• In Bethlehem, twenty-two Palestinian civic leaders participated, including the minister of tourism of Palestine, the governor of Hebron, the sheikh of the Abraham Mosque, an Orthodox bishop, the deputy mayor of Bethlehem, the rector of Bethlehem University, and several parliamentarians. Minister of Tourism Judeh Morkus said: “I think the Initiative is a good response to the issues of the Palestinian people.”
Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of the idea, and in fact, it spontaneously opened the Path. Leadership teams—representing a subset of those who participated in the consultative meetings—have been established in countries along the route. Each team is working with one of the Abraham Path Initiative directors on implementation. Tour agencies and individuals in France and the United States, having heard about this vision and the successful journey of the study group, are planning tours for 2007. Further, a chapter has formed in Brazil. With this momentum and solid support in the region beckoning us to continue, the Initiative is now transitioning to implementation (Phase II).
THE NEXT STEP: IMPLEMENTATION
Activity for the next five years will focus on three goals:
Milestones to reach by Fall 2010 include:
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Half of the route (600 kilometers) is mapped and waymarked.
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A major segment opens every six months with a public event.
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A host-family network with community-managed support for visitors is in development for the rural parts of the completed segments.
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A guidebook for the completed portions of the Path exists.
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Local guides are trained and available for the completed segments.
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Tour agencies worldwide are in partnership with the local tour agencies providing the tours. Some of these are targeted toward walkers and pilgrims, and others are targeted to tourists who travel by bus or car to cities, towns, and Abrahamic sites.
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Local Abraham walks occur in cities in South America, Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa.
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An interactive Web site exists in order to support the gradually increasing stream of tours.
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A documentary is underway and media coverage originates in the region in support of the completed segments.
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A Leadership Council with representation primarily from the region, but also globally, is leading.
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Chapters in each country on the Path and globally provide opportunities for citizens in those countries to engage with the story of Abraham.
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A set of world leaders is acting as ambassadors for the Path.
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Host committees in towns and villages in the region provide a network of support for pilgrims and travelers.
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A Circle of Founders has committed financially to finance the outcomes.
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A structure and project list for “voluntourism” exists.
SPONSORS
The Abraham Path Initiative is an international affiliation of scholars and leaders, sponsored by Harvard University’s Global Negotiation Project. The Initiative is non-political and non-partisan, affirming the dignity of all people. Financial support to date has come from the Global Negotiation Project, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Threshold Foundation, the Sir Halley Stewart Trust and from generous individuals around the world.
The Abraham Path Initiative is based at the Global Negotiation Project. The project has received endorsements from Nobel Peace Prize winners Jimmy Carter and the Dalai Lama among others.
Leia mais sobre o Caminho de Abraão:
www.abrahampath.or
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