Press release Shalom Festival 2024 Antwerp
GROENPLAATS ANTWERP
20 OCTOBER 2024
2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
The 20th anniversary edition of the Shalom Festival was organized in Antwerp as a declaration and desire for peace—shalom, salaam,—amidst the ongoing struggles on all fronts in the Middle East, while celebrating the Biblical festivals.
The rising and troubling antisemitism made it even more urgent to stand firm with a message of coexistence and mutual recognition of each other’s right to exist as the path to peace.
The uncompromising truth about the history and Biblical right of Israel to the land remains the foundation. As an extended hand, the festival once again reached out to all people and parties of good will with a sincere wish for peace.
With special attention to the hostages, the Shalom Festival called against terrorism, for dialogue and friendship, and for promoting harmonious relationships among diverse communities both here and abroad.
With Shalom, Salaam, Sol’h (Persian), Peace, Pastor Said Najafabadi, originally from Iran, opened his speech.
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, friends of peace,
Today, we gather here with a shared mission: to spread a message of hope and reconciliation. We express our desire for peace—shalom, salaam, Sol’h (Persian), peace—in the midst of the conflict and confusion gripping the Middle East. This Shalom Festival reminds us that there is a path to peace, even when the situation seems hopeless. In a time when antisemitism is once again on the rise globally, our call for coexistence and mutual recognition of each other’s rights becomes even more urgent. We must not remain silent in the face of hatred and injustice. Israel, based on its history and Biblical promises, has a legitimate right to its land. But this right extends beyond just a territorial claim; it is a call for peace, an invitation to dialogue.
There are claims that Israel is committing genocide. Let us be clear—this is a serious falsehood. Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East, a nation where different peoples and religions live together in peace and tolerance.
More than two million Arabs live as full citizens in Israel. This fact debunks any claim of genocide, because if Israel were truly committing genocide, these Arab citizens could not live freely and safely. Israel is a nation that protects freedom, life, and democracy—including for minorities. As an Iranian pastor, I speak here today on behalf of my people. We Iranians fervently long for the end of the dictatorship that has gripped our country for decades.
The Iranian regime, which oppresses its own people and is the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism, must fall. We seek peace, freedom, and an end to the misery that has plagued our region. Iranians who yearn for a life of freedom stand with Israel in the hope for a better future.
Israel’s struggle is not just for its own survival but also against the extremism and hatred that threaten not only the Middle East but the entire world. Our message today is one of peace and reconciliation. We call for dialogue, friendship, and a new Middle East where mutual respect and the recognition of each other’s right to exist are central.
We also want to draw attention to those who are still held hostage and imprisoned in dark tunnels, people who have lived in fear for far too long. We call for their immediate release. Peace cannot be achieved without justice. Enough blood has been shed, too many families have been torn apart. It’s time to work together for a peaceful future where no child has to grow up in fear.
To our beloved peoples of Israel and Palestine: we stand with you. Let us dance the dance of hope and reconciliation together. Let us leave hatred and division behind and look toward a future of mutual respect and love. As long as hatred exists, there can be no peace, no future. The time has come for a new chapter—a chapter where we build a Middle East of spiritual, relational, and economic renewal.
Let us continue to advance the peace accords and build together a Middle East that experiences peace, life, abundant blessings, and prosperity, like the Biblical Garden of Eden, a paradise.
A new Middle East that rises like a phoenix from the ashes, becoming a symbol for the entire world—where respect, love, and prosperity are central to every nation.
Yevarech Elohim et Yisra’el, am Avraham,
Yitzchak ve-Ya’akov.
May God bless the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
May God bless Belgium!
A brief glimpse into the speeches from Israeli, Jewish, Arab, and Christian perspectives that captured the attention of the public and the press. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Rabbi Menachm Hertz.
“The pursuit of peace, without the truth as a foundation, is like building a house on quicksand. Without truth, peace becomes vulnerable, temporary, and empty. The Bible, the prophets, and our holy texts all offer this fundamental principle: to achieve lasting peace, it must be anchored in truth.”
Professor Emeritus Marc Cogen – UGent & ULB
“The findings reveal significant critical attention towards Israel, which is solely held responsible for the aftermath of the establishment of the country in 1948. The teaching material assumes that only Israel can resolve the conflict. The material points to the establishment of Israel itself as the cause of the ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East. These are attempts to undermine the legitimacy of Israel’s existence, despite the historical Jewish ties to the land that go back more than two thousand years.”
Barones Regina Sluszny
“We must accept every person as they are, just as we were born, and understand that there is no point in waging war. Why do we hear the heartbreaking cries of mothers and fathers who have lost their children in the brutality of war? We want peace for everyone, not just here in Belgium, but for the entire world.”
Pr Eugenia Daskalopoulou
“We have spent years building trust with the Jewish community. We extended a hand and held countless conversations to bring this festival to life. Through this, we realized that we not only have prejudices towards the Jewish community, but they also have prejudices towards us. With this festival, we break the myths and show who they really are.”