We Build the Future: Children’s Summer Camp 2026

In July 2026, Musalaha UK awarded a £10,000 grant to support Musalaha’s annual Children’s Summer Camp in the Bethlehem region. Over six days, the project gathered 108 Christian and Muslim children between the ages of 6 and 11. The campers came from diverse social and economic backgrounds across Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and nearby refugee camps, including children displaced from Gaza. Held at the Lutheran School of Beit Sahour and the Catholic Action Centre, the camp offered a safe, vibrant space designed to help children process ongoing conflict-induced stress while building lasting cross-community friendships.

Themed “We Build the Future,” the program used interactive LEGO-inspired imagery to encourage resilience, hope, and constructive reconciliation. Daily activities balanced physical movement, emotional wellbeing, and creative problem-solving—ranging from sports, dancing, and mental health workshops to hands-on robotics, coding, soap making, and house decorating. Campers also enjoyed water park activities, local Arabic-speaking mascot performances, and celebrations of Palestinian culture alongside local artists and musicians.

The camp served as a key vehicle for local youth development. A team of 25 local Palestinian counsellors, guided by 4 Young Adult Coordinators and 5 international helpers, ran all the daily logistics and group management. The program further invested in the local economy by sourcing meals through a new catering programme launched by local young adults involved in Musalaha's programs. Despite heightened regional instability, movement restrictions, and economic pressures, the camp successfully created an encouraging environment where children built trust, formed cross-faith bonds, and laid the early foundations for a shared future.