Siraj Centre Palestine

Community Award Finalist

Siraj is a not-for-profit tour operator in Palestine that has pioneered a new form of travel in one of the world’s oldest destinations. For 1700 years, travel to the Holy Land has been dominated by pilgrimage. When we started out, it often seemed that our country was known for just two things: holy places and violent conflict. Over the past decade, we’ve created programs that allow guests to get off the beaten track, into the mountains and villages of Palestine, to experience the warmth and kindness of Palestinian families, to stay in their homes, to share their food, and to build friendships across borders of all kinds. At the same time, we’ve enabled hundreds of rural Palestinian communities to earn money in a way that is both sustainable (i.e. not aid dependent) and respectful of their culture. We’ve developed long-distance hiking trails, set up homestay programs in villages and with Bedouin families, trained local guides, supported women’s leadership, and led thousands of experiential journeys to help people explore Palestine’s culture, hospitality, and history. Through our work, we have transformed the character of tourism in Palestine, advanced rural development, and improved the perception of our country in the wider world