Jerusalem bishop to speak on the Arab-Israeli conflict
Posted on 12 October 2004
A man who is an Arab, a Christian, a Palestinian and an Israeli will tackle the Arab-Israeli conflict in the annual Heslington Lecture at the University of York on Wednesday 20 October.
The Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, the Rt Revd Riah Abu El-Assal will speak about 'The Arab-Israeli conflict and prospects for peace in the Middle East', an area which the Bishop is well placed to speak about.
Bishop Riah was born in Nazareth. He is known for his active participation in the struggle for justice and peace for all peoples and for encouraging dialogue between different faith communities.
He once persuaded Yasser Arafat to bring together six Israeli Jewish and six Palestinian musicians in Vienna to compose a hymn for peace. To help renovate Christ Church in Nazareth, he employed Muslims to work on the stained glass, Jews to install the heating and cooling system, and Christians to be the stone masons.
Admission to the lecture is free and open to all.
Notes to editors:
- The lecture will take place at 5.30pm, Central Hall, University of York.
- Previous speakers for the Heslington Lecture include the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP; Rabbi Julia Neuberger; Jonathon Porritt and Lord Habgood.
- The Heslington Lecture has run since 1965. Its theme is ‘religion and the modern world'.