Palestinian, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today. Pope Francis was beloved in Palestine. He conveyed true compassion to Palestinians, most notably to those in Gaza during this genocide. His pastoral heart was evident in his insistence on calling the Christian community besieged in Gaza on a constant basis, even from his hospital. Some years ago, Pope Francis visited Bethlehem. We all remember the iconic image of him praying at the Wall. This is what I wrote about this incident in my book “The Other Side of the Wall”. When Pope Francis stopped, touched the wall, and said a prayer, it was truly a monumental moment that made waves in world news. Pope Francis couldn’t help but notice the ugliness of this concrete structure at the heart of Bethlehem. This wall should make us all uncomfortable. To this discomfort, the Pope couldn’t help but react and reach out. By responding in this manner, the Pope touched more than the wall. He touched the ugliness of the occupation and war. He touched the depth of our suffering. With humility and weakness, he looked injustice in the eyes, and challenged it. What did he say in his prayer? The truth is, I don’t want to know. Some words are better left unspoken. The image of him standing next to the wall and praying will forever be engraved in our memories. For me, this image went everywhere. On my office wall, Facebook page, desktop wallpaper. For us as Palestinian Christians, this image was stored deep into our memory. And when this wall falls one day (not if, when), we might go back to this moment and this prayer as one of the key moments that led to its fall. At the end of the day, the Pope left, and the occupation and the wall remained. But we were left with a renewed sense of hope—knowing that we are not forgotten. We were left with a mandate to continue lamenting the current situation, to fight against injustice . . . and to pray. (The Other Side of the Wall, pp. 182-183) The Pope left our world today, and the occupation and the wall remained. Even worse, he left our world while a genocide continues to unfold. Back in November he wrote: “I am thinking above all of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters given the difficulty of getting food and aid into their territory… According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.” Today I wonder: Will the millions who will mourn his death these coming days respect this wish of his? Will they care for Gazans and Palestinians the way he did? May his soul rest in glory with his Savior. Humanity lost a special soul today.

“No Other Land,” a collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers that tells the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, wins the Oscar for best documentary. bit.ly/41CDR0F

The Disasters Emergency Committee Middle East Humanitarian Appeal has raised over £600,000 in Wales since it launched on Thursday buff.ly/4h8NrhH

Ar y 3ydd Awst 2024, bydd gwirfoddolwyr o SDMC (gan gynnwys ymddiriedolwr sydd heb eistedd ar feic ers 30 mlynedd!) yn ymuno â’r @BigRide4Pal 🇵🇸, yn beicio o Gasnewydd 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 i Fryste 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 i godi arian i blant #Gaza. Os hoffech chi GYFRANNU: rb.gy/0ft9ik

On 3rd August 2024, volunteers from WMCF (including a trustee who hasn't sat on a bike for 30 years!) will be joining the Big Ride for #Palestine 🇵🇸, cycling from Newport 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 to Bristol 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 to raise money for the children of Gaza. If you’d like to DONATE: rb.gy/0ft9ik

As a @CommonPurposeUK Advisory Board Member, I am pleased to share details of our upcoming MENA Diaspora Programme. A leadership development programme for UK-based Diaspora leaders from Muslim majority countries in the MENA region. Funded by @IslamicReliefUK, Common Purpose is curating a new Diaspora Leadership Programme for UK-based Diaspora Leaders from Muslim-majority countries in the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) region. It aims to inspire new ideas and equip participants with the connections and tools to be bridge builders at a time when there are many forces of fragmentation. Making a greater impact in their communities across the UK and contributing to building a better future in the MENA region. The programme is aimed at people from countries that have experienced particular hardships and challenges in the last few years, and where their respective diaspora communities have been fast to mobilize to help. Who is it for? We welcome applications from Diaspora Leaders living in the UK from the following communities in particular - Syria, Turkey, Sudan, Yemen, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, Somaliland and Libya - but are open to applications from across the wider region. We are also seeking to bring together a participant group that includes people from different generations. They may have experience in leadership from different walks of life and from any sector. You will be: A UK-based emerging (typically with over 5 years of professional experience) or established Diaspora leader from a Muslim-majority country in the MENA region Able to demonstrate that they have exercised effective leadership in any field and any role, whether professional or voluntary Able to demonstrate their commitment to attending all programme sessions, both online and in-person Willing to work with a diverse group of people from different backgrounds and sectors Programme details: Online: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM (UK) on 4, 9 and 10 September, 2024 In-person: 16 & 17 September 2024 Programme Fees: There is no cost to take part This programme is funded by Islamic Relief UK Travel costs to/from the host city for the residential days are excluded Application deadline: The deadline to apply is midnight (UK) on 19 July 2024 Apply: commonpurpose.org/mena-diasp… Further information: commonpurpose.org/mena-diasp…

Roedd hi’n hyfryd croesawi @WelshMuslims i’r Archifau neithiwr. Ynghyd a thaith tu ôl i’r llen, wnaethom edrych ar sut i ddechrau ymchwilio i #hanesteulu a chreu #coedenachau. Fel rhan o’r prosiect #EinHanesHefyd #DesiebHeddwch1923 gyda @AcademiHeddwch @WCIA_Wales