Over the summer I read Walden while the world burned, and I still don’t know how to square this. I love reading for the same reasons that most people who love reading do; it is both a means of escape and a way to encounter reality – including realities different to your own – anew. I’m trying to read 50 books this year, and at the same time I’m confronted with the question of whether it is okay to spend hours with a book when crises unfurl.

SNS welcomes the news of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—a moment that brings the possibility of safety and relief for millions, lifesaving humanitarian aid to Gaza, the return of hostages to their families in Israel, and space for people to begin rebuilding shattered lives.

For some, October 7th is a day of remembrance and of unimaginable loss, grief, and fear. It brings back memories of violence and trauma that changed lives forever.

For others, the pain and uncertainty did not begin or end on that day. The past two years have been filled with ongoing fear, devastation and suffering, which is a daily struggle that has never fully eased.
 

What we want to say, two years on

This summer, I had the privilege of participating in the Bridge Builders programme, run by Solutions Not Sides - an initiative designed to bring young people together to engage meaningfully with a long-standing global issue: the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. From the outset, the programme emphasised a commitment to dialogue, understanding, and critical engagement, rather than advocacy for a particular position.

What inspired me to join the Bridge Builders Programme was something I’ve always valued: Common Ground.

It’s actually the title of my Elevator Pitch from the programme. Many of us grow up in one prominent community, especially within our families, and it can be difficult to connect with people outside that circle. Too often, dialogue happens without building a relationship first.