Among the many victims of the conflict that has devastated the Holy Land over the past two years is the already fragile school system. Even at the Terra Santa School in Bethlehem — the oldest school in the Middle East, founded in 1598 by the Franciscan friars — the crisis continues to be felt every day.
Restrictions on movement, the collapse of tourism, and the closure of many economic activities have deprived hundreds of families of their only source of income. In this profound crisis, access to education has become a luxury that many can no longer afford. About one third of the 1,270 students enrolled at the Terra Santa School are unable to pay their school fees.
The school, already brought to its knees by the lack of tuition payments, must also face significant extraordinary maintenance costs for one of the building blocks, which is more exposed to harsh weather and strong winds and more prone to water infiltration
A school of peace
The Terra Santa School is truly a school of peace: in daily school life and through the Christian educational path it offers, students of different faiths learn to get to know one another, to engage in dialogue, and to grow together. The sincere welcome of the Franciscan friars becomes a concrete example of coexistence for children and young people. Every day, they discover that it is truly possible to rebuild human relationships capable of overcoming division and hostility, and that even the deepest wounds of the conflict can begin to heal.
