Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 11:00 AM EST - 11:45 AM EST - Zoom
Mini-Series #5: Spotlight on the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem
Join CMEP on November 19th at 11am EST to hear Malkon Marizian explore the case of the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. The Armenian Quarter is part of the Old City and finds itself within Occupied East Jerusalem. This Quarter, home to around 2000 Armenians, has been under threat. In April of 2023, a deal was signed between the Armenian Patriarchate and an Israeli firm called Xana Capital, which sent shockwaves through the Armenian population worldwide. Around 25% of the historic quarter would be leased for 99 years to the company to build a hotel on. This deal was made without the consent of the quarter's residents and fueled fears of displacement.
Featured Speakers
Malkon Marizian is an Armenian Palestinian living in Jerusalem. He has a BA in psychology and an MA in Human Rights. He also has an Associate Degree in Biblical History, Prophecy and Philosophy. He volunteered for Musalaha, a non-profit organization that works towards reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians based on the Biblical principles of peace, justice, and love. Malkon is the founder of Mazat; a Latin Dance project geared towards Human and Women's Rights in Palestine. He has also given a Discovery Talk for Birthright Armenia, comparing and contrasting the historic experience of the people that form his identity and now works as a Geo-Political Tour-Guide instructing and educating others on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as addressing how religion in the region plays a role in the bigger Geo-Politics.
Christopher Huth is our new Project Coordinator for the Executive Director and Communications Coordinator at the CMEP Office in DC. He grew up moving back and forth between Berlin, Germany – Beirut, Lebanon – and NYC, NY. He is also of Armenian heritage and has been a part of the Armenian Youth Federation for 4 years now. Chris recently wrote an article about the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem which is slated to be published in Sojourners this December.
Moderator
Kyle Cristofalo holds a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Messiah College, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Kyle was first introduced to Middle East advocacy work during a semester abroad in Cairo, Egypt. After graduating from college, Kyle spent 10 months serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Bethlehem, Palestine, where he was seconded to work with Bethlehem Bible College. Most recently, Kyle served as the Program Assistant for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on Legislation where he helped coordinate lobbying work on Middle East policy and trained grassroots advocates on how to lobby their Congressional representatives. He currently works as the Senior Director of Advocacy & Government Relations as well as the Special Advisor to the Executive Director at Churches for Middle East Peace.