THE FUTURE IS PEACE
a cooperation with Jüdisches Museum Wien and Israel Studies Center Vienna
Peace is neither a slogan nor a sentimental dream for Inon and Abu Sarah, but the result of a courageous decision to take action.
Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli Maoz Inon — two tour guides, two friends — take their readers on a week-long journey through a land weighed down by myths and the burdens of world history. Inon lost his parents on October 7, 2023; Abu Sarah lost his brother during the First Intifada. Yet both are deeply committed peace activists. Rather than allowing their grief to turn into a desire for revenge, they use it as the starting point for a fundamental question: What path can lead to a future that is not governed by a logic of retaliation?
On their journey, they visit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth, and other places, speaking with ordinary people who, like themselves, must live with the ongoing conflict and its devastating consequences. In these intimate encounters, one question repeatedly emerges: How can we ever find hope in the face of so much suffering?
For Abu Sarah and Inon, the answer is clear and simple: hope is not something we find — it is something we create, through dialogue, responsibility, and a commitment to the equality and dignity of every human being.
“We do not see ourselves as Palestinians and Israelis, or as Jews and Arabs, but as human beings who believe in a culture of dialogue, reconciliation, and peace. To those who see only what divides us, we say: If you must divide us, then please divide us into those who believe in peace and equality and those who do not … yet.”
Far from surrendering to paralyzing despair, The Future Is Peace presents a concrete vision for peace in Israel and Palestine, inspired by personal encounters in cities where the conflict has long drawn lines of separation.
Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian peacebuilder, entrepreneur, author, and National Geographic Explorer. He is the co-founder and Co-CEO of InterAct International and co-founder of MEJDI Tours, using dialogue, responsible travel, and conflict transformation to build bridges between communities. His work has received international recognition, including from the United Nations.
Maoz Inon is an Israeli peace activist, entrepreneur, and Co-CEO of InterAct International. He has founded several tourism and social-impact initiatives in Israel and the Middle East. After losing both of his parents in the October 7, 2023 attack, he became a prominent advocate for peace, reconciliation, and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.
Moderation:
Tessa Szyszkowitz, author and journalist for the Austrian weekly Falter and others. Distinguished Fellow at Royal United Services Institute in London (RUSI)