Landmines Echo in The Fields of Bethlehem
Judy Collins, Singer/Songwriter, Lends Her Voice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS: Kathy Budzinski: 415-246-3414 (USA) Keren Gelfend: +972-53-431-6162 (Israel) Fadwa Abu-Laban: +972-59-959-1144 (Palestine)
Landmines Echo in The Fields of Bethlehem
Judy Collins, Singer/Songwriter, Lends Her Voice
December 11, 2013—Washington, D.C.—Roots of Peace, a humanitarian non-profit organization, made history this year by removing landmines in the Fields of Bethlehem. Israelis and Palestinians alike joined hands with Heidi Kuhn, Founder/CEO, working together to heal the wounds of conflict by unearthing the seeds of terror which were sown in 1948, claiming the lives of eight children and the arm of a Shepherd, Abu-Zahir, age 78. There are an estimated 1.5 million landmines in the shared Holy Land upon which Christians, Jews and Muslims all pray for peace. “The Holy Land is not ‘holy’ when there are landmines in the ground,” states Kuhn.
Kuhn, a mother of four, was inspired by an Israeli boy, Daniel Yuval, age 14, who lost his right leg to a landmine while playing during a snowfall in The Golan in February 2010. Suffering from the loss of a limb, he called an American mother to his side to help bring forth his dream for a Mine-Free Holy Land. Together, they worked to bring forth historic Mine Action Legislation at The Knesset on March 14, 2011. Garnering support from the global community, Kuhn met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Mahmoud Abbas, His Holiness Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, The Sheikh of Bethlehem, and Rabbis at The Western Wall—all who supported Kuhn’s vision for removing landmines in The Holy Land.
In May 2013, Roots of Peace completed historic landmine removal in Husan Village, a Muslim community—located 4 miles from The Nativity—with support from the Israeli and Palestinian government. Now, Kuhn seeks to complete her job by raising $1 million to remove ALL landmines on the remaining 12 acres in The Fields of Bethlehem. “No mother gives birth to a child in a manger or anywhere else in the world to lose a life or limb to a landmine,” states Heidi Kuhn, “Bethlehem is one little town with one large meaning for world peace, and this begins with mine removal to make the land safe for both children and shepherds to walk without fear.”
Roots of Peace will present the annual Global Citizen Award to Judy Collins, internationally acclaimed Singer and Songwriter, on December 14, 2013 @ 8pm at Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, California. Judy Collins’ social history has always been linked with her musical history during a career which has spanned for over 50 years beginning with the Peace Movement from 1960’s. Judy will perform and lend her voice to the Roots of Peace Bethlehem project, as she continues to create music of hope and healing – that lights up the world and speaks to the heart. Also, the ‘Children of Bethlehem’ will perform Christmas Carols on the Roots of Peace MINES TO VINES field on December 21, 2013, as they sing for the children of the world who suffer the perils of landmines—an estimated 70 million landmines in over 70 countries.
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