From Black Elk / Elder, Oglala-Lakota (1863-1950): 

The first peace, the most important, is that which enters the soul of man; 

when people realize their kinship, their harmony with the universe and know,

that the great mystery lives at the center of the world.

And that this middle is actually everywhere. It is in each of us. 

This is real peace.

All others are reflections of it. 

The second peace is that which is concluded between individuals. 

And the third peace is between peoples.

But above all you should see that there can never be peace between peoples,

if there is not the first peace that resides within the soul. 

Every journey begins with a first step...

The decision to step away from your everyday life for a certain period of time and walk a longer distance slows you down and stands as a metaphor for life. During a consciously chosen time, questions are reduced to the essentials: What fits in a backpack? Which path will lead me to my goal? Where do I sleep? How do I satisfy my hunger? Who's going with me? And how do I travel with myself?

It's always about the first and then the next step towards the goal. Pilgrimage enables a profound encounter with oneself.

Walking for a long time creates space for conversations with yourself and with life. Some find dialogue with God, some with nature. Some experience finding order with their own history and that of their ancestors. The experience of being integrated into a larger whole gives basic trust. The thought of hiking on a path that thousands of people have walked before is rewarding Connectedness. 

Pilgrimage requires openness. Because a long-distance traveler walks through countries as a stranger and is dependent on the friendliness of a host. Impartiality is the key to encounters and the potential to reduce prejudices and fears. Positive experiences strengthen trust in the people along the way. Strangers can become friends. You learn across all cultures what connects all people: the needs for belonging, security and love. The supposed boundaries between peoples and religions can be bridged by individuals with mutual respect.

Pilgrims are also ambassadors from their culture. A pilgrimage is the most ecological way to travel. It is active environmental protection and gentle tourism. 

When they arrive at their destination, pilgrims report feelings of happiness when they arrive, about the physical achievements, about the encounters along the way and about the realization that kindness, respect and trust open the door. 

"Love, the strongest force in the universe, penetrates and illuminates everything

and builds bridges between people."

The Jerusalem Way is an offer to embark on a personal, inner path. The paths marked by the “JERUSALEM WAY International Peace Team” association, GPS, information material, a network of pilgrims and proven cooperation partners provide orientation and security. The thought of walking on a path that has been walked by thousands of people before provides connection. 

The Jerusalem Way connects religions and cultures in a unique peace project. Mutual recognition and tolerance grows through exchange and cooperation with private, religious and political organizations. The search for what connects us is at the center of the dialogue and allows the global network to constantly grow for overarching solutions for peaceful coexistence. 

The year 2023 put faith in peace to the test; it literally shook people and the earth. The road to a peaceful world seems long.

As Paulo Coelho said: Jerusalem stands as a Gordian knot for peace in the world. Even though the city is currently difficult to reach physically, we at the JERUSALEM WAY association are convinced that that everyone can follow their own path to peace. We would like to invite you to let the pioneers Johannes, Otto and David inspire you to take the first step on the unknown path to your goal. 

Because paths are created by walking them. Also the path of peace. 

The Jerusalem Way wants to inspire people to look inside themselves and see where steps towards peace are possible in their personal environment and where internal wars can be resolved. The same applies here: 

Even the first step can be a goal.