Every journey begins with a first step ...

The Jerusalem Way is the world's longest pilgrimage and an international peace and culture route!

The Jerusalem Way connects religions and peoples in a unique peace project.

The Jerusalem Way stands for mutual recognition and tolerance.

Love, the most powerful force in the universe, penetrates, illuminates everything and builds bridges between all people!

 

Pilgrims create openness to encounters, dismantle prejudices and fears, and strengthen trust - basic trust. The supposed boundaries between peoples and religions can be bridged by individuals with love and mutual respect.

THE FIRST PEACE

From Black Elk / Elder, Navajo Indian (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 the one that 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. 

 

 

 

WALK FOR PEACE

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 works always about the first and then the next step towards the target. 

 

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 is rewarding 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 this 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. Women pilgrims are also ambassadors from their culture. 

 

It is a pilgrimage 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 Jerusalemweg is an offerto embark on a personal, inner path. The paths marked by the Jerusalemweg 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 one 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 Jerusalemweg Association are convinced that jeveryone has their own path to peace can go. We would like to invite you to be inspired by the pioneers Johannes, Otto and David, the first step to venture on the unknown path to the 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.