Salem, Mass. — Peacemaking Speaking Tour Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: The Reverend E. Clifford Cutler Assisting Priest, Grace Episcopal Church Phone: (617) 870-8942

Email: [email protected]

Church Office: [email protected] Church

Phone: (617) 870-8942

International Interfaith Peacemaker from Nazareth to Speak in Salem on July 20

SALEM, Mass. — Grace Episcopal Church will host renowned international peacemaker and musician Abed Manasra for a two-part community event on Monday, July 20. Manasra, hailing from the historic city of Nazareth in the Galilee region of Israel, will lead a noontime luncheon followed by a public presentation at 7:00 p.m. Both events will take place at Grace Episcopal Church, located at 385 Essex Street, Salem.

Sheikh Manasra represents the third generation of spiritual masters in his family within the Sufi Qadiri Tariqa As-Salaam, a branch of Sufism dedicated strictly to the study and promotion of peace. He has committed his life to grassroots diplomacy since high school, despite the inherent risks of practicing peacebuilding in a region afflicted by long-standing conflict.

Manasra serves as the interfaith dialogue expert for Rising Tide International and the Israel programs manager for the Abrahamic Reunion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building sustainable peace among the diverse faith communities of the Holy Land.

“Given the difficult circumstances we are facing today in the world, and especially in the Holy Land,” Manasra said, “our great responsibility compels us to work hard for a better future for all of us—a future in which we live in safety, peace, and love, and reject hatred, aggression, wars, and extremism.”

In addition to his speaking engagements, Manasra is an accomplished player of the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern short-necked lute. He frequently uses music as a core mechanism for reconciliation in times of division, utilizing the instrument to engage young people through his Young Peacebuilders Training Program. This initiative brings together hundreds of youth and young adults for long-term programs centered on dialogue, nonviolence, and interreligious connection to dismantle systemic distrust.

Manasra is currently traveling up the East Coast during the summer break with his wife, Israa, and their four children, ages three to nine. Their tour includes stops in Atlanta, Charlottesville, Philadelphia, and Middletown, Connecticut, before arriving in Salem and continuing to Portland, Maine.

Event Details:

Noontime Luncheon: 12:00 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Space is limited, and an RSVP is required to [email protected].

Evening Presentation: 7:00 p.m. This presentation is free and open to the public; donations are gratefully accepted.

For more information, to RSVP for the luncheon, or to request media credentials for the evening presentation, please contact the church office or call the Reverend Cliff Cutler at (617) 870-8942.

Shortened Event Listing Copy

Title: International Peacemaker Abed Manasra from Nazareth Speaks at Grace Episcopal Church

Date: Monday, July 20, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. (Luncheon) & 7:00 p.m. (Main Presentation)

Location: Grace Episcopal Church, 385 Essex St., Salem, MA 01970

Cost: Luncheon: $5 (RSVP required); Evening Presentation: Free (Donations welcome)

Description: Join Grace Episcopal Church in welcoming international peacemaker, Sufi master, and musician Abed Manasra from Nazareth, Israel. Manasra, the Israel programs manager for the Abrahamic Reunion, will share his experiences using interreligious dialogue and music to bridge divides and foster grassroots peace among youth in the Holy Land. Attendees will also experience a brief musical demonstration on the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern lute.

Contact/RSVP: [email protected] or call (617) 870-8942.