Guests: Sima & Mai, Young Ambassadors for Peace / Parents Circle –Families Forum

Hosts: Alexandria, Mert & Efe

Sima and Mai are Young Ambassadors for Peace with the Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), an organization of over 800 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families who have each lost a close relative to the conflict. Mai's grandfather, Haim Perry, an artist and peace activist from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken hostage on October 7 and killed after four months in captivity. His uncle Daniel Darlington was killed at the Nova Festival the same day. Sima's 14-year-old brother was killed by an Israeli soldier, a loss that profoundly affected her family. Despite these tragedies, both dedicate themselves to reconciliation and dialogue, promoting peace, understanding, and coexistence. Through the Young Ambassadors program, they share this message in schools and communities across Israel, Palestine, and beyond.

In this final episode: We listen with the heart. The first and last words of this podcast belong to the people who have lost a loved one but still remain comitted to justice and peace. We begin and end the series with the human reality of the conflict, remembering that real people grieve and endure on both sides. Their stories, losses, and resilience have inspired this journey. The young olive tree on our podcast cover, growing in the desert, reminds us of the hope Sima and Mai bring to Israel and Palestine—the wounded and “magical land between the river and the sea” (Mai) they call home.

This episode was recorded July 23, 2025.

We dedicate our Podcast series to Sima & Mai, Udi Goren, Khalil Sayegh. To Tal’s wife Ela and their children Niv, Einav, Udi, and Lotan; to Khalil Sayegh’s mother and siblings; to Mai’s and Sima’s families; to her mother Bushra.

We dedicate this podcast to the blessed memory of:

Tal Chaimi,

Lara Sayegh,

Jeries Sayegh,

Mahmoud,

Haim Perry,

Daniel Darlington.

Efe, Mert, and Alexandria speak with Mai and Sima about their personal losses, the journey of healing, and their work fostering dialogue, understanding, and hope across deep divides.

Disclaimer:
Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast team.

Technical legal terms are explained in Episode 36 with Prof. Claus Kreß; contested histories are addressed by Prof. Gudrun Krämer in Episode 21.