Bethlehem 2000

The year 2000 is attracting great worldwide attention.

Agencies and institutions all over the world are planning festivities to mark the turn of the millennium.

The year 2000 has special meaning for the city of Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus Christ. Over five million tourists and pilgrims are expected to visit this holy town on this occasion. The city will be inviting high-ranking religious and political figures to join in the festivities.

The new millennium will be celebrated in the city with a variety of concerts, festivals and other events.

In order to commemorate an event of such importance to all mankind, a pilot project, Bethlehem 2000, has been assembled. In preparation for the launching of this project and the organization of the festivities to celebrate the bi-millenary of the Nativity of Christ, the Municipality of Bethlehem set up a Committee in August 1995.

The Committee is preparing an integrated program of development for the town of Bethlehem to be implemented by existing public and semi-public institutions and organizations. The project is a chance to highlight, through an urban policy, some of the issues of culture, tourism and economy which mark the rebirth of society, and thereby place a new milestone on the road to a culture of peace in the Middle East.

The project covers different areas of the town which are vital to its development: rehabilitation of the street facades and squares of the old city, rehabilitation of the market place, redesign and construction of Nativity Square, identifying pedestrian zones, parking areas and construction of a bus station.