• News Brief No. 1; July 8, 1998

• News Brief No. 2; July 20, 1998

• News Brief No. 3, Aug. 6, 1998

• News Brief No. 4, Aug. 24, 1998

• News Brief No. 5, Sep. 7, 1998

• News Brief No. 6, Sep. 25, 1998

• News Brief No. 7, Oct. 19, 1998

• News Brief No. 8, Nov. 9, 1999

• News Brief No. 9, Feb 5, 1999

• News Brief No. 10, Feb 22, 1999

• News Brief No. 11, March 21, 1999

• News Brief No. 12, April 22, 1999

• News Brief No. 13, May 21, 1999

• News Brief No. 14, Aug. 30, 1999

• News Brief No. 20, Dec. 18, 1999

News Brief No. 7; October 19, 1998

Bethlehem 2000 Project is planning for five exciting projects in cooperation with the city of Strasbourg as their contribution to the Bethlehem Millennium celebrations.Strasbourg, Christmas capital of Europe, will host Bethlehem as its guest of honour for the coming Christmas celebrations. Two million visitors will be able to see the famous 30 metre Christmas tree adorned with glass and brass ornaments made in Palestine. They also can visit the Palestinian wing designed by a young Palestinian architect, which shows Palestinian artefacts and folklore as well as a photo exhibition and a display of Palestinian traditional dresses.

Under the theme of The Forty Pillars, Strasbourg is commissioning French artists to sculpt 18 art works that will adorn a street in Bethlehem. The raw stones come from Bethlehem quarries (partly donated by Nassar Ali Nassar Marble Manufacturing). The sculptures will be exhibited at the Strasbourg 1999 Christmas market before being shipped as gifts to the city of Bethlehem for permanent display.

The City of Strasbourg is donating the production of a Sound and Light Show, Diaporama, on the life of Jesus. The show will be implemented by the Bethlehem 2000 Project and staged at the Bethlehem University open-air auditorium as part of the on-going projects of the millennial celebrations.

Under the aegis of Bethlehem 2000 Project, a series of international conferences is being planned under the title Dialogues of Hope - Bethlehem 2000 Conferences. Strasbourg will undertake two symposiums: one on Jesus (organised by the Bishopric of Strasbourg) and the second on Human Rights.

A joint project on Child Psychology started already in August, when a French artist conducted drawing workshops for children aged 5-15 in Bethlehem, Ramallah and Gaza on past, present and future themes. The drawings will be evaluated by experts on child psychology and the results published.

NEWS

• The Region of Umbria will organise an Italian week during the Millennium celebrations in Bethlehem.

• The Spanish NGO Peace and Cooperation Foundation will organise an international children art competition under the umbrella of the Bethlehem 2000 Project.

• The Government of Spain will offer Bethlehem two concerts by renowned Spanish orchestras for the Year 2000 Celebrations.

• South Africa and Chile will organise colourful cultural events in Bethlehem on the occasion of their national days.