Institute of Politics

Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian peacebuilder, author and mission-focused entrepreneur whose brother was killed by Israeli soldiers. His journey from revenge to peacebuilding has led him to implement mission-focused initiatives in Palestine, Israel and 60 other countries. Aziz has been named among the “500 Most Influential Muslims in the World” by the Royal Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan each year since 2010 for his work in cultural education and conflict resolution. He is a National Geographic Explorer and Ted Fellow. Harnessing the transformative power of travel, in 2009 Aziz co-founded MEJDI Tours, a leader of responsible travel pioneering the Dual Narrative™ method and innovative approaches to use travel as a peacemaking tool. He is co-founder of InterAct International, a non-profit advancing sustainability, education, and cross-cultural connections. Aziz has authored two books; Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace (2020) and Strangers, Neighbors, Friends: Muslim-Christian-Jewish Reflections on Compassion and Peace (2018). He has served as Executive Director at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, and as the Chairman for the Parents Circle–Family Forum. He was also recognized by former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon for his work in peacebuilding.