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Description

The Spiritual Holy Trek (SHTREK) Initiative, also known as the PeaceFirst Trail Initiative, is a non-profit effort preparing for launch with the goal of fostering interfaith harmony and community resilience by developing innovative trail infrastructure inspired by the American Appalachian Trail. The initiative’s most symbolic undertaking is a tri-faith trek planned to run approximately 120–150 miles from Jordan's Qusayr 'Amra to Jerusalem's Temple Mount, involving small groups of representatives from a synagogue, church, and mosque walking together. To facilitate societal healing, the trails will feature eco-friendly shelters and multilingual signage displaying Nonviolent Communication (NVC) prompts to help participants navigate difficult discussions, and the project is actively seeking seed funding to launch a pilot program on the Appalachian Trail by summer 2026 before scaling globally. The project acknowledges potential challenges, such as geopolitical friction and the risk of commercialization critique, but addresses these by emphasizing accountability, spiritual framing, and the intangible dividends of empathy and resilience.



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