Paul Calvert spoke with Elias D'eis

Elias: We have international and local bands that are coming. We focus mainly on the Palestinian music and dance; we have local Palestinian singers and musicians that will be here. We are also working with international bands to come from the UK and the US to play mainly Christian music, but we also have folklore music and different kinds of music.

Paul: Do you want to see famous bands coming in as well?

Elias: Hopefully yes; we are working on that. We are trying to get international bands that are well known and also local famous bands and also Arabic singers as well and not just local Palestinian.

Paul: You are going to be having an opening ceremony. What is going to be happening at the opening ceremony?

Elias: The opening ceremony will be a parade, or a street festival starting from the Catholic Action circle in the old city of Bethlehem and walking all the way to Nativity Church. We are going to tell the story of Bethlehem, so it will be like Bethlehem through the timeline. People will dress like the Old Testament figures, like King David, Ruth and Boaz, to tell the story when Bethlehem is mentioned in the Old Testament. Then we are going to show Joseph and Mary and how they were in the New Testament. We are going to show the modern Canaanite tradition dress that the old people of Bethlehem used to wear and what is Bethlehem today under the occupation. There is going to be a kid's parade, clowns and there will be local scouts and then when we reach Manger Square there will be speeches; there will be the stage and some dignitaries from The Palestinian Authority and international speakers and the sponsors. Then the festival will start with the music band and dancing group.

Paul: Who else will be participating?

Elias: We have a famous speaker who will join us called Shane Claiborne. He's from the US and is the founder of the Simple Way in the US. He is very well known and he will give a speech in the Manger Square on the 15th of June, on the third day.

Paul: You are also going to be doing some alternative tourism; what's that?

Elias: This is what we do in the Holy Land Trust. Its part of our work that we are trying to raise awareness among the international community that come to the Palestinian Authority. We give them the chance to live and experience the Palestinian Authority through these tours; not to come as a regular tourist to visit the holy sites, what we call the dead stones, but to come and to visit the living stones, the Palestinian community, to learn more about the suffering and the situation they are living in. We take them to the refugee camps and meet refugees and look at how the wall affects the situation in the Palestinian Authority. We take them to settlements and see how the settlements are playing a huge obstacle on the peace in this land. We give them lectures, meeting some speakers like politicians and human rights organisations; so these kinds of activities the normal tourists don't get the chance to get involved in and to see the situation and just to see the real people who live here; not just to come to the church for one hour and see the stones and then leave.

Paul: You are also going to have children's activities. Is it important to get children involved?

Elias: Exactly! We are focusing on the children because it is very important to have the children with us as they represent the leaders of the future. We are going to have a theatre play for children, face painting and clowns activities that will be focused on Star Street. There will be a different location for children to come and enjoy their time and when we have families come, then we have something for the children to do, not just for adults; so the adults can go and attend one of the lectures while the children are doing activities on Star Street.

Paul: How easy is it to put on a festival like this?

Elias: We have started one year from the festival and I think we are late. We have too much work to do here in the organisation.

Paul: Are you hoping that all of this will encourage the Palestinian economy?