Photos credit: Scholas Occurrentes
Students from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, and Georgetown University participating in the Middle Meets program met this week with Pope Leo XIV and senior Vatican officials to discuss dialogue and reconciliation amid war. The initiative, founded by the Hebrew University’s Entrepreneurship Club in the Humanities, unites Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze students in open discussions about conflict and coexistence. The meeting, held in collaboration with Scholas Occurrentes, highlighted the students’ shared commitment to building trust and hope across divides.
This week, young participants from Middle Meets met with Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal George Jacob Kovakad, Head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. The delegation included Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze students from Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, and Georgetown University. During their meetings at the Vatican, the students shared personal reflections on the complexities of life during wartime, as well as their commitment to fostering a language of hope, reconciliation, and mutual responsibility.
Middle Meets brings together Jewish and Arab students from Israel and abroad for in-depth discussions on conflict, dialogue, and peacebuilding. The current seminar, held in collaboration with Scholas Occurrentes, focuses on the question of how to build trust, hope, and cooperation in the aftermath of war. The visit reaffirmed Middle Meets’ mission to continue building bridges between communities even in the most difficult times.
The delegation’s visit took place against the backdrop of a wider gathering in Rome, where representatives from around 50 universities met under the auspices of the Vatican and the United Nations to discuss the role of academia in addressing global and regional challenges, including the conflict in the Middle East. The meeting followed a seminar attended by Prof. Manuela Consonni of the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Humanities and students from the Hebrew University, alongside peers and lecturers from Palestinian, Jordanian, Lebanese, and Syrian institutions. Many university leaders emphasized that academia’s mission is to build bridges and advance science diplomacy, not promote academic boycotts.
Prof. Guy Harpaz, Hebrew University Vice President for International Affairs, with Pope Leo XIV.
For a century, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been a beacon for visionary minds who challenge convention and shape the future. Founded by luminaries like Albert Einstein, who entrusted his intellectual legacy to the university, it is dedicated to advancing knowledge, cultivating leadership, and promoting diversity. Home to over 23,000 students from 90 countries, the Hebrew University drives much of Israel’s civilian scientific research and the commercialization of technologies through Yissum, its tech transfer company. Hebrew University’s groundbreaking contributions have been recognized with major international awards, including ten Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards, and a Fields Medal. Ranked 88th globally by the Shanghai Ranking (2025), Hebrew University marks a century of excellence in research, education, and innovation. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en.