A group of 70 signatories, including 25 organisations and 48 individuals committed to safeguarding the heritage of the Holy Land, has endorsed the open letter “Heritage Without Erasure: Restore the Megiddo Church”. The letter, also signed by Pax Christi International, addresses the Museum of the Bible in Washington, calling on it to reflect on how archaeological heritage is acquired and displayed, and on the relationship between the preservation of artefacts and respect for the communities that have safeguarded their memory across generations.

At the heart of the appeal is the Megiddo Church mosaic, an extraordinary testimony to the earliest Christian communities, now displayed at the Museum of the Bible. The letter highlights the history of the site and the need to understand heritage not simply as a collection of objects removed from their context, but as part of a living history that also includes Palestinian Christian communities.

You can read the full letter and join the campaign to defend the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Holy Land by clicking on this link.

The letter will be sent to the Museum of the Bible on 3 October. Read the press release here.

Cover picture via Museum of the Bible