The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) is a unique organisation made up of more than 750 Israeli and Palestinian bereaved families. Since its establishment, the members – all of whom have lost a family member to the conflict – have undertaken a joint effort, during ongoing violence, to transform their incredible loss and pain into a catalyst for reconciliation and peace. They choose to convert anger and revenge, helplessness, and despair, into actions of hope. PCFF is a fully joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation at all levels. With more than 25 years of experience in implementing reconciliation and peace education programs in Israel and the West Bank, the organisation's bereaved members speak publicly at over 300 reconciliation, dialogue and public events each year, and operate educational, public awareness, and advocacy projects that foster humanisation and empathy towards the "other", both Israelis and Palestinians.

Mai Albini Peri (30) lives in Haifa. On 7 October 2023 Mai lost his uncle Danny in the attack on Nir Oz, and his grandfather Haim was kidnapped to Gaza. Haim and his friends from the Kibbutz survived in captivity for four months until they were killed. Following Haim’s death, Mai decided to join the Parents Circle in order to carry on his peace activist grandfather’s legacy and try to bring an end to the circle of violence and death.

Mohammad Awad (32) from Bethlehem is the Director of the Youth Summer Camp Programme and Community Coordinator for members at the Parents Circle. In 2025, during a wave of arrests in Ramallah, Mohammad’s cousin, Amjad, a Jerusalem ID holder who was accustomed to interacting with Israeli soldiers, was walking on the street when he approached a soldier. He was fatally shot and left lying until an ambulance arrived. The tragic loss of his cousin has left a deep wound in Mohammad’s life, yet it has also strengthened his resolve: he continues to pursue peacebuilding and dialogue, believing it is the only way to create a different future.

Mor Ynon is based in Tel Aviv. On October 7, 2023, her parents, Belha and Yaakov, were killed in their home in Moshav Netiv Ha’Asara by Hamas. The pain of losing them was a wake-up call and a reminder to pursue peace with a commitment to equality, justice, and security for everyone. Mor worked in global high-tech for 25 years, developing strategies and performance measures. Today she serves as the Israeli co-Chair of the Parents Circle Board of Directors.

Sima Awad is from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron. She was born in 2005 and is an English student. Sima lost her brother Mahmoud when she was 3 years old. The early 2000s was an unsettled time in the West Bank, with intense clashes and violence. In January 2008, right after Friday prayer, Mahmoud was injured and hospitalized. He later died from his injuries, devastating the family. Eventually they came to the realization that the only way to prevent further pain and the loss of more children is through dialogue and reconciliation.