Within Your Gates
The Forum for the Universal Vocation of Jerusalem
A forum for applied interdisciplinary research and outreach — rooted in the realities of Jerusalem — convening scholars, faith and civic leaders across traditions to serve the common good of the Holy City.
Mission
“The mission of earthly Jerusalem … is to become the image and mirror of the heavenly Jerusalem, a prophecy and promise of that universal reconciliation and peace which God desires for the whole human family.”
H.B. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa
What We Do
Within Your Gates is a forum for applied interdisciplinary research and outreach that serves the universal mission of the Holy City. It is particular in that it is rooted in the realities of Jerusalem, yet universal in nature — both by caring for the common good of all and by inviting people of other faiths to contribute to, share in, and inform its mission.
Within Your Gates advances this vision through applied research, encounters, and outreach programs. It generates high-level discussions, unique encounters, and valuable content that put the common good of Jerusalem’s citizens at its center. It grants the Church a platform to disseminate its thoughts while directly engaging others who will challenge them, help evolve them, and embed them in real-life projects and processes. To that end, the forum seeks integration across ethnicities, faith traditions, and political opinions, as well as across disciplines such as theology, philosophy, history, and political science, and potentially less-obvious disciplines such as architecture, management, and literature.
The Forum
Within Your Gates was established in 2026 under the auspices of H.B. Cardinal Pizzaballa to develop a new mechanism for the Church to engage with issues related to its mission in the Holy Land, and to broaden its engagement with religious leaders, academics, and civic actors across different communities.
It is sponsored by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, and is spearheaded by Notre Dame’s academic center in Jerusalem.
Research & Publications
Words that Open and Close Hearts
English
Article
Sari Nusseibeh
Conflict and Resolution | Identity | Language | Memory and Narrative
Fall 2026 · Words that Open and Close Hearts