ROME — Israeli and Palestinian mothers from the peace movement Women Wage Peace and allied groups will lead a barefoot march through Rome on March 24, 2026, in a symbolic demonstration of unity and shared grief for lives lost in decades of violence. The event—called the “Mothers’ Call”—is a call for compassion, justice, and committed political action toward a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Women Wage Peace and the Mothers’ Call Movement
The Women Wage Peace movement emerged in 2014 following the Gaza War, growing into Israel’s largest grassroots peace movement with tens of thousands of members advocating for diplomatic solutions and inclusion of women at every level of conflict resolution.
In collaboration with Palestinian peace organization Women of the Sun—founded in 2021 and working to empower Palestinian women politically and socially—Women Wage Peace has built sustained cooperation centered on joint peace goals. Their shared declaration, the Mothers’ Call, urges leaders on both sides of the conflict to prioritize negotiations and peace with women’s active participation.
According to the campaign’s official description, hundreds of Israeli, Palestinian, and international allies will walk barefoot through the streets of Rome as a demonstration of vulnerability, resilience and their shared demand that women and mothers be central to any pathway to peace.
Why Rome? A Global Beacon for Peace
The founders of the Mothers’ Call note that Rome’s historic role as a crossroads of cultures and faiths makes it a symbolic start point for their march toward global awareness and solidarity. The barefoot walk is designed to honor children lost to violence, while spotlighting the urgent need for diplomatic engagement and empathy across borders.
Organizers emphasize that the Rome march is just the beginning, with plans for follow-on barefoot walks in other cities and continents. All actions aim to build a global movement until mothers’ voices are recognized as essential in shaping lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
Longstanding History of Joint Action
The collaborative efforts between Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun build on earlier peace actions and historic cooperation. In 2023, around 1,500 Israeli and Palestinian women gathered near the Dead Sea in a mass rally for peace, demonstrating that even amid adversity, shared motherhood and the desire to protect future generations can transcend fear and division.
Previous campaigns have included cross-border rallies and demonstrations that brought thousands of women together—such as joint peace marches across Israel and the West Bank—emphasizing non-political unity and shared humanity. These endeavors laid the groundwork for the Mothers’ Call, reinforcing decades of grassroots activism aimed at ending violence.
The Role of Women in Peacebuilding
Peace advocates argue that women’s involvement in negotiation and resolution processes is not only a matter of equity but a key factor in attaining durable peace. Research has shown that movements like Women Wage Peace empower women from diverse backgrounds—religious, ethnic, and political—to build trust, dialogue and demand political action to end protracted conflict.
Co-founders Yael Admi and Reem al-Hajajreh—representatives of Israeli and Palestinian mothers—have repeatedly underscored that their shared grief drives their joint activism. They stress that peace must be grounded in mutual understanding and shared desire for a safer future for their children, rather than victory in conflict.
As march organizers prepare for the Rome barefoot march on March 24, 2026, they continue to extend invitations to women, leaders and allies worldwide who seek to make peace not just a hope, but a decision supported by courageous voices and collective action.
