It was just a few short months ago that our umbrella organization, Islands of Peace Inc, received its not-for-profit status. Since then, we’ve been hard at work doing what we do best: building bridges.

Collaboration and connection are at the very core of the Menorah Islands Project. Every inch of our artificial island complex is built with a vision in mind. This vision is developed in many fronts and on many layers, from economic cooperation through new ventures and employment, to education and research facilities for people of all faiths and backgrounds, to an infrastructure designed to heal the Earth instead of harm it.

To that end, we know that our vision is the product of — and a reason for — collaborating and connecting with like-minded individuals. By building bridges and working together on a united front, we can be stronger than the extremism and pessimism whose voices are often loudest.

And build bridges we have!

Our message continues to be shared online through social media throughout the world. We recently celebrated the incredible milestone of reaching 7 million people and attracting more than 200,000 supporters. We regularly pique the interest of news websites and Facebook visitors who want to learn more about our vision for peace in the Middle East.

Much of that new growth has been driven by new initiatives to reach game-changers and change-makers throughout the world. Island of Peace’s president, Joseph Aoun, recently launched a LinkedIn profile to connect with these innovators. There, Joseph shares his thoughts on the latest developments on economics, tourism, the environment and how they all contribute to his vision for the Menorah Islands and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We encourage our followers to add Joseph to their network.

Perhaps the most important bridge we’ve built of late was with A New Model. This Baltimore-based organization developed a framework for peace in the Middle East based on economics and job growth. We were so encouraged and inspired by A New Model’s framework that we brought them on as a formal partner last month.

The Menorah Islands and A New Model are a natural fit for one another, as the two organizations have complementary approaches to improving the conflict-plagued Middle East. Both of us aim to provide space for Israelis and Arabs to build job-creating businesses and problem-solving innovations. Together, we support a strong future within which Jews, Christians and Muslims can view the region through a lens of hope and productivity, loosening the hold of extremism in the process.

By combining forces, we’re also able to address the environment, a pressing global issue and one of particular sensitivity in the Middle East. Through the Menorah Islands’ plan to incorporate the newest environmentally-friendly technologies and A New Model’s plan to build a robust economy by utilizing Green Industrial Zones, major issues such as water, air quality and recycling can be tackled from a similar approach.

Our continued efforts to build bridges — between Israelis and Palestinians, between people of all faiths, and between like-minded innovators — continue to fuel the Menorah Islands Project’s progress and our hopes for a secure and productive future. Please follow us on Facebook to receive new updates!