‘Abud, also known as “the city of flowers”, is a Palestinian village located 22 km northwest of Ramallah. The town is very proud of its multi-religious population; Muslims and Christians. You can find several churches, monasteries, tombs and mosques in ‘Abud, all of high archaeological interest.

Because of its interesting history and historic center, ‘Abud was selected to be part of the RHC program. After developing the regeneration strategy together with the community, ‘Abud was chosen as a “Quick Fruit Project”; to be a project with a big impact for its rather low or limited efforts and resources needed.    

Yesterday, after 2 months of hard work, the 2 rehabilitation projects in ‘Abud; the main plaza and the path to the Barbara historic site, were officially inaugurated. After clipping the ribbon, speeches were given, a dabke dance was performed and a poem about ‘Abud was recited. General Director MDLF, Dr. Tawfiq Budeiri: “The importance is not the project itself, but the program. The RHC program has changed the idea of preservation, rehabilitation and regeneration in Palestine. […] Another important aspect of this program is that the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, MDLF, BTC and the local village council are jointly working together. […] All partners put a lot of efforts in this project and that’s not just because it’s our job, but also out of love for the history and heritage of Palestine.”

The main plaza; Samra Square (560 m²), located in front of the mosque, was historically used by both Muslims and Christians for their religious and familial celebrations. Unfortunately the plaza and its adjacent buildings decayed, leaving the place a desolate impression. Now, after the rehabilitation, the plaza is back to being bright and shiny, welcoming, and safe. From now on the plaza can again fulfill its role as a stage for social encounter, gatherings and festivities.

On the hill opposite of ‘Abud village, only 1 km from the main plaza, one can find the remnants of an ancient monastery named after Saint Barbara (Borbara). From the site you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view towards the historic town of ‘Abud and its surrounding greenery. The RHC program rehabilitated the road (600m), connecting the archaeological site with the city center, to make the site more and easier accessible and provided the benches. From now on, the historic site can fully serve as a tourist attraction and picnic area.  

In a second step, promotional material and awareness campaign will be developed side by side with the Village Council. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) is developing hiking trails, one of which will also pass by ‘Abud, in order for tourists to discover the beautiful scenery and landscapes of Palestine.