Abraham Path

06/23/2026

A simple greeting can open a world of connection. This video covers the warm, culturally rich social language used in southeastern Türkiye: how to introduce yourself, exchange pleasantries, and engage respectfully with the communities along the path. Small phrases with a big impact.

06/20/2026

The simplest words often carry the most weight. This video covers the essential building blocks of polite communication in Turkish and Kurmanji Kurdish: yes, no, thank you, you're welcome, and I'm sorry. Short, easy to remember, and endlessly useful, these are the phrases you'll reach for every single day on the Ibrahim Yolu.

06/18/2026

One of the most exciting features of our newly released Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide is a Pronunciation Guide!

By introducing the sounds and rhythms of Turkish and Kurmanji Kurdish, it gives walkers the linguistic tools and confidence to connect genuinely with the communities who steward this landscape. From a simple greeting to navigating a homestay, language opens doors.

The series covers:
-Basics
-Introductions & Social Phrases
-The Homestay
-On the Trail & At the Market
-Emergencies

The full series is on our website and YouTube. We'll be sharing individual videos here over the next few days. Stay tuned!

This work was made possible thanks to the generous support of Crooked Trails.

06/12/2026

Your companion for walking the İbrahim Yolu is here!

The İbrahim Yolu Culture Guide PDF covers everything from hospitality and food to dress, communication, religious sensitivities, and more, so you can connect deeply and travel respectfully.

Download the guide here to access it offline: https://ow.ly/UTOX50ZaGEC

Let's walk!

06/04/2026

We're so excited to announce the İbrahim Yolu Culture Guide: a multimedia resource created for international travelers walking the Ibrahim Yolu (Abraham's Path) in southeastern Turkey!

The guide offers language tools, etiquette tips, and homestay guidance to help both travelers and local communities have truly meaningful experiences along the trail.

Walk deeper. Connect more. Welcome to İbrahim Yolu! Explore the guide here: https://ow.ly/HCL550Z6F3C

This project was made possible through the generous support of Crooked Trails.

Deep gratitude goes to Yasemin Kılıç, Eliş Sarı, Ömer Tanık, and Mehmet Tarık Yıldız for their expertise, collaboration, and commitment to sharing their cultural heritage. We also thank Mohanad Salahat for his stunning filming and photography, and Alice Clough Preato for her post-production contributions that brought the videos to life.

The Abraham Path Initiative envisions a future where trails following the footsteps of the legendary Abraham attract hundreds of thousands of people from all faiths and identities each year.

06/03/2026

Exciting news is coming from the Abraham Path Initiative!

We're preparing to share something meaningful for walkers, cultural explorers, and everyone connected to the İbrahim Yolu. Stay tuned!

05/28/2026

Still sorting out your summer travel? Southeastern Turkey should be on your radar!

Thousands of years of history, breathtaking scenery, and some of the best food you'll ever taste. Start planning today!

05/21/2026

This week, as the world celebrates UNESCO World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, we're proud to highlight "Holding on by a Thread: The Shal of Bakhdeda".

Told across five chapters, the documentary explores Bakhdeda's Syriac Catholic community and the shal, a vibrant hand-embroidered garment. Viewers discover the intricate needlepoint techniques passed down through families, the rich folklore woven into every pattern, and the growing pressure that globalization places on traditions like this one.

The film was produced and edited by Ragheed Al Banna and Baraa Jabbo, under the leadership of Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Anisa Mehdi.

📽️ watch the film here: https://ow.ly/6vw050Z1F11

Made possible with the generous funding of ALIPH Foundation.

05/20/2026

As UNESCO World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development approaches, we're celebrating the rich and resilient communities we've had the privilege of walking alongside on the Abraham Path.

With generous support from ALIPH Foundation, we partnered with local communities in Nineveh Province, Iraq to produce two short documentary films. One of those stories belongs to Fahed Shammo - a first-time filmmaker - and his sister Keji from the Ezidi community in Shingal, Iraq. In their documentary "Sheikh Mand Temple: A New Day Dawns," the siblings return from years of exile after fleeing ISIS's near-genocide of their people in 2014 . Their film is a deeply personal reflection on the shrine their family built and once took shelter in before it was destroyed, on their Ezidi identity rooted in tradition and place, and on the future their ancestors continue to guard, even after unimaginable loss.

Watch the 📽️ here: https://ow.ly/6ELo50X0L8p

05/14/2026

We are thrilled to celebrate Board Member Dr. David Lesch, recently featured in the Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times by Kevin Baxter!

Once a top Dodgers prospect, a career-ending injury set David on an extraordinary new path: earning a PhD from Harvard, authoring 18 books, and advising U.S. presidents as one of the world's foremost Middle East experts. We are so honored to have him with us at the Abraham Path!

Read his story here: https://ow.ly/anQF50YZaQH