BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS  

“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS…”

When humanity, sharing, and tolerance become the ferment of a “bread of peace”. 

Jean-Paul Veziano is a master craftsman and a baker based in the south of France. A legacy inherited from his father and his grandfather. For many years, he had nurtured a dream… that of bringing together baking artisans of the three monotheistic religions to knead dough together, from a little flour and water, and to shape “the bread of peace”.
A dream that eventually materialized with three fellow bakers: Ibrahim Abuhani of Rabat, a Muslim; Dany Avichail of Jerusalem a Jew, and himself Jean-Paul Veziano of Antibes, a Catholic.

February 2019: Israel was chosen as the land of link. For symbolism above all and history too: «Bread, water and salt are simple elements of universal food». That morning there was no mention of religion. These three men of different ages, but with identical hands crossed their eyes in respect of the work accomplished. Together, these artisans, in gestures handed down from the depths of the ages, each in their own culture, had the same sensations, the same satisfactions, the same pains, and above all the same passion for their craft… From this dough kneaded with three brotherly hands, they choose to shape a khamsa, a hand symbol of protection both Jewish and Arab, the hand of man, of the craftsman, stretched to the other. To “do good”. He extracts a pâton that, like a leaven of peace, will make emulators to swarm… 

Indeed, the story does not end there… Back in France, Jean-Paul Veziano reshapes a dough in which it incorporates a piece of this dough kneaded together. Its purpose: to spread this love and passion throughout the world, to transmit know-how that like the good bread, connects all the humanity. The dough spread on the marble, he cuts with a cookie cutter, 8 grams pellets each, which he proposes to the craftsmen bakers and confectioners who so wish, to incorporate in their culinary creations to spread the peace across.
Today, 70 bakers across France and around the world have received, at their request, this little pastille by mail. You can also be part of this human chain by asking for the dough pellet, for your turn to slip it into a homemade bread or cake and follow the adventure on Instagram account @jeanpaulveziano.

A human history, very simple, that connects us, that is transmitted and shared, a fraternal history that we find in a bread, symbol of humanity, regardless of our cultures!

Marie Grippaudo