Daoud is a native of Bethlehem, Palestine. He is married to Jihan Nassar, and they have three young children in their family. Daoud is a Palestinian Christian, fluent in Arabic, German and English, with a Degree in Biblical Studies from a Bible School in Austria, a BA Degree in Business from Bethlehem University, and a Degree in Tourism Management from Bielefeld University in Germany. He manages the farm known as Daher’s Vineyard located in the West Bank of Palestine and directs the work of the programs and projects known as Tent of Nations.
Annually, nearly 7,000 international tourists visit the Nassar family’s ancestral land – a 100-acre hilltop site situated between Bethlehem and Hebron in the West Bank. The attraction is the Tent of Nations, an open and free enclave that serves as an educational and cultural center for local Palestinians and Israelis, including the international visitors.
The Nassar family land, purchased in 1916 by Daoud Nassar’s grandfather, is surrounded by Jewish settlements on three sides and the Palestinian village of Nahalin on the fourth. The land is cut off from sources of water and electricity, and the family is resisting the loss of their land by going through the courts with proof of ownership and by employing non-violent responses to Israeli laws that limit growth and personal freedom. Activities such as planting olive trees, developing alternative energy sources, and improving ways to collect, store and use water supplies wisely are just some of the ways in which the Nassars fight for human dignity.
Tent of Nations also offers summer camps for Arab youth so that through shared activities they may learn about one another. Women from Nahalin are enrolled throughout the year at the Women’s Education Center in courses such as English, Computer Science, Management, Accounting and Creative Writing. Students at Bethlehem University have the opportunity to perform service projects on the land itself as a part of their degree studies. Through Tent of Nations, Daoud works each day to prepare the people on the land for the day when the walls come down.