Douglas Murray and Charlie Kirk Honoured at a Jerusalem Summit

Israel's Government Press Office announced that it would host the International Christian Media Summit 2025 in Jerusalem from 2 to 6 November, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. More than 100 representatives of leading Christian media outlets, opinion leaders, religious figures and heads of organisations from a range of countries were expected to attend.

The conference, the announcement said, aimed to deepen understanding of Israeli society, confront antisemitism on social networks and present Israel as an innovative, diverse and open nation. Tours and discussions were planned in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, along the northern border and in the western Negev, covering Israeli innovation, coexistence, the challenges of public diplomacy in the digital age and the fight against antisemitism.

The Pillars of Jerusalem award

A centrepiece of the programme was the presentation of the “Pillars of Jerusalem” award, given for what the Government Press Office called an exceptional contribution to Israel's public diplomacy. Its name comes from a verse in Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers: “The world stands on three things: on justice, truth, peace.” The ceremony was set for 19:00 on 5 November at the Dan Jerusalem Hotel, in the presence of the city's mayor, Moshe Lion.

Four recipients were named for 2025. Douglas Murray, the British author and journalist, was cited for his work against what the announcement called lies, incitement and disinformation directed at Israel. Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, was recognised for his support for Israel among younger Americans; the award was to be accepted on his behalf by his widow, Erika Kirk. Dr Jurgen Buhler, president of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, was honoured for his work encouraging immigration to Israel and deepening Christian-Jewish ties. Yael Eckstein, president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, was recognised for the Fellowship's humanitarian work with immigrants, Holocaust survivors and Jewish communities worldwide.

Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012; the organisation said in 2025 that it had chapters on more than 2,000 college and high school campuses, and he was shot dead on 10 September 2025 while speaking at a university event in Orem, Utah, and his wife succeeded him as the organisation's chief executive, according to a reference biography.

Why Israel courts Christian media

Nitzan Chen, director of the Government Press Office, said the summit had become “a unique platform for dialogue, introduction, and partnership between the State of Israel and the global Christian community,” allowing journalists, content creators and opinion leaders “to see Israel up close, beyond the stereotypes and headlines they were exposed to during the recent war.”

The summit is not new. The 2025 edition was the seventh, and it drew more than 150 Christian journalists and influencers from over 40 countries, according to China Christian Daily. Ynetnews reported from the event that more than 200 supporters also attended a gala at the Museum of Tolerance, and that the programme included panels on truth against propaganda and on Christian-Jewish partnership alongside the field tours.

Where the delegates were taken

An account of the summit published by Hungarian Conservative in late November 2025 records that participants were taken to sites of the 7 October 2023 attacks, including Kibbutz Nir Oz and the Nova festival massacre site, and describes the gathering as the first of its kind held in Jerusalem in three years.

What the announcement did not say

The Government Press Office did not publish a full list of participating outlets or countries, did not say how the summit was funded or what it cost, and did not explain how recipients of the Pillars of Jerusalem award are selected or by whom. It gave no figure for how many delegates travelled at Israeli expense.