Meet the Founder
ThePilgrimPrj was founded (25.05.2025) by Talissa Makdessi, a photographer, filmmaker, and researcher with over a decade of experience in the arts and charity sectors. With academic roots in Art History, Theatre, Law, and Culture & Creative Industries, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Global Political Economics and preparing for doctoral research on the patronage of pilgrimage.
Of Swedish and Lebanese heritage and currently based in London, Talissa brings a global perspective and a personal connection to pilgrimage. After walking the Camino Francés (2024), she is walking the Via Francigena (2025) and plans to continue along other historic routes—including the Camino Portugués, Camino del Norte, St. Olav’s Way, and Japan’s 88 Temple pilgrimage (2026).
Through ThePilgrimPrj, she aims to unite academia, art, and fieldwork to preserve sacred paths.
