Seeds of Peace finishes 16th season of Camp
The season included two sessions, each three weeks long. By the end of August, Seeds of Peace had empowered 332 young people to be peacemakers from some of the most troubled areas in the world.
Many of the most difficult moments of Camp program occur in the daily dialogue sessions. Guided by the help of a professional conflict resolution facilitator, Seeds were encouraged to be honest in dialogue sessions and think for themselves, rather than sticking to old arguments that had been handed to them by others. They are also taught the art of listening to those from “the other side” of the conflict.
Leslie Lewin, the Director of the Seeds of Peace Camp, said: “This has been an extraordinary summer. The young people from every delegation—Egyptian, Jordanian, Israeli, Palestinian, American, Pakistani, and Indian—were incredibly inspiring and hard working. They took full advantage of this opportunity and have no doubt they will go on to be our future leaders.”
Now that the Seeds have returned to the Middle East, South Asia, and across the United States, they prepare to do the hard work of leading positive changes to their communities. They join a network of nearly 4,000 young people around the world working in government, medicine, business, nonprofit, media and as community organizers. Seeds of Peace is dedicated to supporting them in their efforts to create a more peaceful future.
SOP launches “I, Changemaker” partnership
During the program, young teens from India and Pakistan collaborated to develop and implement their own social ventures aimed at generating progressive change in their home communities.
The “I, Changemaker” program incorporated a series of seven, ninety minute workshops on topics ranging from how to craft a mission statement to budgeting techniques and marketing strategies. As Seeds of Peace campers, the young “I, Changemaker” participants also engaged in team and trust building exercises on the camp’s high ropes course and daily dialogue sessions where they are able to openly discuss the history of the conflict between India and Pakistan, as well as some of its present day implications.
As program coordinator Ben Losman stated, “When young people unite across international conflicts to solve the same social problem, the implications for peace are tremendous.” Together, these youth created five Social Venture Projects, including a street theater group that seeks to educate slum communities in Pakistan about HIV/AIDS prevention and a group that plans to host low-cost conferences on renewable energy to promote the adoption of solar energy and bio-gas. Equipped with training, detailed Action Plans, and $250 of start-up funding, participants are now well prepared to implement these projects in their home communities and take the first steps down the path to collaborative social change.
Breaking down barriers: activities to support dialogue
This was the Seventh Annual ‘Play for Peace’ basketball clinic. During the event, players worked with campers on basketball fundamentals and teamwork drills that help them understand the value of cooperation, In return, the players got an up-close and personal view of the nature of conflict, challenges to peace in the Middle East, and the possibility for lasting coexistence. The campers were thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to interact and learn from leaders in the world of professional sports.
In addition, Seeds of Peace partnered with the Interfaith Youth Corps this year to build capacity at the staff level to facilitate interfaith dialogue sessions. Drawing from their pre-camp training Seeds of Peace counselors taught this year’s campers how to exhibit respect and tolerance for fellow Seeds from various religious backgrounds while engaged in the interfaith dialogue sessions. Often, the key to successful in these sessions is opting for instructive phrases, such as “in my experience,” as opposed to rigidly declaration “my religion says”.
Also, various religious services were held throughout the camp experience. Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu services were held weekly and were open to all campers. In this way, the campers and Seeds of Peace staff had the opportunity to learn about one another’s religious traditions first hand. A religious dialogue session was held during the second session. The discussion was introduced by a group of counselors, drawn from diverse religious backgrounds, who modeled a respectful discussion in which they talked about the role of prayer in their lives; telling their personal stories. Campers were then divided into small groups that were facilitated by counselors. Guided by open-ended questions such as “how does your family celebrate holidays?” or “how does your religion influence your values?”, campers were given the time and space to ask questions of one another. Given the loose format and the potentially controversial nature of this topic, they responded respectfully and with genuine curiosity. Many asked to continue this conversation past the hour allotted for this dialogue.
Washington, D.C., welcomes South Asian Seeds of Peace
After the end of their camp session in July, the delegation of Indian and Pakistani Seeds traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the issues facing both countries and the possibility of peace. Their trip included a reception at the Department of State where they were welcomed by Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher.
Deputy Secretary Negroponte said: “The young people we celebrate today will bring skills, perspectives, and experiences gained over the past three weeks back to their homes in India and Pakistan—two countries that are important friends and partners of the United States, and two countries we want to see succeed. You are a group of extraordinary young people with the courage and the imagination to look beyond decades of conflict and envision a peaceful, hopeful future.”
Two Seeds also spoke at the event. Maria, a Pakistani, said: “Before coming to camp, I wrote something and I would really like to share it with you all. It goes like, ‘We have one world to live in, one world to share, one world to care for, and our one world is here.’ So Seeds of Peace basically highlights all of that. It brings us together to work for a better, peaceful tomorrow.”
Parikshit, an Indian Seed, said: “Before coming to camp, I had a different mindset about the conflict between India and Pakistan. I had read stories and books, I had heard from the media, from my parents and relatives their versions of the conflict, whose fault it is, who is right and who is wrong. Well, I can say that after spending three weeks with so many people, so many friends over there, the one thing I’ve learned is that what I think is not true, not necessarily true. You know, I must always broaden my mind, accept what the others are saying, though I may not like it.”
2008 Campers reunite in Middle East
Recently, more than 140 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds from the 2008 camp experience met for a day of follow up programs at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, a community of Jewish and Arab Israelis. It was their first reunion since leaving camp in Maine. They shared their experiences upon returning home and planned, along with the regional Seeds of Peace staff, how to move ahead as peacemakers.
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