OTISFIELD, MAINE | Armed with hammers, rakes and paint brushes, dozens of volunteers from the New England Division of Toll Brothers Inc. will descend June 2 on Seeds of Peace’s International Camp to prepare the facility for its 20th summer of work with young leaders from global conflict regions. “In one day, over 100 people affiliated with Toll Brothers work diligently to spruce up Camp,” said Executive Chairman Bob Toll. “They’ll prepare the property for the onslaught of campers who … FULL STORY

MUMBAI | On May 11, nine Indian Seeds along with four adults participated in Habitat for Humanity’s day-long Asian Youth Build held in Karjat, a city just outside of Mumbai. The Seeds joined nearly 5,000 young volunteers from across India, China, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand in laying bricks, mixing cement and wielding hammers as part of an effort to provide shelter for over 500 families. In India, over 500 youth volunteers came together to repair 45 homes across four states. … FULL STORY

NEW YORK | Seeds of Peace has launched a custom-designed online community exclusively for graduates of its program (Seeds). The Private SEEDS Network aims to keep Seeds connected after their first experience at the Seeds of Peace International Camp by allowing them to continue the important conversations they began in dialogue sessions, stay up to date with news from Seeds of Peace, network professionally, find support, and work together to create change within and between their communities. Designed by MADEO, … FULL STORY

NEW YORK | Seeds of Peace Executive Director Leslie Lewin joins US diplomats Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice and Susan Rice and 17 other leaders profiled in “How Great Women Lead,” a new book by Olympic medalist and Rhodes Scholar Bonnie St. John and her daughter, Darcy Deane. Published this month by Center Street, the book examines the qualities that motivate these women. Leslie is one of the youngest leaders profiled in the book, which features women from various professional backgrounds, … FULL STORY

60 youth leaders from the Middle East, South Asia, and US to meet in Dublin; Sen. George Mitchell to serve as conference’s honorary chairman NEW YORK | In July 2012, approximately 60 youth leaders from the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States will come together in Ireland to explore the lessons of past peace processes and consider practical steps that could move their communities toward peace. The program represents the first collaboration between the Irish American Peace Foundation and Seeds of … FULL STORY

CHICAGO | Flying in directly from the Middle East, three Seeds recently spent a weekend in Chicago to engage high school and university students in discussion about violence, intervention, and the potential relevance of Seeds of Peace’s model to local neighborhoods. Speaking with over 150 students at the Evanston Township High School and with a diverse audience at The University of Chicago School of Social Administration, Tomer, Leith, and Siwar brought Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab-Israeli perspectives as well as their … FULL STORY

LAHORE | Fifty students and ten educators from the four provincial capitals of Pakistan——Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta——as well as from Islamabad gathered for five days to tackle stereotypes and learn about the similarities and differences between their cultures. The National Integration Camp (NIC), held at the Divisional Public School in Model Town and managed by youth members of Seeds of Peace Pakistan, featured programming designed to maximize interaction between students and teachers from each provincial delegation. Facilitated dialogue sessions focusing upon various … FULL STORY

BY AROOSA SHAUKAT | LAHORE Fifty students and ten teachers from all over Pakistan got together to explore their cultural similarities and differences at the five-day National Integration Camp organised by the Seeds of Peace Pakistan here. “The aim was to teach children to communicate the differences and acknowledge the similarities between people from all the provinces, in order to break the stereo-typing that exists regarding other provinces,” said Seeds of Peace Country Director Sajjad Ahmad at the conclusion of … FULL STORY

When she learnt that her granddaughter was going to visit Lahore, Shershah Chadhar’s face broke into a huge smile, followed by spontaneous tears. “You cannot imagine her facial expressions at that time. She was so emotional and nostalgic because she grew up in Bhati Gate inside Lahore’s Walled City. Her family left Lahore after the Partition,” says Mumbai-based Ira Chadhar Sridhar, a young student of St. Xavier’s College. She visited Lahore for the first time last week as part of … FULL STORY

Seeds of Peace held a seven-day Cross Border Trip which brought six students from Mumbai to Lahore in order to provide the group with a unique first-hand experience about life in Pakistan. The basic objective of the Cross Border Trip was to provide both Indian and Pakistani students a rare opportunity to interact with one another on a human, individual level, by sharing conversations, meals, as well as making each other aware of their respective cultures and countries. The six … FULL STORY