International Youth Conference "Middle East Youth Summit"

May, 1998 Villars, Switzerland

Supported by a grant from Novartis International AG, Seeds of Peace organized the First Middle East Youth Summit in Villars, Switzerland in May, 1998. The Summit brought together Seeds of Peace graduates from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian National Authority and the United States to explore new ways to end the stalemated Middle East peace process. In small committees, the young leaders were presented with the final status negotiation issues of Jerusalem, Land, Refugees, Sovereignty and Security. A Declaration of Principles was also drafted. The delegates met daily to debate their positions and to seek out new compromises together. Leaders of the region, including Her Majesty Queen Noor al-Hussein of Jordan, President Flavio Cotti of Switzerland, former Prime Minister of Israel Shimon Peres, Chief Negotiator of the Palestinian National Authority H.E. Saeb Erekat, honored the efforts of the young negotiators by addressing them in daily plenary sessions. On the last day of Summit, a special address and question and answer period were delivered by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton via satellite from the White House. The outcome of the Youth Summit, "The Charter of Villars" is posted on this website. It can be seen as a starting point for future negotiation towards a lasting and genuine peace. The Charter contains many suggestions for resolving seemingly intransigent positions on both sides. These are meant to guide the leaders in finding new, creative and workable avenues toward compromise. It is the hope and belief of the delegates to the Youth Summit that the official representatives of the Israeli and Palestinian people will be able to use the Charter of Villars as a model for agreement, and as the basis for a possible peace treaty. For further information, please read a letter from Shimon Peres [0], following his visit to the Middle East youth Summit in Villars. To read the The Charter of Villars, please click on the sub-sections below: Introductory Letter [0] Declaration of Principles [0] Values of Sovereignty [0] Jerusalem Committee [0] Security Committee [0] Land Committee [0] Economic Committee [0] Refugee Committee [0]