Field Seminar | August 2009
Ninty Palestinian & Israeli Seeds participated in a field seminar as a part of the Language Enrichment Program funded by a Safra Foundation grant. Seeds of Peace-trained facilitators worked with counterparts from the Givat Haviva organization to lead the group in dialogue sessions during the first three days. When the Seeds were not in dialogue, they were coached by eight older Seeds in a two-day Color Games competition.
The Field Seminar moved to the Jordan River Park for the final days of the event. On the first day, Seeds worked in four teams to build usable rafts to sail down the river. On the final day of the Seminar, after spending the evening in tents, the Seeds participated in a large-scale group challenge event, which incorporated high ropes elements and other team-building activities.
During the Seminar, a group of Seeds called Program Leaders was created and recognized. The staff and facilitators worked with the group closely throughout the four days to encourage, empower and train these young leaders. The group had the chance to also plan small follow-up activities that will serve as community outreach as well as continue to expand their leadership skills.
City Tour | Jaffa | May 2009
50 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds from the 2006-2008 Camp years spent the day learning about the history, culture and economy of the city of Jaffa. As part of the Safra-Grant-funded Language Enrichment Program, this was one of five cultural/historical tours scheduled to explore communities in Israel where Jews and Arabs live in close proximity.
Spring Seminar | April 2009
For the first time since the war in Gaza, Israeli and Palestinian Seeds gathered for dialogue and team building challenges. After extensive preparation and several uni-national meetings, 43 Palestinian Seeds and 62 Jewish and Arab Israeli Seeds from the 2006-2008 Camp years met at a school on the Mediterranean for 36 hours of intense interaction. The Spring Seminar provided Seeds with a unique opportunity to exchange their experiences of the War, work through some of their anger and disappointment arising from the conflict, and ultimately renew their connections with each other and their commitment to a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Fourteen Israeli and Palestinian facilitators led the dialogue sessions, which Seeds of Peace veterans described as among the most profound and constructive in memory. In an inspirational talk, Advisor and Director of Alumni Relations Tim Wilson reminded the Seeds of Camp’s transformational effect, and encouraged Seeds, staff and volunteers to make the most of the opportunity provided by the seminar. Between dialogue sessions, staff, volunteers, and former delegation leaders led team-building exercises, field sports like “Steal the Bacon,” and a lively talent show of Seed-produced skits and music.
Women’s Leadership Workshop | Amman, Jordan | April 2009
Fifteen older Seeds from Egypt, Israel, Jordan & Palestine participated in the week-long Women's Leadership Workshop in Jordan. Participants debated the merits of individual theories of women’s empowerment and heard from Hala Lattouf, Jordan’s Minister of Social Development, about women’s issues in Jordan. Seeds engaged in a variety of exercises, and discussed achievements and setbacks in the empowerment of Palestinian, Israeli, Egyptian, and Jordanian women. The program was organized and led by the Center for Development and Population Activities, a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of women and girls in developing nations, and funded by ExxonMobil.
Political Cartoonist | Jerusalem | February 2008
Twenty-five Israeli and Palestinian Seeds attended an event at the Notre Dame Institute in Jerusalem featuring Palestinian political cartoonist Khalil Abu Arafeh, whose daily drawings in Jerusalem’s Al-Quds newspaper capture the tragedies and lighter moment of life in the region. Arafeh discussed the power of political cartooning and described the genius of this medium, which can crystallize a situation in so concise and memorable a fashion that resonates powerfully among readers.