Seeds of Peace
There are currently hundreds of Egyptian, Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian youth engaged in numerous coexistence programs, working together to make peace a reality in their lives and their communities. Outreach programs have impacted tens of thousands of their friends, family, and community members. Despite increasingly difficult conditions, Seeds of Peace has intensified programming in order to offer additional opportunities for Israelis and Palestinians to continue their efforts and sustain hope. It is essential that the peace-building and learning processes begun at the International Camp continue and take root back home, where they can bear fruit.
ONGOING PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Conflict Management and Mediation Training Program:
This program represents the beginnings of an activity that will take the organization into its maturity, making it a recognized source of peace facilitation dialogue training throughout the world. Seeds who have completed both an introductory and advanced coexistence program are eligible to enroll in facilitation training. Through observation, role play, discussion of theory and practice, and supervised hands-on experience, Seeds learn skills needed to facilitate meaningful dialogue. Seeds of Peace has partnered with the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Institute of Jerusalem to develop a standard curriculum based on “Difficult-Conversations,” a negotiation model developed by Harvard University, for the SOP graduate course in Mediation and Conflict Management. Additionally, Seeds of Peace has developed a standardized facilitator-training curriculum that is being used to train facilitators for camp and programs in the Middle East. The new curriculum is an excellent tool that gives all camp employees a set of common concepts that greatly enhances their work as a team and between themselves and the Seeds.
Hebrew and Arabic Language Courses:
Language and cultural training in Hebrew and Arabic was offered to Israeli and Palestinian Seeds in Jerusalem, with the aim of enhancing their ability to communicate with “the other side” in their native languages. In addition to studying each other’s languages, the Seeds met regularly in community centers in Jerusalem to practice their newly acquired language skills and to talk about various aspects of their respective cultures. On the Palestinian side, about 70 Palestinian Seeds were trained in Hebrew. These sessions were held in Ramallah, Jericho, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Hebron and Jenin. On the Israeli side, 30 Seeds were trained in Arabic in sessions held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Advanced Dialogue Groups:
For the past 5 years, over 90 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds have participated in Advanced Dialogue Groups that meet several times each month. Building on the intensive experience of daily dialogue sessions at camp, the groups delve into the hardest issues of the conflict honestly and, at times, painfully. Through some of the hardest times known in this area, the groups continued peeling away layer after layer of the issues between them, exposing and examining them and trying to find ways to move forward.
In 2007, SOP operated three separate dialogue groups out of our offices in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Cairo and Amman. Typically, each group had between 12-16 Seeds graduates with an equal distribution of Arab and Israeli Seeds. The Seeds came together under the guidance of two professional facilitators to discuss current events and the challenges they face as Seeds as they work to overcome their anger, hatred and prejudices.
An additional dialogue program was created by SOP staff in conjunction with the Gilo Institute of Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In the program, 30 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds met with Israeli and Palestinian professors to analyze various aspects of the final resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Their sessions included simulations of various solutions, lively interaction and thoughtful study. The dialogue program was completed in April, with the closing session held at a museum in Jerusalem.
Creating Peaceful Learning Environments in Palestinian Schools: The recently completed two-year pilot Arab Educator’s Program (AEP) carried out with U.S. Department of State/MEPI support for Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian educators introduced Arab educators to new curriculum and teaching strategies related to educating youth to be socially responsible; sensitive to gender equity; able to think critically; respectful of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity; and prepared to participate actively in their communities and greater civil society. By pairing administrators and teachers from the same targeted schools, the program enabled educators to successfully implement what they learned. SOP used a Training-of-Trainers (TOT) approach, through which educators agreed to develop action plans for implementation in their schools, to apply this new curriculum to their students, and to train other educators in the new curriculum. The TOT approach and action plans ensured a rapid multiplier effect, allowing the 60 AEP educators to reach over 2,311 educators and introduce the curriculum to over 20,300 Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian students – all in less than eighteen months. It far surpassed the targets set by SOP under its negotiated monitoring plan with MEPI. The quick success of the model and its 90 to 100% approval rating among the 60 participating educators is a testament to the sustainability of the model and its potential in positively impacting Middle Eastern schools and education systems.
As a continuation of that program in 2007, 30 Palestinian educators participated in a three-day workshop in May entitled "Creating Peaceful Learning Environments." The workshop focused on using interactive games and methodologies to encourage dialogue and critical thinking among Palestinian students. Many of the participating educators were from UNRWA schools with no previous SOP contact. They left with a deepened understanding of our core values, eager to learn more about SOP programs. The workshop was developed and led by three Palestinian educators who participated in the AEP. These newly trained teachers were eager to share their new skills and teaching methodologies with other Palestinian educators.
Community Service Projects:
Through involvement in community work, Seeds contribute to their communities while simultaneously creating a positive feeling about Seeds of Peace, and work inside communities to promote the values of Seeds of Peace. For Example, our Seeds in Ramallah are volunteering on a bi-monthly basis at the Abu Rayyah Center for the Disabled, while Seeds in Gaza have raised money to purchase clothing and other supplies for a local orphanage.
Seeds Café:
Jerusalem and Gaza: Held monthly, the Seeds Café reaches out to a broad cross-section of interested Israeli, Palestinian and international public in or near Jerusalem and Gaza, including those who are not active peace-makers but interested in meeting those from “the other side,” NGO leaders, and educators from both sides. It is one of the few, if not only, events in Jerusalem that allows the two communities to come together for public education and dialogue in a neutral and non-political setting. This is a networking event and an opportunity to showcase and deepen inspiring examples of cross-cultural understanding and cooperation across the lines of conflict. In light of current political situations, it is also significant in that it is the only regularly scheduled outreach event in these cities for a growing Israeli, Palestinian and international public. Large crowds are common, reflecting the large demand among Israelis and Palestinians for a place where both communities can come together on neutral ground.
Seeds of Peace Parent Program:
Not only are Seeds continuing their dialogue at home, but they have persuaded their parents to do the same. Two parent groups, from 14-16 parents in each, now meet regularly in Jerusalem and the Galilee to discuss political and social issues pertinent to their lives. Each group has participated in a “Parent Coexistence Marathon,” allowing them to get to know each other; continue their dialogue with the chance to go deeper and with more intensity; receive additional input by an outside lecturer on the importance and difficulties of negotiation, strengthen the interpersonal relationships inside each group; summarize the activity of each group and to think about ways the group should continue, and build a cooperative forum of parents who are active in SOP.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame Workshop and Seeds of Peace teamed up to form a project entitled “Sesame Seeds” that recently trained 20 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds—two groups, from Tel Aviv and Haifa, of 10 Seeds each—to work as informal educators in kindergartens in their communities. Seeds are using the popular Sesame Stories series and educational materials developed by Sesame Workshop to educate children about tolerance and coexistence. One kindergartener from a Palestinian refugee camp recently told an Arab-Israeli Seed that the day Sesame Seeds came to his school was the happiest day he has had in two years.
In December, 46 Seeds attended the Sesame Presentations Seminar in Jaffa. This seminar was designed to give Seeds the tools for running school presentations and activities in kindergarten classrooms. During the seminar, Seeds heard lectures, planned events and had a night tour of Jaffa, during which they heard about the complex history of Jews and Arabs living side by side in the city.
SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
Seeds gather together regionally and internationally for intense discussion and exloration of topics relevant to them as future leaders of co-existence, living in regions of conflict. To learn more about our summits and conferences, click here.