Dear Friends,
These are fascinating and trying times in the Middle East and South Asia. During these periods of change—and opportunity—the courage of our Seeds and their commitment to promoting relationship building and direct dialogue with the “other side” is incredibly inspiring.
As news broke about Osama Bin Laden’s death, 31 Seeds from Afghanistan, India and Pakistan were concluding a weeklong conference in Mumbai on community outreach and media training. The Voices of the People project included homestays, with Indian Seeds and their families hosting their Afghan and Pakistani peers.
“These kinds of projects are important for us,” says Indian Seed Jehan, “But more importantly it shows people that India, Pakistan and Afghanistan can work well as a team.”
The workshops helped the Seeds develop the writing, photo and video skills to work together to create multimedia exhibitions humanizing issues critical to reconciliation. Their work appears on the Voices of the People website ››
Read some great press coverage of the Voices of the People project ››
In the US, President Bill Clinton recently recognized a project started by Seed Cobi Blumenfeld-Gantz that connects American and Middle Eastern college students. “Dorm Room Diplomacy” creates opportunities for cross-border dialogue via videoconferencing. While appearing with Cobi onstage, Clinton praised Seeds of Peace, calling it “the most astonishing example of this kind of interaction that I have personally witnessed.”
Watch video of Bill Clinton talking about Cobi’s project:
Watch video of Cobi discussing Dorm Room Diplomacy:
To learn more about the expanding impact of our Seeds, please read the latest edition of Seeds in Action ››
Preparation for the 2011 Seeds of Peace Camp in Maine is picking up pace. Over 6,600 Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Jordanian, Pakistani, Indian, Afghan and American students have applied; an exceptional few will be selected as campers.
This summer, Seeds of Peace is launching a sailing program for Middle Eastern and American youth that combines peace-building and conflict resolution with the profound experience of life at sea. Seas of Peace will bring Israeli, Palestinian and American teenagers together on a sailing vessel off the coast of Maine, living aboard a traditional 140-ft. schooner, The Spirit of South Carolina.
It should be an amazing summer!
Leslie Adelson Lewin
Executive Director
PS — We also continue to be inspired by you, our supporters. Nyv (age 12) and his father Ori just spent 18 days in the Himalayas, hiking to the base of Mt. Everest. In doing so, the pair from London raised funds to send a Seed to Camp.
