AMMAN | Eighty Jordanian Seeds, Educators, parents, and staff celebrated the holidays together on December 20 in Amman.
Seeds of Peace Middle East Programs Director Omar Tayeh noted that this year, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammed’s birthday coincided, and reflected on Christianity and Islam’s shared values of compassion and peace—values also at the core of Seeds of Peace.
Tayeh also talked about the future of Seeds of Peace programs and the goal of increasing broader community involvement in programming.
Guests were invited to watch a documentary about the Seeds of Peace Camp, as well as short videos about recent Seeds of Peace programs, including GATHER+962. Several parents noted that the documentaries helped them better understand the Seeds of Peace experience and mission.
Two Seeds also spoke about the impact of their Seeds of Peace experiences how they gained more confidence and increased empathy, developed leadership skills, and gained hope and the determination to work for peace.
“I feel the impact of this organization on peoples’ lives, including mine,” said one Seed. “Seeds of Peace inspires us to make change on the ground.”
Another Seed paid tribute to Wil Smith, the Associate Seeds of Peace Camp Director who died in August after a three-year battle with cancer.
Staff awarded “Seed of the Year” to Ruba, recognizing her commitment to community engagement, and the evening concluded with music and dancing to music from DJ Khader.
YEAR-END CELEBRATION PHOTOS