JERUSALEM | Seeds of Peace has relaunched a popular program for parents of Seeds, allowing dozens of Israeli and Palestinian parents to take part in facilitated dialogue similar to what their children experience at Camp.
The program builds much-needed support for Seeds activities, while engaging a new set of Israeli and Palestinian adults in peacebuilding.
Following a winter 2012 pilot program, Seeds of Peace began facilitating three meetings a month: one for Israeli and Palestinian parents in Jerusalem, another for Arab and Jewish parents in Beit Berl in Israel, and a third for Palestinian parents in Ramallah.
Between 10 and 20 parents are currently attending each meeting.
Seeds of Peace Co-Director of Facilitation Farhat Agbaria is directing the parents’ program and co-facilitating the binational meetings with Dor, a 2009 Israeli Seed.
“For most of the Israelis, it was their first time meeting a Palestinian,” Dor says. “For the Palestinians, it was their first time meeting parents of their kids’ closest friends from the other side.”
“Many of them found themselves sharing the same stories and memories their kids had brought home with them from Camp.”
“Parents also voiced their desire to better understand what their place is in the Seeds of Peace community, and how they can be of help in supporting their children and the program,” says Dor.