Seeds now in their 20s to reaffirm commitment to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations & dialogue during Gaza withdrawal
NEW YORK | From August 12 to 20, 2005, Seeds of Peace will hold one of the most historic events since its 1993 founding: The Graduate Leadership Summit.
Over 100 Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Jordanian and American Seeds from years 1993-1999, who are now in their early 20s, will reunite at the Seeds of Peace Camp in Otisfield, Maine, to reignite the dialogue efforts begun when they were teenagers, and to create social and professional networks among the group. With this Summit taking place during the scheduled Gaza withdrawal, it will provide a personal and realistic contrast to what will take place on the ground in the Middle East.
The experience of meeting together again—after so many years—in the place they first lived in coexistence with “the other” will be nothing short of extraordinary. These Seeds first experienced Seeds of Peace at age 14 or 15, following the Oslo Accords when the region was in relative peace. In their late teens, as the intifada broke, they were forced into dealing with the realities and responsibilities of life in a more violent conflict region. Since their days at Camp, many Israelis have completed their army service and have continued on to university and are just starting their careers; many Palestinians have completed college and are in graduate school or working in various fields including politics, community building, or media.
The Leadership Summit will provide the much-needed opportunity for the Seeds to reconnect with each other and renew their commitment to promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace as they enter the next stage of their lives. As the Gaza withdrawal sets the stage for new opportunities for all living in the Middle East, these Seeds, who were selected by their governments as their countries’ brightest, will be discussing the past and the future and demonstrating how they can take the lead back home and ultimately impact the conflict itself.
The Summit, which is being developed by graduate Seeds in the Middle East and the US in collaboration with Seeds of Peace, will focus on the four most popular professional fields among Seeds alumni: politics, business, media, and mediation/conflict resolution. The week itself has been developed to reunite the oldest group of Seeds for continued, mature interaction; foster their involvement in the leadership and direction of the Seeds of Peace organization; create and formalize social and professional networks between themselves and Seeds of Peace supporters; and provide substantive training and professional guidance through speakers and workshops. Many of the speakers and workshop leaders throughout the week represent major leaders within these fields and professions.
Since 1993, Seeds of Peace has graduated over 2,500 teenagers from four conflict regions from its internationally recognized leadership program. Through its Camp in Maine, its Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem, international youth conferences, regional workshops, educational opportunities, and adult educator program, Seeds of Peace participants develop empathy, mutual respect, and self-confidence as well as leadership, communication and negotiation skills all critical components necessary for peaceful coexistence. For more information, visit www.seedsofpeace.org.