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London teen summits Mt. Kilimanjaro to support Seeds of Peace programs

Sep 30, 2009 / No Comments

Jon Preddy at the SummitLONDON | Jon Preddy, a remarkable young teenager from London, decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro—the highest mountain in Africa—as a way to raise awareness and funds for Seeds of Peace.

“When I told my peers that I was thinking about hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro for Seeds of Peace, they were very excited and amazed,” Jon said. “I just thought it would be good if I could help support one kid from a conflict area to go to Camp. My goal was to raise at least one dollar per meter to the summit.”

With the support of his friends and family, the 15-year-old from London surmounted even his own lofty goals: he not only reached the 5,890-meter summit (19,324 feet), but also raised over $10,000 for Seeds of Peace.

The majority of his support came online via a personalized fundraising page he created on FirstGiving.com. On the site, supporters sent him messages that, according to Jon, kept him “motivated all the way.”

Looking back, Jon says, “Not only do fundraisers help support the charity and the Camp, but they also help spread knowledge about Seeds of Peace. In some ways, I think this was more important than the actual amount raised in my fundraiser.”

In the past, others have raised money for Seeds of Peace via marathons, bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, and other events, but Jon is the first to climb a mountain for peace.

Jon first got involved through the Seeds of Peace Club at the American School of London. After just a few meetings, Seeds’ vision made an indelible impact on him.

“ ‘Treaties are negotiated by governments; Peace is made by people.’ That quote says it all for me, because it is so true. It’s important for young people to get involved in peacemaking, because we will be the next generation that will take on the world’s conflicts. If there are more people that have been touched by the spirit and message of Seeds of Peace then conflicts will be easier to overcome.”

While preparing to climb the tallest mountain in Africa, Jon drew inspiration from an unexpected source.

“While I was there, I learned that the country that Mt. Kilimanjaro resides in, Tanzania, consists of over 120 tribes, who co-exist peacefully. I just thought it was a great example of the possibility of peace.”

Toll Brothers volunteers ready Maine’s Seeds of Peace Camp for its 20th season

Jun 2, 2012 / 1 Comment

OTISFIELD, MAINE | Armed with hammers, rakes and paint brushes, dozens of volunteers from the New England Division of Toll Brothers Inc. descended June 2 on Seeds of Peace’s International Camp to prepare the facility for its 20th summer of work with young leaders from global conflict regions.

“In one day, over 100 people affiliated with Toll Brothers work diligently to spruce up Camp,” said Executive Chairman Bob Toll. “They’ll prepare the property for the onslaught of campers who will create memories and forge lifelong friendships with previously perceived enemies.”

Toll Brothers Inc. is one of America’s leading luxury home builders and Toll is a member of the Board of Directors of Seeds of Peace.

This is the 14th consecutive summer that Toll Brothers employees, friends and family from all over the Northeast have headed to Otisfield in anticipation of the arrival of over 250 campers from the Middle East, South Asia and the United States.

“Those that come out on this one day tackle plumbing, electrical, carpentry and painting, along with many other special projects,” said Toll. “The critical mission of Camp is understood and all are proud to do their part. At the end of the day there is a huge cookout and we relish the accomplishments.”

“I am so grateful for the continued dedication of Toll Brothers and their amazing volunteers and sub-contractors,” said Seeds of Peace Executive Director Leslie Lewin.

“Each year they share their talents with us, strengthen our facility and in turn strengthen the impact of our Camp program—and we have a good time doing it! On behalf of the hundreds of people who will benefit this summer from their hard work, I extend our sincerest thanks.”

Seeds of Peace inspires and equips new generations of leaders from regions of conflict with the relationships, understanding, and skills needed to advance lasting peace. Toll Brothers is the nation’s premier builder of luxury homes. Toll Brothers, Inc., is the successor to three generations of home builders and is a publicly owned company whose stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TOL, www.tollbrothers.com).
 
EVENT PHOTOS

18 Israeli, Palestinian and American teens to sail tall ship into New York Harbor

Jul 1, 2012 / 2 Comments

Seas of Peace is bringing together Middle Eastern and American youth for a summer of sailing and conflict resolution training. As they sail nearly 1,000 miles, these young people must work together across the borders of war to arrive safely in the next port.

NEW YORK | Eighteen young Israeli, Palestinian and American youth leaders from Seeds of Peace will sail a 125-foot tall ship into New York Harbor on July 9 as part of the ground-breaking Seas of Peace sailing and conflict resolution program.

Started in 2011, Seas of Peace uses sail training and the secluded nature of life at sea to foster empathy, teamwork, cultural awareness, and intellectual curiosity among youth from Israel, Palestine and the United States.

“Seeing the program become a reality has been incredibly rewarding,” says Seas of Peace Co-Founder Monica Balanoff, age 24. “More importantly, those who participated in Seas of Peace have described the program as the experience of a lifetime that has the power to change the lives and minds of many.”

During their time at Seas of Peace, the students discuss who they are, where they come from, and how conflict has affected their lives.

“In choosing an environment as isolated as a sailing ship,” says Co-Founder David Nutt, age 25, “the program challenges the students to truly engage with one another, offering them no choice with whom they interact. These interactions are essential to understanding and feeling understood.”

This summer, the teens will crew Ocean Classroom Foundation’s Spirit of Massachusetts from Portland, Maine, to Newport, Rhode Island, and then to New York City before heading northeast to end in Boston.

“To go a mile in someone else’s shoes teaches empathy,” says Nutt. “Our students sail 1,000 miles together. By the end of the voyage we are family.”

“At the end of my experience at Seas, I remarked to my facilitators that I felt there was an important difference between a completed voyage and a successful one,” said one of last summer’s participants.

“It was the difference between the [ship] carrying 15 kids into Boston, and The Spirit being sailed by 15 Seeds into Boston. And for anyone who has not sailed on a schooner, it is no easy task. It requires unwavering trust in others, the ability to lead when it is required, and the maturity to follow.”

Both Nutt and Balanoff completed circumnavigations in sailboats at early ages. Nutt grew up sailing in his home state of Maine and spent six years circumnavigating with his family during his teenage years. Balanoff began sailing as a teenager. She completed a circumnavigation at age 17 with the high school program Class Afloat.

“Politicians might make treaties, but it is people who make peace,” says Balanoff. “Seas of Peace offers hope and a sense of possibility for a generation that will soon be leading their respective countries.”

For press inquiries, contact Eric Kapenga at eric@seedsofpeace.org.

www.facebook.com/seasofpeace
 
SEAS OF PEACE PHOTOS

Twenty-Six Years of Respect, Trust, and Communication | Tim Wilson @TEDxDirigo

Dec 13, 2019 / 1 Comment

After years of witnessing conflict and bloodshed while reporting on the Middle East, John Wallach decided to actively work to end the violence at a small summer camp in rural Maine. Tim Wilson brought that vision to life as the first Seeds of Peace Camp Director and reflects on over a quarter century of peace building in this talk.

Tim Wilson has more than 50 years of experience in education, public service, and athletic coaching. Currently, Tim serves as Senior Advisor to Seeds of Peace, an organization that he has been with since its founding in 1993, and Director of its Maine Seeds Programs.

Until 2006, he was the Director of both the Seeds of Peace Camp in Maine and the Seeds of Peace Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. Prior to and during the early years of his appointment with Seeds of Peace, Tim served as the Director of Multicultural Programs for Pierce Atwood Consulting in Portland, Maine.

Tim has been appointed by three Maine Governors to posts including Chair of the Maine Human Rights Commission, State Ombudsman, and Associate Commissioner of Programming for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Corrections. He also served as Director of the State Offices of Community Services, Civil Emergency Preparedness, and Energy. He has been the Associate Headmaster at the Hyde School in Bath, Maine, and the Director of Admissions at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Raising money for peace: One ‘Seed’ at a time
The Jewish Voice & Herald

Dec 25, 2009 / No Comments

BY NANCY KIRSCH | Henry Mayer, age 12, is out to change the world, one “Seed” at a time. How? By raising $10,000 to support Seeds of Peace, a New York-based nonprofit that brings teens from warring countries, as well as from the U.S., together at its summer camp in Maine and in year-round programs. “Seeds” are the 15- and 16-year-old teens who participate in the camp and other programs, all designed to change attitudes, teach coexistence and reconciliation, and build bridges to peace.

When they received the Sept. 11, 2010 bar mitzvah date from Temple Beth-El in Providence, Henry’s mother, Layne Mayer, initially felt some discomfort about it. After further reflection, they decided that the date offered a real opportunity and, indeed, an obligation, to make a difference in the world. Doing something about peace for his mitzvah project just seemed to make sense to Henry, given that date. Temple Beth-El, like many synagogues, requires each bar or bat mitzvah student to take on a mitzvah project.

“The way to get peace is through education; by changing attitudes and showing how other people live,” said Henry, when he visited The Voice & Herald’s office recently to talk about his mission.

Henry used the Internet to do his research and when he found Seeds of Peace, he realized it was the mitzvah for him. Its Web site included quotes from Bill and Hillary Clinton and other famous people, said Henry. “I wanted to know my money is going for good … their [Seeds of Peace’s] goals were the same as mine.” He sends out a newsletter about once a month through Constant Contact and encourages donations at www.firstgiving.com.

Henry, who has raised nearly $1,800 since he began fundraising on Sept. 11, 2009, and his mother visited the Seeds of Peace main office in New York City last month. “We were absolutely honored and inspired by Henry’s initiative and his commitment,” said Leslie Lewin, the organization’s executive director, in a phone interview. “He’s smart and personable and motivated. We work with many inspiring young people and he’s at the top of our list.”

Founded in 1993, Seeds of Peace enrolls about 350 teens each summer at its International Camp in Otisfield, Maine. Many older Seeds work as camp counselors or as facilitators in programs run year-round in warring countries; and the organization has other offices in Amman, Cairo, Gaza, Jerusalem, Kabul, Lahore, Mumbai, Ramallah, Tel Aviv and Otisfield, Maine.

At 12, Henry is too young to be a Seed … yet. At the same time he expressed an intense wish to attend the camp, he wondered aloud whether he’d make it through the “huge and rigorous application.”

The reaction from Seeds of Peace’s Lewin should reassure Henry. “We’d be lucky to have him as a Seed,” she said. “He already exhibits so much of what we hope to see our Seeds doing [to] respect and understanding various cultures and [to] making the world a better place.”

With some 4,000 graduate Seeds, the organization has established an alumni organization that engages and connects alumni. Some of the organization’s oldest alumni are moving into careers in government and business, education and medicine, said Lewin. “We’re thrilled to see them doing their work with Seeds of Peace [alumni] and with an outlook influenced by Seeds of Peace,” she said.

Henry set a high goal for himself—to raise $10,000 by his bar mitzvah; he will donate 10 percent of the money he receives in bar mitzvah gifts to Seeds of Peace. In his first public foray into fundraising—at the Nov. 8 health fair at the Jewish Community Center of Rhode Island, he was interviewed by NBC’s WJAR Channel 10. He has plans to fundraise at local stores and is about to launch a letter-writing campaign to foundations and politicians, including President Obama. And, when he’s not writing his Constant Contact newsletter or doing other research, he’s putting together plans to bring a speaker from Seeds of Peace to Providence in March 2010.

“How will you feel if you don’t make your goal of $10,000?”

“I’ll keep trying even after my bar mitzvah,” he said. “If I make it [the goal] before, I’ll keep going.”

“It’s sort of new for me to do tzedakah,” said Henry, though his mother isn’t surprised. “He’s insightful and has a good world view,” Layne said. “He was handed this responsibility [of having a bar mitzvah date on such an iconic anniversary] and he rose to it.”

Henry is an all-American boy—he plays sports every afternoon after school, plays board and card games with his family and texts his friends. “I do chores—I bring in the recycling bins and I walk my dog, Teddy … and sometimes I’m just bored.”

He lives in Providence with his mother, his father Kurt, his brother Jackson and his sister Rose. An honors student at Nathanael Greene Middle School, Henry says his favorite subject is social studies, though he thinks historians are biased by showing only one side of the story. Given his desire to raise money for Seeds of Peace, it wasn’t surprising when he said, “I like to see both sides of the story. Knowing and telling both sides of the story is important.”

75 Toll Bros. volunteers ready Camp for 300 young leaders from conflict regions

Jun 9, 2013 / No Comments

OTISFIELD, MAINE | Dozens of volunteer carpenters, landscapers, painters, plumbers and electricians affiliated with Toll Brothers are spending June 8 preparing the Seeds of Peace International Camp for its 21st summer of work with youth from the Middle East, South Asia and Maine.

“I am very happy with the work we accomplished on the 15th Toll Brothers Seeds of Peace day,” said Shawn Nuckolls, Senior Project Manager at Toll Brothers. “Our annual Camp clean-up day has become a great tradition for Toll Brothers and our subcontractors. We are extremely proud to support the Seeds of Peace mission and we look forward to continuing our support every year.”

Toll Brothers Inc. is one of America’s leading luxury home builders.

Volunteers this year removed debris from across the entire Camp, performed carpentry work in every bunk, and rebuilt many of the steps and railings leading to Camp buildings.

“On behalf of our campers and staff, I would like to convey my deepest thanks to Toll Brothers and their incredible crew of volunteers,” said Seeds of Peace Executive Director Leslie Lewin.

“For 15 years now, we have been honored to host what we call “Toll Brothers Day” here in Otisfield. We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of skilled volunteers who have dedicated their weekend to making our mission possible. We could not run this camp without their help.”

Seeds of Peace inspires and equips new generations of leaders from regions of conflict with the relationships, understanding, and skills needed to advance lasting peace. Toll Brothers is the nation’s premier builder of luxury homes. Toll Brothers, Inc., is the successor to three generations of home builders and is a publicly owned company whose stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TOL, www.tollbrothers.com).
 
TOLL BROS. DAY 2013

June 3, 2002 | Concert for Peace in the Middle East (New York)

Jun 3, 2002 / No Comments

Officials of Israel, Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to mark tenth anniversary of Seeds of Peace.

Special Honoree: Senator George Mitchell

Patrick Stewart to Host Concert for Peace at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall will host the Seeds of Peace 10th Anniversary Concert on Monday, June 3, 2002 at 8pm. Invited guests:

  • HRH Crown Prince Hamzah Hussein of Jordan
  • Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister of Israel
  • Ahmed Maher El Sayed, Foreign Minster of Egypt
  • Special Honoree Senator George Mitchell, negotiator of the Irish Peace Accords and Plan for Peace in the Middle East
  • Dr. Sari Nusseibeh, Palestinian Authority Representative for Jerusalem
  • Mr. Amram Mitzna, Mayor of Haifa

Patrick Stewart will host and Barbara Siman will direct the Broadway concert that will include performances by:

  • Linda Eder, Jekyll and Hyde
  • Michael Feinstein, American Ambassador of Song
  • Constance Green, Metropolitan Opera
  • Judy Kaye, Mamma Mia!
  • Marc Kudisch, Thoroughly Modern Millie
  • Bebe Neuwirth, Chicago
  • Roger Rees, Nicholas Nickleby
  • Daniel Rodriguez, “God Bless America”, NYPD singer
  • Desmond Richardson, Alvin Ailey Dance Company
  • Melody Rubie, Phantom of the Opera
  • Anne Torsiglieri, Marty (new Charles Strouse musical to open in September)
  • Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Jordanian and Indian and Pakistani Performers from Seeds of Peace with a special performance (straight from the US Olympics) by the Pilobolus Dance Company.

Package tickets for the Tenth Anniversary Gala start at $250. Public seating tickets are available between $25-$75. Tickets can be purchased online at www.seedsofpeace.org, through Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800, or at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 W. 57th Street.

Since 1993, Seeds of Peace has graduated more than 2,000 teenagers representing 22 nations from its internationally recognized conflict-resolution program. The Seeds of Peace program brings hundreds of youth identified by their governments as among the best and brightest to live together at three consecutive month-long summer programs. Through the summer-long programs, participants develop empathy, respect, communication/negotiation skills, confidence, and hope – the building blocks for peaceful coexistence.

ADDRESS: Carnegie Hall, 7th Ave, New York, NY
DATE: June 3, 2002
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: New York, NY
CONTACT: Rebecca Hankin | (212) 573-8040 ext. 31.

GATHER+962 Blog

Mar 1, 2015 / No Comments

In February, over 200 changemakers from more than 20 countries around the world met in Jordan to take practical steps towards transforming conflict in and between their communities.

GATHER+962, a Seeds of Peace initiative, marked a new milestone in Seeds of Peace’s journey as a leadership development organization. The three-day convening formally launched a larger Seeds of Peace initiative to help accelerate the efforts of Graduate Seeds and other leaders in their communities.

A New Seeds of Peace Action-oriented Initiative

Mohamed Rahmy, Director of Seeds of Peace Graduate Programs, shares the highlights from GATHER+962:

I’m happy to report back on this first step that is GATHER+962 and share with you some of its highlights, but before I do, if you missed out on GATHER+962 and couldn’t attend it last month, don’t worry: there are many more opportunities yet to come!

Gather 962

Who Came

Participants from more than 20 countries all around the world including Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, the US, the UK, Italy, Yemen, Lebanon, and France attended GATHER+962.

The majority of participants came from the Seeds of Peace community: Seeds, Delegation Leaders, educators, and counselors. However, GATHER+962 was equally inclusive of those new to the organization. We had representations from a wide array of local, regional and international organizations, companies, and foundations including: PITME, Endeavor, CISCO, QuestScope, Ashoka, Energiya Global Capital, FOEME, Think Unlimited, MEET, One Voice, Tsofen, Sadara Ventures, ALLMEP, PresenTense, Rabtt, Social Quotient, and many more.

Gather 962

Themes and Speakers

This year we focused on the roles that business, entrepreneurship, media, technology and gender play in social change. Selection of participants as well as curation of all activities and sessions at GATHER+962 were guided by these professional tracks.

Our plenary Inspire Talks featured:

Ami Dar, founder of Idealist and a pioneer in building a global online community.

Kito De Boer, Head of Mission, Office of the Quartet Representative, who is spearheading the Initiative for the Palestinian Economy.

David Pearl, a much sought-after inspirational speaker, who through his Hero’s Journey talk spoke to the GATHER community about leadership, culture change, and working with uncertainty.

Our dear colleague and Seeds of Peace’s very own Director of South Asia Programs Awista Ayub moderated a phenomenal conversation between the first female Second Deputy Speaker in the Afghan Parliament, Fawzia Koofi, and Parnian Nazary, Advocacy Manager at Women for Afghan Women and 2003 Afghan Seed.

Gather 962 Afghan Discussion

Discussion Series

We curated 15 different Discussion Series over the course of the weekend featuring more than 50 panelists debating a multitude of current topics through the lens of how progress might be advanced in practical ways. Discussion Series were structured as panels but in a more intimate set-up to allow for meaningful conversations, interactions and thoughtful exchanges.

Leading the Discussion Series were Graduate Seeds who sat alongside experts and industry leaders—representing pioneering social change organizations, businesses and VCs in our regions—to share their views, work and expertise, among them:

Sherife AbdelMessih (Egyptian Seed and CEO of Future Energy), Aneeq Cheema (Pakistani Seed and Co-Founder of Rabtt), Alina Shkolnikov (Israeli Seed and Director at PresenTense), Shanoor Seervai (Indian Seed and freelance writer and journalist), Adham Rishmawi (Palestinian Seed and VP Medipharm Co.), Christina Hawatmeh (American Seed and Founder of Protestify).

Gather 962

Entrepreneurial Skill-Building

There were numerous opportunities for participants to develop practical skills as emerging social entrepreneurs. Danny Warshay, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Brown University, led his popular case-study based “Entrepreneurial Process” workshop which guided participants on how to master a deliberate entrepreneurial process, apply entrepreneurial approaches to solving social challenges, develop entrepreneurial confidence and hone down analytical and communication skills.

Tia Johnston Brown of Ashoka led an “Entrepreneurship Boot Camp” where change leaders worked through the unique challenges and opportunities of running a social enterprise and learned how to pitch their projects.

Initiative Pitch

The weekend culminated with an Initiative Pitch, where 20 young professionals presented their ideas to conference attendees and received feedback from esteemed panelists, paving the way for the work that will continue after GATHER+962.

Gather 962

Where do we go from here?

We will continue to build the network and community through in-person follow up events, our online community, a very active Facebook group, and the upcoming Seed Fellowship Program which will debut in London and continue over the course of the year through local programs and targeted leadership development opportunities.

We will be announcing the opening of the Seed Fellowship Program applications in the coming weeks. All are invited to apply whether or not they attended GATHER+962.

Have a look at more photos and highlights from GATHER+962!

Gather 962

VIDEO: Watch the opening of GATHER ››
Read a Christian Science Monitor article about GATHER ››

Seeds of Peace dialogue programs between young Israelis and Palestinians produce clear results

Oct 20, 2008 / No Comments

NEW YORK | The San Francisco Chronicle yesterday published an article about the effectiveness of dialogue programs between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East (“Few Results Seen from Mideast Teen Peace Camps” by Matthew Kalman). Seeds of Peace was featured prominently in this piece as a leader in youth empowerment and conflict resolution.

Because the article was based on an unpublished report by Pal Vision, a research center in Jerusalem, we remain unable to examine the methodology of the report. However, many of this report’s key findings are not consistent with public, independent studies of Seeds of Peace dialogue programs. Again, because the report is not public and remains unpublished, we are unable to determine which groups were evaluated along with Seeds of Peace.

Unfortunately, Seeds of Peace was not given an opportunity to participate in the article or provide information about our internationally-recognized conflict resolution model and follow-up programs in the Middle East. Below, please find a clarification of the incompleteness and inaccuracies found in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Fact vs. Fiction:

FICTION:  “… the programs have failed to produce a single prominent peace activist on either side [Israeli/Palestinian] …”

FACT:  Seeds of Peace has produced leaders, who we call ‘Seeds,’ in all sectors of society, including medicine, business, nonprofit, media and government. Today, there are nearly 4,000 Seeds around the world. There are currently Seeds working on both the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams, clerking at the Israeli Supreme Court, working at prominent Palestinian nongovernmental and political activist organizations, and dozens have returned to Seeds of Peace as professional conflict resolution facilitators. They also hold influential positions in the media and business.

Moreover, our Seeds play important leadership roles as community/grassroots leaders, educators, mentors, friends and family members. Part of our work is to strengthen people-to-people interactions between Israelis and Palestinians so that diplomatic progress can be supported and sustained. Thousands of Seeds make the case for peace and mutual understanding every day in their communities.

The fact is, there are thousands of participants from Seeds of Peace programs making an impact at all levels of society every day.

FICTION: “… Palestinian participants were unrepresentative of a wider society … only 7 percent of participants were refugee camp residents, even though they make up 16 percent of the Palestinian population.”

FACT: This study does not track our Camp program outcomes. Seeds of Peace is committed to balanced representation within all delegations, including the Palestinian delegation. For example, in 2006, 34 percent of Palestinian participants at the Seeds of Peace Camp were from refugee camps (25 out of 74).

Pal Vision Study vs. Independent Studies:

Two highly-respected independent studies evaluate Seeds of Peace programs

The unpublished Pal Vision study reported by the San Francisco Chronicle states that 91 percent of Palestinians are no longer in contact with any Israelis they had met through the program; 93 percent said there was no follow-up to the encounter activity; only 5 percent agreed that the program had helped “promote peace culture and dialogue between participants;” and only 11 percent came away believing that “there is something that unites us with the other party.”

This does not track with outside evaluation of Seeds of Peace programs. An independent study by Social Impact, Inc. in 2005 of Seeds of Peace Camp and follow-up programs gives a much different account of how coexistence programs work, and work well. In this study:

As a result of the Seeds of Peace experience

  • 60% of Seeds felt they have an improved understanding of the other side.
  • 50% gained the ability to “empathize” with the plight of others.
  • 65% have the desire to stay involved with conflict and peace issues.
  • 65% rated the Camp experience as “highly transformative.”
  • 39% continue to use the Seeds of Peace message in their professional work.

Zogby International, a highly reputable independent polling firm, also conducted an evaluation of Seeds of Peace programs in 2004. In this study:

As a result of the Seeds of Peace experience

  • 76% say their view of the “other side” improved during Camp, including 79% of Israelis and 63% of Palestinians
  • 94% of respondents said they forged friendships with campers from other countries
  • There was significant growth in acknowledging the right of the “other side” to a safe and independent state among both Palestinian (up to 62% from 40%) and Israeli (up 79% from 71%) campers

Follow-up Programs in the Middle East

In the Pal Vision study, 93 percent of participants said there were no follow-up activities available for continued interaction with the “other side.” At Seeds of Peace, follow-up activities are available on a daily basis not only to Seeds in the Middle East who have returned from the Camp experience, but also for other members of the community, thereby creating a multiplier effect.

In the Middle East, Seeds of Peace provides a broad menu of following activities through program offices in Amman, Cairo, Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and Ramallah.

Here are a few examples:

Conflict Management & Mediation Training program: Seeds of Peace has trained dozens of professional conflict resolution facilitators.

Online dialogue continues after Camp: Seeds of Peace uses the Internet to overcome the challenges of physical borders and barriers when it comes to dialogue between two sides of a conflict. Hundreds of Seeds participate in a password protected, secure online forum where they are able to openly discuss relevant issues of the day with other participants from Camp.

Hebrew & Arabic Language courses: Enhancing the ability of Seeds to communicate with “the other side,” Seeds of Peace offers language and cultural courses in Hebrew and Arabic.

Graduate Program: Hundreds of Seeds are now leaders in their respective professions. They stay in touch with each other and to the mission of peace through this program, which offers opportunities to develop cross-border economic partnerships and community service projects. In October 2008, these young peacemakers will convene in Rabat, Morocco to discuss how to launch new joint community service initiatives. This is the second meeting of its kind, and future meetings are in the works.

Seeds Café: In partnership with USAID, Seeds of Peace provides one of the only forums in Jerusalem where Israelis and Palestinians come together for public education and dialogue in a non-political setting. These sessions are organized and led by Seeds themselves, often with guest speakers.

For more on these programs, visit the Middle East programs page ».

Seeds asked us to explain the Israeli elections. Here’s how we did it.

Apr 9, 2019 / No Comments

A few months ago, with the shade of bribery accusations looming over his head, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of his coalition decided to hold early elections. Today, citizens of Israel head to the polls to determine the direction of the country.

And yet many here will be watching—even casting their ballots—while ignorant of key issues and the elections process itself. Young people, in particular, are informed either through election panels at school or exposure to candidates and their opinions online. They don’t get to talk about the various agendas with real depth, and they don’t hear the differing points of view that shape Israeli society. Their experience learning about the elections is a far cry from the immersive dialogue of Camp—an absence that Seeds look to us to fill.

As an organization, Seeds of Peace doesn’t advocate for a given political solution or tell others what to believe politically. And in a country as divided as Israel, all politics are deeply personal. So how can we engage our community around this event that matters so much to them?

Our solution was the Israeli Elections Seminar, which brought 60 Seeds between ages 16-18 together for an immersive two-day experience in late March that simulated the campaign process. As participants began to arrive, 20 older Seeds who volunteered to run the seminar randomly divided them into different groups representing political parties. They had no idea of the structure of the seminar beforehand; seeing their faces twist into shock as they read the parties assigned on their name tags was thrilling.

The participants had to study their party’s agenda, run a campaign based on the ones happening in real life, react to news and press releases, and create propaganda. They also had to appoint chairs and speakers for their groups, share their own press releases, hold press conferences, and represent their parties in a big debate event.

When we talked about economics, the groups had to respond with appropriate partisan responses. When we spoke about human rights, governance, minorities, religion, democracy—they had to know the subject, understand their role, and represent their side’s view.

To simulate the role social media plays in shaping elections, we published over 300 fake news alerts in a WhatsApp group that the parties had to respond to. The extent that these set our political narratives took them by surprise, and I hope this takeaway informs their conversations, both online and off. I don’t think many Seeds had ever thought about the speed and intensity of the reality our politicians live with before.

One such moment was when the WhatsApp group sent out a fake alert of a national security incident during breakfast. The “prime minister” and four other coalition members had to excuse themselves from the meal, just as they would have to if they were at an event in real life, to deal with the incident we created. They had to convene, like the Cabinet would, and publish their decisions.

One Seed told me that she came to the seminar with a definite political opinion about the party she supported, only to realize that she actually supported another party after learning the different platforms. I hope that others also left with a better understanding of their own beliefs, either by finding common ground on issues with a party they wouldn’t expect, or by the opposite.

Something else I hope they took from the seminar is the need to go beyond headlines and truly experience points of view different from your own. After spending two days representing the Likud, for example, a Seed told me, “I never supported this political party before, and the experience definitely helped me to understand views that I never thought about previously.”

Bashar Iraqi, our Palestinian Program Director, was instrumental in providing a Palestinian point of view. He spoke about the influence the election may have over Palestinians across the region. Other speakers included a Knesset member, a former high-ranking diplomat, and a feminist activist.

It was a busy weekend, and a powerful one. The participants learned about the different parties in the Israeli political system; they learned how to critique, explore and choose their personal views; they learned how to represent something that they don’t necessarily support, and how to understand where your opposite is coming from.

We like to say that treaties are made by governments, but peace is made by people. Understanding a range of viewpoints, whatever that may be, is so crucial. As Israeli citizens cast their ballots today, I hope this is a lesson we all take to heart.