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Musical Arab-Jewish youth seek the key to coexistence
Christian Science Monitor

May 22, 2013 / No Comments

A Yale University alumnus and veteran of the school’s famed a capella groups has brought his talents to Jerusalem, where he launched an Arab-Jewish youth chorus.

JERUSALEM | The Harlem Shake craze has hit Jerusalem and the Arab and Jewish teens in Micah Hendler’s Jerusalem Youth Chorus want to make their own video. It’s not Mr. Hendler’s preferred music, but the students’ exuberance leaves him little choice.

“All right, if we’re going to make this video we’re going to have to get moving,” he says.

There are plenty of expats living in Jerusalem but Hendler is the only one who started an Arab-Jewish youth chorus five months after graduating college.

Hendler is a former counselor at the Seeds of Peace coexistence camp in Maine, proud alumnus of two a capella groups at Yale – the Duke’s Men and Whiffenpoofs – and a firm believer in the power of music to create communities and empower youth.

Supported by grants from Yale and the Jerusalem Foundation, Hendler moved to Jerusalem after graduating in 2012 to put his ideas into practice – he wrote his senior thesis on the successes and failures of other music-for-peace programs in Israel.

He selected 14 Arab and 14 Jewish students from 80 applicants; together they performed to a packed house at the Jerusalem YMCA Christmas concert two months after their first practice.

He’s trying to avoid two pitfalls of other programs he studied: enabling students to remain negative toward the group as a whole, even as they make friends with representatives of “the other,” or focusing so much on broad dialogue that the students don’t form any close friendships.

Hendler’s three-hour weekly practice includes time for bonding – the Harlem Shake video was preceded by collective giggles – and a 45-minute dialogue run by trained facilitators. The dialogue is strategically placed in the middle of the rehearsal so students don’t come late and miss it, as they did in other programs he studied.

Rudinah, an Arab girl from East Jerusalem, says she didn’t know there would be a dialogue portion before she joined the chorus, but that it’s one of her favorite parts. “The Jewish people here are so cool and friendly,” she says.

Likewise Shifa Woodbridge, a Jew who had never met an Arab before joining the chorus, is equally exuberant.

“It’s my favorite part,” she exclaimed when asked about the dialogue. “I love talking about it. It’s not weird,” she says.

Hendler recognizes that some doubt whether programs like his can make a difference or are simply invigorating those already in support of peace, but points to the first free time the students were given at their second rehearsal when Arabs and Jews spontaneously mingled without prompting as evidence that the program is useful.

“People were hanging out across every possible line, of their own free will. There aren’t that many places in the city, or country, or world really where that happens.”

Read Chelsea B. Sheasley’s article at The Christian Science Monitor ››

Remarks of Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to Seeds of Peace

Aug 14, 2001 / No Comments

Thank you very much, John. It was wonderful to be serenaded by these great kids. I want you all to know that you sound an awful lot better than I did when I sang in Asia last month …

Welcome The Department of State. I want to congratulate all 160 campers—Palestinians, Jordanians, Israelis, Israeli Arabs, Egyptians, Tunisians, Qataris, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Macedonians, Kosovars, and Yugoslavians. And my thanks also to the other VIPs here—the assembled Ambassadors, colleagues, friends of Seeds of Peace, Bobbie, Tim and Lindsay.

What is happening now in the Middle East makes what you are doing all the more important. Since its inception, you and your predecessors in Seeds have helped us understand that peace is possible. If only we can end the violence. If only we can break down the barriers of hatred and distrust.

In your anthem you just sand: “We stand hand-in-hand as we watch the bricks fall. We’ve learned from the past and fear not what’s ahead.”

That’s very good. I like that. And I commend you for your courage and for daring to believe that, no matter how bad at times things can get, a bright future still is possible.

The horrors of this past week only serve to remind us why peace is so urgent. Your lives and the lives of your generation are far too precious to be wasted on perpetuating hate and endless conflict.

Seeds of Peace not only inspires hope—Seeds of Peace creates hope. You are among the best and brightest of your generation. You have dedicated yourselves to work for peace. To speak for peace even when the voices of hate and violence and vengeance shout all around you.

Your experiences in Seeds give real content to what peace between peoples can really mean in practice. Seeds has equipped you with the skills and tools to listen not preach, to teach not lecture. Most important of all, it has shown you how to share what you have felt and learned with others.

Looking at all of you, it is easier for me and others of my generation to envision a Cyprus, a Middle East, and a Balkans free of conflict. To envision that a web of personal and economic ties will one day replace mistrust and misunderstanding. To envision a time where friendships such as those you have made as Seeds are the norm and not the exception. Where young people of different ethnic backgrounds can grow up to be good neighbors.

Like each of you, Asel Asleh was a Seeds of Peace. He lost his life last October, but he remains an enduring symbol of Hope. He embodied the Seeds’ ideals of promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence. Asel was a sensitive, caring, articulate young leader fighting the legacy of hatred to build a brighter future for Arabs and Israelis alike.

Tragically, he did not live to see the future he dreamed of, but each and every one of you must carry on for him, inspired by his memory, so that you will help create the future he wanted so much to be a part of.

Like all of you, President Bush believes, and I believe, that Asel Asleh’s vision is attainable. Not just a wonderful dream. And like you, we will keep working hard at peace.

President Bush and I, and all the people in this room who are dedicated to the principles of Seeds, will continue to do everything we can to ensure that your future will be different. That your world will be better. That your lives will be free of fear and full of opportunity.

Seeds is making a difference—one day at a time, one person at a time, one mind at a time, one heart at a time. You are terrific and I want to thank each and every on of you for what you are doing. I am honored to be a part of your outstanding program.

And now, I will be glad to answer some questions. And if I don’t get the time to answer every one now, I know that Aaron Miller will be on hand to field some more later in the program.

Seeds of Peace UK screens ‘SEEDS’ documentary, holds panel discussion

Dec 2, 2009 / No Comments

LONDON | On December 2, Seeds of Peace UK and the International Community Committee Film Club at the American School in London (ASL) screened the film “SEEDS”. The showing was followed by a panel of three Seeds, Patrick Cirenza (ASL ’11, Camp ’07, ’09), Sarah Khatib, (Jordanian, Camp ’00-’02) and Vivek Jois (ASL ’11, Camp ’09).

Following the powerful film, the Seeds who spoke of how Camp had changed their lives. As Patrick said, “Seeds of Peace is truly unique. I don’t know of a single other place in the world where teenagers of so many nationalities can have such a free exchange of ideas and culture. I believe to my core that Seeds of Peace changed me, changed the others who went to Camp, and is going to change the world.”

Vivek Jois spoke about his background: “As a British citizen, of Indian origin and educated at an American international school, Seeds of Peace provided the perfect way to express my internationalism. I feel indebted to Seeds of Peace because I truly believe that there is no other cause as big, no other experience as difficult, and no other place that can make people follow the true calling of their hearts over their blind loyalties.”

Remarks by Seeds

Patrick Cirenza

Patrick attended the Seeds of Peace Camp in 2009 and is currently enrolled at the American School in London.

When I knew I was going to Seeds of Peace I decided I was going to very prepared for the dialogue sessions. I read numerous books, read my news from Al-Jazeera English, and even learned a few phrases in Hebrew and Arabic.

I thought I was ready.

I wasn’t.

On the first day of orientation Tim Wilson, one of the founders of the Camp, talked to the American delegation in one of his famously to-the-point speeches.

He looked us all in the eye and said, “You know nothing, but you sure as hell will learn quick.”

Shaken, but resolved I began Camp.

My Israeli-Palestinian dialogue sessions are some of my most vivid memories of Camp. The first week was uncomfortable, to say the least. Trying to get a room full of unacquainted teenagers to discuss their personal beliefs and experiences in any situation is near impossible. Decades of conflict certainly didn’t help. I still wonder to this day how the facilitators got us talking. But when we did, the fireworks began to go off. Once they began, there was no stopping them.

Everything I had so carefully learned over the past couple months went straight out the window. All I could do was sit there and listen as they argued. I simply wasn’t able to relate to anything they talked about. I was completely out of my depth.

A girl from Sderot, “I didn’t go to school for two months because Kassam rockets were hitting my school and my bus route.”

I remember sitting there thinking, closest experience I have to that is a snow day.

A Palestinian boy said, “I was sitting in my basement with my family when my house was bulldozed on top of us.”

My jaw just dropped. My mind was blank.

The story I will remember the most, the one I will probably never forget is that of Janan. She was an older girl in the dialogue and usually quite quiet but responded to the question “What does the Occupation mean to you?”

She began her story by looking at the floor “I was sitting in class one day chatting with my best friend when an Israeli soldier burst into the room and opened fire. My best friend was hit and she died in my arms. There had been an IDF raid on school, which was suspected of hiding a cache of weapons. There were no weapons.”

Then she looked the Israelis right in the eye and said “this is what the Occupation means to me.”

While her story is tragic what was even more so was the manner in which she told it. She was numb, devoid of emotion. The conflict was a part of her life. She was born in it and, as she told me later with much conviction, she was going to die in it.

Stories like hers were just a currency at Seeds of Peace to exchange in dialogue in order to prove who had suffered more.

But it wasn’t always tense at Camp. Cultural boundaries were often stripped down in oddest of fashions, often in manners that would never occur in a dialogue room.

We attended a baseball game; as resident American I was expected to explain the rules to this truly bizarre game. After about 15 minutes of trying to expound the virtues of baseball and comparing it to every other sport on the planet. Israelis, Palestinians, Indians, and Pakistanis were united in telling me just how stupid they thought it was.

I made the mistake of insulting hummous one meal. Israeli and Palestinian alike leapt to defend the cause of one of their favorite foods. I never did it again.

I remember one American girl burst into tears when an innocently curious Pakistani boy asked, “Aren’t all Americans supposed to be fat?” a sentiment to which many other non-Americans seemed to concur with.

Seeds of Peace is a truly unique in that sense. I don’t know of a single other place in the world where teenagers of so many nationalities can have such a free exchange of ideas and culture. I know I walked out of that camp both vowing that I would return and with an entirely new view of my life and the world.

Since Seeds of Peace, I have taken up Arabic, attempted to start a youth interfaith council and raised money for organization by doing everything from growing my beard to racing in a triathlon.

The only reason I am sitting before you today is because I believe to my core that Seeds of Peace changed me, changed the others who went to Camp, and is going to change the world.

Vivek Jois

Vivek attended the Seeds of Peace Camp in 2009 and is currently enrolled at the American School in London.

I’m going to start today by telling you a little more about myself. I was born in London, a British citizen by birth. When I was 4, my parents, both admirers of the American education system, decided to send me to The American School in London, and I’ve remained here for the last 13 years.

To me, London is something special—it’s what I like to call, “the gateway of the world.” We’ve got America to the left, and the Middle East and Asia to the right.

I’ve watched the world change over the past 16 years of my life, and I’ve watched the international affairs brew, from the Kargil War between India and Pakistan to the Second Intifada, to the United States’ invasion of Iraq.

I’ve been the perfect outsider, as one might say: I’ve seen different societies interact with each other, in sometimes both positive and negative ways. But it wasn’t until this past summer that I asked myself the question: Who Am I? Because, clearly, I’m British by birth, American by education, and Indian by heritage. There’s no way I’m escaping my tri-national background—it follows me around everywhere.

But the real question to be asked here is, “Does it matter?”

The answer, realistically, in any case, is no. I, not being a citizen of the US, was a part of the American Delegation this summer, and it didn’t matter. Sure, I have an American accent so you might think I would fit in with everyone else in the delegation, but really, that’s not the case. The general concept of a delegation is one based on regional connections—which are why you have the Israeli, Palestinian, Indian, Pakistani, and other regional delegations at Camp.

But the American Delegation is not founded on regional ties—this year, we had one girl from an international school in Morocco, and Patrick and I from London. The American Delegation is founded based on common systematic thought—the Western upbringing, for students in westernized education systems, like all of you students here. In fact, it would be incredible if there were more Seeds from the UK—we could add so much more from our experience of being at the center of all the major world societies.

Let me just sum it up: anyone can apply for Seeds of Peace. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from when you arrive at Camp—all that matters is who you become after those three incredible weeks in Maine.

To go into my next point, I would just like to say how much I enjoyed Camp this summer. It was an enlightening experience, in which I got to spend three weeks in the middle of the scenic New England forest, isolated from the world outside. It definitely changed me—but when I returned, and soon as I left the gates of Camp, I had to face reality once again.

I received a lot of interrogation from my friends and teachers upon returning to London. All of them had tons of questions as to what I did, what I saw, what I learnt at Camp.

But what I found is that every few people I talked to asked me the same question, “Isn’t Seeds of Peace a Jewish organization?” That is, to say, is Seeds of Peace intended towards students of a Jewish background?

I personally feel that this stigma is incorrect. Yes, half of the American Delegation happened to be from a Jewish background, and the Israeli Delegation was the biggest at Camp, but what does that say about the organization’s tendency towards one group or another? Nothing. The conflict facing Israel is so current that it is only natural that people who feel a tie to one of the countries involved would want to do this in search of the truth in the matters pertaining to the “other side.”

Let me assure you, that no matter how many Seeds were from a Jewish background, there was equal representation from other delegations and points of view across the globe.

We had students from Palestinian backgrounds in the American Delegation, as well as others like myself from different and mixed cultural compositions.

I would like to conclude today by telling you about one day at Camp. It was during our daily two-hour dialogue session, and I was in a dialogue group of Middle Eastern kids. Our facilitators split us into two groups at random, not based on where we’re from or whatever. We then went to separate parts of the room. One facilitator came over to my group, and we were told to assume that we have a dying mother in hospital, and in order to survive, she needs the juice of a certain orange. Okay, easy enough, no one had difficulty imagining that.

Then, we were told that this certain orange was in the hands of the other group, across the room. What went through my mind in that instant was: Oh no. The other side needs the orange juice too. This is going to be difficult. Then we were each paired up with one person from the other group, and were told to negotiate the orange for ourselves.

So I sat down opposite Laila, the girl I was paired up with, knowing this was going to be hard if she needed that orange juice for her own reasons, as I had been told. But as we talked about it, she informed me about what her group had been told to assume: they needed the rind of the orange.

It was a key moment in my experience, because it highlighted the point of the Seeds of Peace: if you don’t talk to your supposed enemy, you make assumptions about their demands and needs, much like I assumed that Laila needed the orange’s juice as well. But it is only through talking to the other side, talking to the person who has been made your enemy by society, that you finally gain an understanding of what they have been told, and can thus make an honest decision on the peaceable outcome of a situation. This is the only way that our ultimate goal can be achieved.

The orange is what generations on either side of a conflict have called their Promised Land; when in fact, they have not realized yet that they can coexist if they were to just understand people from the other side—the people that their society terms as “the enemy.”

This is fully what the Seeds of Peace has taught me, and I hope, with the induction of many more future Seeds, we will be able to continue this process for the goodwill of our global community.

Sarah Khatib

Sarah attended the Seeds of Peace Camp in 2000-2002 as a member of the Jordanian Delegation. She is currently completing a Masters of Law at SOAS.

It is easy to manipulate nations into hating their enemies. It not at all easy to give the enemy a face, but this is what Seeds of Peace did for me and many others, and it continues to do so till this very day. The term “enemy” was not only toned down into “the other side,” but for me now the enemy has a face and a name; be it Elad, Rita, Hagar, Khen or Rony and whoever else I have met at Camp.

Seeds of Peace is a revolution against this manipulation. It is an international revolution for which I can find no counterpart. Tell me where else in the world could I have gone at the age of thirteen not only to familiarize myself with Israelis, Americans, and Greeks, etc., but give them a face after unmasking them every day at Camp.

In my personal statement for my master’s application I wrote “in the summers of 2000, 2001, 2002 I was one of the participants sharing space and dining with Israelis, Palestinians, Cypriot and Turkish teenagers, some of whom became my close friends. During camp time, we all took part in co–existence sessions. We all, at a very early age, sat down and talked about real life conflict issues and tried—hard—to reach common grounds, something only ten years prior to that my father was doing at Wadi Araba where the Israeli–Jordanian peace talks were concluded.” I do not think that any of us who participated in Seeds of Peace would have become the individuals we are now and who we will be tomorrow if the transitional force brought about by Seeds of Peace was absent.

Even at the peak of conflicts, I learned to narrow down my anger and frustration. During the horrific events in Gaza last year, it was common to hear people saying “the Israelis are ruthless, they have no hearts.” I was saying, but the Israeli government is ruthless and irrational, thinking that this is the way to deal with the conflict. It is not by any means easy to talk about peace in a time of war, of course it seems easier and inevitable for me to give up on my convictions; then I look at my Camp pictures and say “what a minute, but peace did happen, it happens every summer in Maine.” I have seen it with my own eyes, I felt it, and I lived it.

Ten years later, I need to admit that some things do as a matter of fact change. In one of my classes the tutor asked “what is the difference between a dispute and a conflict”? I said well it’s quite clear, your course is titled “dispute resolution and conflict management,” and therefore, disputes can be resolved, where conflicts can only be managed. The tutor nodded and smiled as if I made a point that was too clear, but was one that she failed to notice. It was then and there that I realized how far I have come from my time at Camp; now a bit more cynical but with a sense of realism. I know that I have not given up on my principles, I merely modified them.

Seeds of Peace rooted in me this notion of “selflessness”. We all develop our own narratives, and one of my own narratives is the idea of “transferability,” as in how transferable are the things that I learn? I think to myself why do not the parties of the conflict submit to arbitration or go to court to have their differences dealt with by a neutral third party? I know such ideas some ridiculous to many, but this is how I want to apply my area of specialization to conflicts; this is the selflessness that Seeds of Peace taught me, how could what I learn and posses help others? I really believe that at some point I will be able to pay Seeds of Peace back, if not in a strict sense then to assist in the concrete realization of our hopes and aspirations.

For so many years I was hoping that I would get the chance to talk about my experience at Camp and with Seeds of Peace. Now that I have this chance, I thought for a long time about the things I could talk about, but all my lawyering skills cannot come into play. Seeds of Peace raised me up; it taught me to differentiate between the right and wrong, between the moral and the immoral, between the norm and the exception, regardless of how blurred the lines between such can be. This is a virtue that I value, for it is one that makes Seeds all over the world stand out in their communities and countries, and it is one that makes as all as Seeds stand out in the world.

Planting Seeds of Peace in Miami
Miami Herald

Jul 14, 2016 / No Comments

Seeds of Peace bridges cultural divisions between teens from Middle East and U.S. at summer camp in Maine

Miami-raised former counselor organizing first Miami events to support the group

Leaders say Seeds’ efforts more important than ever at time of heightened division in U.S. and beyond

At a time when social division and turmoil are rising in the United States, a summer camp that bridges seemingly intractable divisions between teens of different religions and races has become newly relevant.

Called Seeds of Peace, it is a program in Maine that has brought together young Israelis and Palestinians, as well as teenagers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the Balkans and the United States, for 23 years.

This summer, Seeds of Peace is expanding its U.S. program to add teens from Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City to those it has long hosted from Maine and upstate New York, aiming to inculcate empathy and understanding as the country struggles with cultural and political discord that seems more bitter than anything seen here in decades.

And this week a young Miamian who reconciled his own divided background by working as a counselor at the camp is organizing the first Seeds of Peace events in Miami.

Misha Mehrel, 26, has put together a stand-up comedy night in Wynwood on July 20 and a walk across the Venetian Causeway on July 23. His hope is to raise awareness of and as much money as possible for a program that he says can be transformative.

“These kids are put into an environment of love, encouragement, challenge that has pushed them to . . . hopefully make decisions to grow and bond instead of to hate,” Mehrel says. “It shows you that if they can do this, I can.”

The family settled in Miami when Mehrel was 3. Several years ago he seemed well on his way to a successful film career in New York, working as an editor and production assistant for the likes of HBO and director Baz Luhrmann, when he found himself longing to do something more substantial and fulfilling. He decided to follow his older sister, who had been a counselor at the Seeds camp.

“Seeds was a way to get out of this image-conscious, career-driven life I was living and doing something that was less about me,” Mehrel says. “But I think I was also attracted to the whole concept because of the division in myself.”

Overcoming division is the mission of Seeds of Peace, which was launched by journalist and writer John Wallach in 1993, bringing 46 teens from Israel, Palestine, Egypt and the United States to Otisfield, Maine. The project got an immediate burst of attention when then-President Bill Clinton invited the first campers to the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords, where they posed for photos with Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The program mixes traditional summer camp activities like sailing and soccer with intensive group talk sessions in which the teens work through their differences and anger. They play on Frisbee teams together, and kids from opposite sides of warring adult conflicts help each other through risky trust-building exercises in which an Israeli teen might help his blindfolded Palestinian counterpart climb a rock wall or cross a high wire.

“The idea is to give these kids a chance to make up their own minds, teach them leadership skills and how to be their own person, instead of another cog in the narrative they’ve been fed for years,” Mehrel says.

In 2000, spurred by requests from local education leaders, the camp started a second program for teenagers from Maine, which is overwhelmingly white and Christian, and their counterparts from African, Asian and Muslim refugee families from places like Somalia and Cambodia who were being placed in Maine by a federal government program. Later they added kids from Syracuse, New York, a once predominantly white community with a growing minority and immigrant population.

“There were a lot of tensions with the instant diversity,” says Eric Kapenga, communications director for Seeds of Peace. “It was almost the same program as for students from the Middle East.” There were fraught dialogues about race, religion, gender, sexuality and immigration. One girl from a small town in northern Maine wrote that every time she saw a Muslim girl in a hijab she was afraid, because she only saw violent Muslim terrorists on TV. A Somalian girl who had come to Syracuse at age 12 was traumatized by years of bullying.

Over the past two years, the growth of racial tensions, with the furor over police violence and the Black Lives Matter movement, and an election season marked by angry debates over race, immigration, Muslims, and LGBTQ rights, led Seeds of Peace to expand its American session to teens from larger cities beyond Maine and Syracuse.

“For too long as Americans we’ve said we don’t have conflict here,” says Sarah Brajtbord, who manages Seeds of Peace’s U.S.-based programs. “The reality is we live in communities deeply divided by conflict. . . . We need to be bringing people together and engaging each other.”

“Each camper has their own issues, their own stories, their own experiences. . . . It’s raising those questions, and being able to answer them. Who am I? Who are you? Who are we collectively? How do these different parts of us look when we come together?”

Jennifer Dertouzos, a close friend of Mehrel’s family and a dedicated volunteer for social causes who is co-organizing the Miami Seeds events, says the violent events of this summer such as the massacre in Orlando, the killing of black men by police in Baton Rouge and Minnesota and the sniper attack on police in Dallas have made people sympathetic to their efforts. Trinity Cathedral, located at the foot of the Venetian Causeway, is allowing them to gather in its parking lot for free before Saturday’s walk, and Wynwood Cafe is hosting the comedy night for a minimal fee. Local businesses like Eternity Coffee Roasters, 305 Yoga, iRun and Oh! Granola are providing coupons, free classes and products for walk participants.

“It’s good timing because people want to channel their energy toward peace or the greater good,” Dertouzos says. “It’s of the moment.”

This difficult moment also makes the struggle that Seeds of Peace faces a daunting one. As conflict has grown in the Middle East, the group faces new obstacles in bringing teens from those areas; the Hamas government in Gaza, for instance, does not assist with placing Palestinian campers the way previous administrations did. This summer’s expanded American session is small, with just 27 kids from the larger cities, out of a total of 127. And Mehrel, after spending the past two years in Miami, is taking a teaching job in Connecticut in August, leaving future Miami efforts on the group’s behalf in doubt.

But Brajtbord insists their endeavors are more important than ever.

“Conflict is a moment either for breakdown or breakthrough,” she says. “Now is the time to stop talking about doing things and start trying to do them. . . . It’s only going to get worse as the election unfolds. So why should we not try to do this now?”

And she takes reassurance from the teenage Seeds the camp nourishes each summer.

“They have the courage to do what adults and political leaders are not doing — to engage with one another, confront differences and accept it as a natural part of who we are and what our country is,” Brajtbord says. “That not only gives hope but fuels change.”

Read Jordan Levin’s article at the Miami Herald »

VIDEO: “We will find a way to peace,” Secretary of State Albright Tells Mideast Teens

Aug 20, 1997 / No Comments

WASHINGTON | “We will succeed, we will find a way to peace” in the Middle East, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright assured Arab and Israeli youth who visited the State Department August 20 after a month-long stay at a summer camp in Maine, where they learned about coexistence.

The 175 youth included Palestinians and Israelis as well as others from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and, for the first time, Qatar, which is scheduled to host the fourth Middle East Economic Summit in November.

The teenagers were part of the fifth annual “Seeds of Peace” program, a coexistence and conflict-resolution initiative that was started by John Wallach, an American author and journalist. The students were to attend a fund-raising concert later tonight in Washington. The program does not receive government funds.

Repeating that she will “soon” be traveling to the Middle East, Albright told the 13-to-15 year-olds that “perhaps the most important” part of peace-making is that the parties must remember that “peace is not just one option among many, it is the only path that offers security and the hope of prosperity; the only path that holds out the promise of a future better than the past.”

“The United States has worked for many years to help the Middle East peace process succeed. Diplomatically, politically and financially, we have supported those who have been willing to take risks for peace,” Albright reminded the teens.

She told the youngsters:

“Making the decision to build peace matters not because building peace is easy, but because it is hard. In any such effort there will be highs and lows, good times and bad. And I suspect that was the way it was at camp in Maine. It must have been hard, coping with the terrible bombing in Jerusalem. But I understand you all came together—that Palestinians, regardless of their own grievances, were there to comfort and console their Israeli friends, and that the Palestinian flag was lowered to half-mast, out of sorrow and respect. Upon this lesson, a common future may be built, that pain experienced by one is pain shared by all. An action that eases the burden of one will lighten the load for all.”

Albright was referring to the July 30 bombing in Jerusalem in which 14 Israelis were killed as well as the two suicide bombers.

The program, which was documented by various film crews and covered by the international press, started with four youngsters—two Palestinians and two Israelis—telling the secretary about their feelings during their various encounters and their hopes at the summer camp in Maine. The youngsters later sang their theme song—”I am a seed of peace”—and Secretary Albright joined them in the rendition.

Albright added:

“The time has come for neighbors to live as neighbors, and for all to understand that no one’s blood is less or more precious than another’s. President Clinton and I have pledged to do everything we can to help the parties revive and keep alive the momentum towards peace. Let me assure you now, we will keep that pledge.

“And as I look around the room, I have faith that we will succeed. Not overnight, not without additional setbacks; but we will succeed. We will find the way to peace. Those made free by the vision of a world in which historic enemies have joined hands will not allow themselves to be dragged back by those still paralyzed by prejudice.”

Albright’s Remarks to Middle East Seeds

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you all. Thank you very much, John. I really am very pleased to be here with all of you on this afternoon. Welcome to the Department of State. I wish that all our guests could sing as well, and that I could join them.

I hope you all had a very good time in Maine. A lot of people have now heard about this program, thanks to some TV and a lot of wonderful things that you all have done.

I know that you had a hard time with the mosquitoes. I have been to Maine, myself, so I know they’re pretty hard to put up with. You could start wearing T-shirts that also said, “I Survived the Mosquitoes.”

I also understand that during your camp talent show, you had Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chairman Arafat settle their differences. Not only did they trade land for peace, but they exchanged wives and mothers-in-law.

Maybe I’ll try that out when I go there.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about all that, but I’m glad I wasn’t there. And I might have been part of the bargain, so …

Let me say how deeply I was moved by what Roy and Hani and Sarah and Noah said. Those were very moving statements. Don’t be surprised if some of them show up in my speeches. I think lighting a spark in your heart is terrific. And if I may steal that from you, I will.

I just gave my first, as Secretary of State, serious speech on the Middle East. And as people in the State Department know, it was a pretty tough speech and had a lot of hard parts in it. But I insisted that it have a spark of hope, and that was when I discussed your program because I believe that what you are doing is so important to what we’re all trying to achieve in the Middle East.

John—and I will call you John—as you know, I’m a great fan and a great fan of what you have done. I think you deserve all our thanks from all over. It’s a remarkable program.

I think it’s hard to believe that anybody who is 60 was ever young. But I was and the impressions that one forms when one is young stay with you forever. So I know that the feelings that you all expressed today and have lived through in the last weeks will stay with you.

I also believe deeply in the central premise of Seeds of Peace, which is that differences in outlook and culture and creed can be bridged by knowledge and understanding.

Seeds of Peace helps you learn enough about history to understand that there is more than one side to it; enough about your neighbors to know them as individuals; and enough about yourselves to know that your own happiness can never rest on the misery of others.

That is not only knowledge, but wisdom. And by applying that wisdom, each of you may become a true builder of peace.

So I thank you for the hope you strengthen in me, especially now. For one of the reasons I’m pleased to welcome you here—to my official home, that is—is because soon I will be traveling to the Middle East for the first time as Secretary of State.

While there, I will be talking to your leaders—Roy, I will—about the need to get the peace process back on track. I hope to have a chance to meet with students and non-governmental organizations, as well. If we can arrange it, I would love to meet with as many of you there as we can put together.

The United States has worked for many years to help the Middle East peace process succeed. Diplomatically, politically and financially, we have supported those who have been willing to take risks for peace. And we have endorsed the vision of a future in which Israelis, Arabs and Palestinians would live and work together without terror or violence and with an end to hatred and distrust. And much progress has been made. I fully do believe that the people that live in the region do want peace.

Unfortunately, in recent months, that progress has stalled. A crisis of confidence has arisen between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Israelis say that the Palestinians are not doing enough to stop terror. Palestinians object to unilateral Israeli measures that seem to prejudge the outcome of negotiations. The United States cannot impose peace. But we are encouraging the two sides to resume their partnership for peace.

Security must be seen not simply as a goal to be achieved once the journey to a final peace has been completed. There must be security every step of the way. There must also be a true commitment to peace. Differences should be settled at the bargaining table, and unilateral steps that sow suspicion should be avoided.

Perhaps most important, the parties must remember why they came together to pursue peace in the first place. For peace is not just one option among many. It is the only path that offers security and the hope of prosperity; the only path that holds out the promise of a future better than the past.

There have been too many wars, too many acts of violence, too many dead, too much suffering, uncertainty and fear. The time has come for neighbors to live as neighbors and for all to understand that no one’s blood is less or more precious than another’s.

President Clinton and I have pledged to do everything we can to help the parties revive and keep alive the momentum towards peace. Let me assure you now, we will keep that pledge.

As I look around the room, I have faith that we will succeed—not overnight, not without additional setbacks. But we will succeed. We will find the way to peace.

Those made free by the vision of a world in which historic enemies have joined hands will not allow themselves to be dragged back by those still paralyzed by prejudice.

Making the decision to build peace matters not because building peace is easy, but because it is hard. In any such effort, there will be highs and lows, good times and bad. And I suspect that was the way it was at camp in Maine. It must have been hard coping with the terrible bombing in Jerusalem. But I understand you all came together; that Palestinians, regardless of their own grievances, were there to comfort and console their Israeli friends; and that the Palestinian flag was lowered to half-mast out of sorrow and respect.

Upon this lesson, a common future may be built—that pain experienced by one is pain shared by all. An action that eased the burden of one will lighten the load for all.

No one has a greater stake in the future of the Middle East than you, for you are the region’s future. It will be your actions and your aspirations, your choices and your bravery that will determine whether and how the next half-century will differ from the last.

As Seeds of Peace, know that you are on the right path. Look around at your new friends in this room and know that you are not alone. And look to the United States of America and know that the builders of peace have an unshakable ally.

It has been said that all work that is worth anything is done in faith. This afternoon, as you prepare to return home, let us each embrace the faith that your courage and your actions can make a difference. And that every mind opened by your insights, every friend touched by your affection, every soul inspired by your passion, every injustice prevented by your integrity, and every barrier to peace brought down by your determination will ennoble your own life, inspire others, and expand outward the boundaries of what is achievable in your region and on Earth.

Thank you all very much, and keep it up.

What We’re Reading: Pride Month

Jun 25, 2019 / No Comments

Fifty years ago this month, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The landmark moment ignited long-simmering tensions that would soon spread to demonstrations throughout the country, marking the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in the United States.

June is Pride Month in the United States, commemorating Stonewall and celebrating the contributions of LGBTQIA+ people to society, not just in the US, but around the world. So this month, we are highlighting works that explore and build understanding toward issues related to this community. Here’s what our staff have been reading:

Sister Outsider, by Audre Lorde
At the heart of this collection of Lorde’s most powerful essays and speeches is her identity and experiences as a black queer woman. She was one of the first activists and writers to engage with the subject of intersectionality, and the theme plays a major role in Sister Outsider. Through a blend of personal stories and her unique version of activism, Lorde tackles the issues of sexism, homophobia, classism, and ageism, arguing for a society that not only is inclusive, but also celebrates individual differences. What I personally find most inspiring about Sister Outsider is Lorde’s refusal to apologize—for her identity, for her beliefs, for her anger at the status quo. This beautifully written collection of shorter pieces makes for a relatively quick and easy read, but if you only have time for one or two, I suggest “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” and “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference.” — Molly Gump, Development Intern

Sister Outsider is a great book for many reasons, but one of my favorites is how relevant it is to dialogue. It engages with power, anger, identity, and emotion, and not only does Lorde tell her story as a queer women of color—that in and of itself is a radical act—but it addresses how we navigate power in dialogue. — Kiran Thadhani, Director of Global Programs

The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai
This time machine of a book, which chronicles the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic in Chicago, brought back memories that were somewhat at a distance from the life I led in the mid-to-late 80s. I didn’t know anybody who was gay when I was in high school. Not that homosexuality didn’t exist amongst teens in Miami. Rather, people were still closeted. I look at schools today, at my own kids’ peers and their understanding of what it means to be human, and I’m left thinking that we’ve progressed so much in 30 years. Yes, there are still shameful things happening today, but they stand out as shameful against a society that has become infinitely more accepting of the many ways people love and live. And that gives me hope for what can be 30 years from now, for the LGBT community, as well as other groups that are still marginalized and underrepresented, undervalued. The arc of justice … keep bending. — Deb Levy, Director of Communications

Against Equality: Queer Revolution, Not Mere Inclusion, edited by Ryan Conrad
Against Equality is a collection of essays and articles written by queer activists and scholars that challenges us to think about what queer liberation actually looks like. Is it marriage and military service and hate crime laws? These authors say no. Instead, they point to the ways in which these goals reinforce the power of marriage, the military, and the prison system, when what we ought to be doing is removing these oppressive structures from our lives. This collection is split into three sections which deal with these exact goals of the gay rights movement. The authors in this book are not interested in a straight world where we are included. They are interested in a queer world, a free world, where people do no have to look or act straight in order to be free. This is an excellent introduction to leftist queer thought and offers some history of how the radical queer liberation movement became the assimilationist gay rights movement in the US. The authors in this book are courageous in their rejection of what straight society has deemed good and respectable, and deeply inspiring in their commitment to the freedom of our community. — Greg Barker, Manager of Facilitation Programs

Jughead Vol. 1-2, by Chip Zdarsky and Erica Henderson; Ryan North and Derek Charm
In 2015, the entire Archie Comics line was rebooted. Jughead, best friend of the eponymous Archie, was revealed to be asexual. One year later, the character received his own spinoff, which explored something truly remarkable about this development: the radical normalcy of it all. In these stories, Jughead is an ordinary teenager doing ordinary things (well, for the world of Riverdale, at least). His asexuality, as with the sexual orientation of his gay classmate Kevin, is beyond simply being accepted by his peers—to them, it’s a complete non-issue. Even more, Jughead is laconic and detached … he’s the cool kid of Riverdale High. Many kids don’t know what asexuality is or that it could be a possibility for them, much less that it’s an entire queer identity of its own. What makes Jughead a milestone is how it extends that representation to an all-ages title, where it’s even more important that readers can see themselves in what they’re reading. — Chris Luggiero, Communications Associate

The Argonauts, by Maggie Nelson
Like the people it portrays, The Argonauts defies easy classification. Part memoir, part work of literary criticism—Maggie Nelson calls her writing “autotheory” early in the book—this genre-bending story “is an intimate portrayal of the complexities and joys of (queer) family making.” At its core is the author’s love for, and relationship with, a genderfluid person. As Nelson’s pregnancy and the process of motherhood brings her on a journey of self-discovery, her partner embarks on his own, undergoing testosterone therapy and eventually gender confirmation surgery. In her review for The Los Angeles Times, Sara Marcus writes that The Argonauts comes “away and back again to central questions about deviance and normalcy, family-making and love,” asking, “How does anyone decide what’s normal and what’s radical? What kinds of experience do we close ourselves off to when we think we already know?” — Mirna Ansari, Middle East Programs Coordinator

Tomorrow Will Be Different, by Sarah McBride
At 22, Sarah McBride came out as trans in her college’s student newspaper. One year later, she successfully fought against employment and housing discrimination based on gender identity in Delaware, advocating in the face of national hostility. Upon signing the Gender Identity Nondiscrimination Act of 2013 into law, the governor thanked her personally for her efforts. In Tomorrow Will Be Different, McBride tells her entire story, from getting engaged in politics years before her transition to becoming the first openly trans woman to speak at a major US political convention in 2016. She speaks on both the progress of, and challenges faced by, the trans community with a clear-eyed optimism and enthusiasm many of our leaders could learn from. Even the death of her husband from cancer four days after their marriage—a saga she covers in heartbreaking detail—fails to bring her down into the cynicism that marks our politics today. Tomorrow Will Be Different is also remarkable for its portrait of youth activism, and I hope her story provides a roadmap for other young leaders looking to get involved in the issues they care about. — Eliza O’Neil, US/UK Programs Manager

What would you add to this list? Any recommendations for future editions of What We’re Reading? Let us know in the comments below, or send your picks to lori@seedsofpeace.org.

6 alumni making a difference for refugees

Jun 7, 2019 / No Comments

June is Refugee Awareness Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the thousands of families who flee from violence and unrest each day, and a time to foster empathy and build support for them in the new communities where they arrive.

Many in our community are working year-round to address the migrant crisis in a myriad of ways. Here are six Seeds of Peace alumni who are making a difference for refugees.

Salat (Syracuse Seed, 2012)

Salat was born in a refugee camp in Kenya after his parents escaped the Somali civil war, and lived there for 11 years. When he found out the United Nations had selected his family for resettlement in America, he thought he was headed to heaven on earth. But what Salat discovered upon arriving in the States was a country more hostile than he could have imagined.

“I was treated like a criminal based on my skin color,” he said. “I learned to avoid looking like a Muslim whenever there was an attack on American soil. l was made to feel that coming to America as a refugee who seeks asylum is the worst thing you can be.”

That changed when he came to Camp. “In the dialogue hut, I was given the space to unbottle all of the things I had bottled up over the years,” Salat said. “I was made to feel that I was enough, and that my difference was beautiful. It was the happiest three weeks of my life.”

Now, Salat is paying that experience forward. He is a board member of Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE), a nonprofit that provides recently resettled Americans in Syracuse with the resources they need to become self-sufficient through employment, education, and economic empowerment. And his upcoming documentary, Leaving Home But Left Behind, chronicles his journey back to Kenya to reunite with his mother after 13 years. Through his experience, the film aims to help others understand what it means to be a refugee in America.

Read Salat’s Seed Story in its entirety ››

Lilly (GATHER Fellow, 2018)

Lilly’s connection to the plight of refugees was always personal.

“My parents were from Iran, but I grew up in America,” she said. “So I sometimes felt like I was both a part of and apart from two different worlds. The idea of what unites humanity and what makes us different appeals to me.”

Throughout Seeds of Peace’s GATHER Fellowship, Lilly developed an interactive Minecraft story that follows a young Syrian refugee as she tries to make her way to safety. By putting the player in this character’s shoes—the game begins among family and friends trying to live their daily lives in war-torn Aleppo—Lilly hopes to counteract the often-inflammatory rhetoric around refugees in the West with empathy and understanding.

Avigail (Israeli Seed, 2000)

Avigail has been a fierce defender of human rights for years. She channeled her passion for grassroots organizing into a career as a lawyer specializing in labor law—a role which has seen her advocate for vulnerable groups in Israel such as workers, youth, women, Palestinians, and the LGBT community. As the migrant crisis became more severe, she knew it was her duty to get involved.

“Something very essential that I experienced in Seeds of Peace was to be humble in the face of another person’s life and story. To listen very carefully. To see their pain as my pain, their tragedy as my tragedy as a human being,” she told us.

“It reached a point where we said we just could not be silent bystanders.”

Avigail is one of the co-founders of the International School of Peace (ISOP), an educational initiative just a short drive away from the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos. Headline after headline describes the camp as one of the worst places on earth, but for the 400-some students who fill its classes every day, the ISOP is a sanctuary.

There are no external structures on the island dedicated to education for these refugees. But thanks to the ISOP, these students—many of whom have never been to school before—are now receiving one.

Read about our meeting with Avigail at the ISOP ››

Anis (GATHER Fellow, 2018)

As a professor of Music and Politics and a member of the French Embassy’s Cultural Attache, Anis has always been fascinated by the intersection between music education and social change. But after face-to-face experiences with refugee children while volunteering in Greece, he realized there was another way he could put his expertise to use—one that could help those who need it most.

“Refugees are fed and accommodated, but what about their aspirations? Few initiatives exist to rebuild self-esteem, encourage social integration, and inspire hope in the future,” Anis said. “Nearly 28,000 refugee children live in Greece today. They deserve a childhood with confidence and the certainty of belonging.”

That’s why Anis co-founded El Sistema Greece, a program offering free music classes and concert performances to children in Greek refugee camps. These programs are also integrated with migrants and Greek citizens to foster social inclusion.

El Sistema Greece began with two dozen children in a single camp outside Athens. Now, the program has over 500 participants in camps across the country.

“On stage,” Anis told us, “everyone is united in a desire to excel, and we see the potential of a person, rather than a threat. These young artists are adding value to the community, not disrupting it … We are creating a community based on solidarity, hard work, and being part of a team.”

Read our alumni profile of Anis ››

Pooja (GATHER Fellow, 2018)

Pooja is based in India, and runs her own program targeted to refugee youth. In 2015, she saw an image of a Syrian boy’s body washed ashore in Greece. She expected the disturbing scene to be a galvanizing moment, only to find it met with indifference by those around her. So she decided to take change into her own hands.

That year, she founded Letters of Love, an organization that connects children in refugee camps with pen pals to foster empathy, connection, and emotional support. “The core idea of my work,” she explained, “is to shake the inertia of apathy people have about grave humanitarian issues. To inspire others to help make a difference in this daunting crisis, we must first inspire empathy.”

Since then, Letters of Love has sent over 33,000 letters to Syrian, Iraqi, Palestinian, Yazidi, and Rohingya refugee children, and built a network of over 8,000 student ambassadors working to foster empathy in their schools and communities.

Learn more about Pooja’s work ››

Abu Tareq (Palestinian Delegation Leader, 2007)

Abu Tareq views education as a way for people to transform the world around them. Earlier in his career, he was a principal at schools throughout the West Bank. He watched the students around him upend narratives of what their lives should look like.

Now, Abu Tareq operates an education center for children at his home in the al-Arroub refugee camp, where he has emerged as a community leader—and an emissary of peace. His program has run in the winter and summer in al-Arroub for years, providing youth with conflict mediation and communication skills, as well as helping them overcome trauma and develop resilience.

In al-Arroub, having a place for children to go when school is out can be the difference between life and death. “The victims [of the conflict] are mostly kids,” he explained. “They think throwing stones at settlers is a kind of play. But the result can be the loss of their lives, for nothing. It’s a very unuseful way to ask for freedom, for the right to live and travel out of the camp.”

For so many children, Abu Tareq’s program is a respite from the harsh realities of their circumstances. “The students are free to dance, to play, to move freely,” he said. “This is my aim: to provide a little light in such big darkness.”

Hear Abu Tareq’s story on INSPIRED, our audio documentary series:

Do you know of any alumni we didn’t include who deserve a spotlight? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

VIDEO: Former Celt praises Seeds of Peace campers
WMTW (ABC/Portland)

Aug 8, 2014 / No Comments

Visit part of NBA day

NBA players, including the Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart and former player Brian Scalabrine, paid a visit to Seeds of Peace camp on Friday.

More than 180 campers from around the world attended the NBA Day event. More than half of the campers are Israeli or Palestinian.

One goal of Seeds of Peace is to have an open dialogue between youth from around the world.

Scalabrine, who is now working as a basketball analyst, has visited the camp before, but he says this year is different.

“What we provide is basically an opportunity for them to have fun for a day and get away from the idea that back in their country there’s a war going on, and we’re not saying that we’re trying to ignore that. What we are saying is that it’s OK to have fun for a day, and here as NBA players, we can be here supporting you and admiring your courage,” Scalabrine said.

Read Mike Reagan’s story at WMTW.com ››

GATHER Fellows London Blog

Oct 16, 2015 / No Comments

Seeds of Peace’s first class of GATHER Fellows convened last week in London for the New Fellows Retreat.

Over the course of five days, this intensive leadership accelerator offered the 2015 GATHER Fellows a multitude of experiences and opportunities by drawing on London’s diverse offerings, resources and status as a hub for social change.

Mohamed Rahmy, Director of Seeds of Peace Graduate Programs, shares highlights from the week.

From beginning to end, using Impact Hub Westminster as our base camp, the New Fellows Retreat was a journey through which Fellows, guided by their own personal and professional needs and varying stages of project development, picked up various resources along the way in the form of skills, connections, and new learnings that serve as a requisite to their personal and their project’s growth and development.

On the first day, we started with Street Wisdom, led and facilitated by inspiring social artist David Pearl and a team of passionate volunteers. Street Wisdom encouraged Fellows to ask questions about their future and engage in an interactive exercise that helped them identify personal and professional goals, while seeking intuitive, creative and inspiring answers from the most unconventional places to do so: the streets of London.

David Pearl – GATHER

David Pearl leading a group of Fellows on the streets of London as part of Street Wisdom.

By the end of the activity (check out David’s blog), participants had come to realize that a new door of opportunities for personal and professional betterment was opened for them, and that new avenues to seek advice, reassurance, feedback or even straight-on answers to some of life’s questions exist and are easily accessible. Fellows felt energized and warmed up for what was to follow.

TRAINING HIGHLIGHTS

Building off previous successful engagements with the GATHER initiative in Jordan and Jerusalem, Serial Entrepreneur and Brown University Professor Danny Warshay led a workshop for the GATHER Fellows that kicked off with the “think-big” and “envision forests not seedlings” mantras and approaches as a key ingredient to a future-focused and innovative entrepreneurial thinking, before honing in on one of the most critical skills in entrepreneurship: bottom-up research. The workshop guided the Fellows on how to identify and validate unmet needs in an attempt to better strategize their approaches and thus scale the impact of their work.

Emanating from the importance of storytelling and the necessity of communicating a compelling narrative about the ‘alternative’ world these brave change-makers seek to create through their innovative endeavors and initiatives, an engaging and interactive Communications and Media training was led in partnership with Burson-Marsteller, one of the top-10 public relations and communication firms in the world.

In a combination of classroom session, hands-on workshop and practical work, the Fellows benefited from the world-class training capabilities of the trainers who coached them on messaging development before moving to Burson-Marsteller’s own in-house studios for on-camera mock interviews, followed by individualized feedback that put the training’s learnings into practice.

GATHER mock interview

From the control room, GATHER Fellow Christina conducting her mock-interview at the Communications and Media training.

In the Funding Strategies session, Paul Grant, founder of the Funding Game, drew on his experience with start-ups and his background in finance to share his insights and learnings with Fellows on the various options, tools and approaches that help them select the most appropriate financing or fundraising strategy for their ventures and projects.

CONNECTIONS & NETWORKING

Guest speakers were invited throughout the week to connect with the Fellows. Through telling of their personal and professional trajectories or addressing themed topics such as leadership or sustainability, these established business and industry leaders passed their knowledge, shared their success, (and failure) stories, let Fellows into their moments of self-doubt and vulnerabilities, allowing for engaging conversations to unfold in an intimate and informal setup that encouraged interaction, learning and inspiration.

Connecting with established leaders was not limited to guest speakers. At Credit Suisse, in the heart of London’s financial district at Canary Wharf, a special closed networking event was organized for the GATHER Fellows where they connected with some of the bank’s senior executives and engaged with them in small group discussions, presenting their work and seeking advice and feedback.

Fellows further heard from representatives from the Credit Suisse Modern Muse Program who organized a Q&A session for the Fellows and presented the program’s efforts to advance the economic participation and empowerment of women and girls.

Credit Suisse – GATHER

GATHER Fellows at Credit Suisse’s Networking Event.

An Exchange between Social Change Leaders was the title of another important networking event attended by the GATHER Fellows, jointly organized with and hosted by the U.S. Embassy in London. Attended by more than 40 organizations and individuals representing London’s leading social change players and agents, the event connected the Fellows with their U.K.-based peers working on similar issues. The ensuing round-table discussions allowed for networking, conversation, and exchange of practices. After the round-tables concluded, all attendees regrouped for insightful remarks given by Ambassador of the U.S. to the U.K. Matthew W. Barzun.

GATHER Roundtable

Round table Discussion, “An Exchange between Social Change Leaders” event hosted by the US Embassy in London.

GATHER group photo

US Ambassador to the UK Matthew W. Barzun taking a picture with GATHER Fellows.

While the retreat was full of events and connections established with diversified audiences, it was the Peer-to-Peer Sessions that were truly the highlight of the retreat. These sessions offered Fellows the space and time to present their work to one another, solicit questions and remarks from each other as peers living in similar environments and facing similar challenges while motivated by similar drives to change. The level of insightful and thoughtful feedback that Fellows gave to one another, the suggestions and recommendations they made and the connections that were sparked were all indicative of the incredible potential that the simple act of a conversation holds—a conversation among a community of like-minded individuals whose work focus may vary yet experiences, personal journeys and commitment to shared values are all too important to dismiss.

Rasha – GATHER

GATHER Fellow Rasha presenting her project at the Peer to Peer Session.

On the last night of the retreat, Fellows concluded the week of activities and sessions with a special dinner and networking evening hosted in their honor, in the company of more than 150 members of Seeds of Peace’s U.K.-based community. Indeed, the GATHER community draws its strength from the passion, dedication and commitment of Seeds of Peace’s community of alumni, educators, and supporters that are spread all around the globe. Each Fellow had the opportunity to present their work to the wider audience, before indulging in informal networking and socializing throughout the rest of the night.

AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES …

With a group as diverse as the GATHER Fellows, hailing from different backgrounds, speaking different languages and working tirelessly and passionately across different sectors and on a variety of social change issues, it was important that the New Fellows Retreat offered experiences that inspire innovation, spark new thinking and facilitate connections necessary to the progress of Fellows’ projects and their abilities to lead them.

At the end of the week, one of the Fellows said it was “exhausting and exhaustive:”

“I hope each person jumps in the ocean and swims with their project. Giving each other thoughtful feedback for seven full days built strong and lasting connections as respected people and builders. I hope Seeds is the key to keep projects going.”

Indeed, it is the GATHER initiative’s mandate to support the Fellows with the incredibly important and valuable work that they are doing and, as the New Fellows Retreat ended, our work continues and so does their commitment to relentless press ahead with their life-changing ideas and efforts.

LONDON PHOTOS

American Seeds hear from New York Times documentary filmmaker about women candidates in Saudi Arabia

Feb 27, 2017 / No Comments

NEW YORK | Seeds of Peace partnered with the Producers’ Club for the second installment of the Leaders² Speaker Series, held on February 26 in New York City.

The event brought together 20 Seeds, Seed parents, board members, and members of the wider Seeds of Peace community for a film screening and question and answer session with New York Times reporter, documentary filmmaker, and Egyptian Seed Mona.

The documentary, Ladies First, chronicles three women running for office and voting for the first time in Saudi Arabia. The event provided an opportunity for the Seeds to gain deeper insight from an alumnus on topics such as reporting in Saudi Arabia, challenges facing democratic reform in the country, as well as women’s rights in the Middle East.

Mona also shared her personal experiences of making the film.

“The Seeds were keenly interested in her perspective,” said Seeds of Peace’s Clarke Reeves, who organized the evening. “Having an intimate setting with which to learn more from Mona, understand the criticism she faced, and see how her Seeds of Peace experience influenced her, provided them with a unique viewpoint into the process of using reporting as a tool for social change.”