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2018 Camp Report Roundup: Session 2

Aug 14, 2018 / No Comments

Three weeks ago, 162 young leaders from across the United States arrived at the second session of the 2018 Seeds of Peace Camp. Our 26th summer may have just ended, but there’s no better time to look back on the memories these new Seeds will never forget. We hope you enjoy this Camp roundup!

Day 1: July 25

ARRIVAL DAY! Over the course of the afternoon, campers from all across the United States— from nearby in Maine all the way out to Los Angeles—arrived to the enthusiastic welcome of our counselors and staff. By dinnertime, all but four campers were settled into their bunks.

Day 2: July 26

Though it also marked the first dialogue of second session, the highlight of the day was a presentation our returning campers (called “Paradigm Shifters” or PSs) gave to new campers over a roaring fire. The PSs’ sharp contrast between Camp—“the way life could be”—and the outside world was met with deep appreciation for their insight and honesty.

Day 3: July 27

Robert Bordone and Florrie Darwin, faculty at the Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program at Harvard Law School, met with PSs to teach them valuable negotiation skills. The duo also run our popular Mediation and Negotiation Seminar in January.

Day 4: July 28

The spotlight was on our Educators program—teachers, school faculty, and community leaders who are go through their own Camp process as part of our Educators in a Diverse Democracy course. To decompress and reflect after their recent dialogue sessions, the DLs visited neighbors and supporters of Seeds of Peace at Moose Pond.

Day 5: July 29

In addition to trust exercises, rousing debates, and a visit from former head counselor Jerry Smith, this day featured our World Cup of Ga-Ga. Four teams of campers competed in the Big Hall, with the winning team facing off against counselors. This time, the campers prevailed!

Day 6: July 30

While this day was chock-full of activities, the most action happening was in dialogue huts. By now, this session had already gotten past the “getting to know you” phase—which sometimes can lead campers to beat around the bush on controversial topics—and have started confronting divisive issues plaguing their communities head-on in their dialogue sessions.

Day 7: July 31

Our PSs and educators went on an interfaith tour of Portland, hosted by 2016 GATHER Fellow and Portland city councilor Pious Ali. Meanwhile, Camp itself was bustling with activity—including a visit from Maine Seeds Program Director Tim Wilson.

Day 8: August 1

The highlight was “The Mostest,” one of our most popular all-Camp events. Rather than celebrating being the “best” or “greatest” at something, The Mostest celebrates the act of committing to something the fullest. Other highlights include a powerful discussion of race relations from our educators and a performance from our Bollywood special activity group.

Day 9: August 2

Arts Day! This celebration of all forms of art—and how the arts can be used to physicalize and continue the dialogue process—occurs once each session, but a new feature was the “food truck” one group constructed and painted, from which the cooking groups could serve their creations. At night, each dialogue group gave a performance using drama, music and dance.

Day 10: August 3

PSs had two special sessions today: one with Seth, a Maine Seed who is now an investigative reporter covering stories about immigrants and refugees in the US, and another with our educators on improving relations between teachers and students at the high school level. We also offered all our campers the chance to observe the Muslim and Jewish faith services we conduct. For many campers, this was their first opportunity to view their religious practices.

Day 11: August 4

Sports Day! We were joined by two other Maine camps, which we played in soccer and basketball with our girls and boys teams. It was also a visiting day, bringing 40 Maine Seeds back to the place where they first learned “the way life could be.” Meanwhile, Group Challenge—which, like Arts Day, physicalizes and continues campers’ work in dialogue—arrived at its final stage: the ropes course!

Day 12: August 5

Almost always, around the two week mark is when the most challenging, and rewarding, period of the dialogue process begins. That was definitely the case with this session! The many activities campers could engage in, be they on the field, in the art shack, on the waterfront, or performing in the Big Hall, went a long way to defuse the tension.

Day 13: August 6

Our educators participated in two workshops on how to use the arts as teaching tools: one hosted by GATHER Fellow and renowned artist Hanoch Piven, another co-hosted by American Seed Micah and Mic & Pen participant Ami Yares. Meanwhile, campers rehearsed for the Talent Show and held a Café Night in honor of Seeds of Peace founder John Wallach, who passed away in 2002.

Day 14: August 7

Our PSs went on a hike up Bradbury Mountain, but they returned to tragic news. 2017 Maine Seed Laila, who was active in the community and who had come to Camp only three days earlier during visiting day, passed away in a bike accident. Staff and campers alike rose to their best selves in face of the news, giving one another the space and support to grieve.

Day 15: August 8

Everyone who knew Laila gathered in a circle, together in silence, during rest hour to honor her memory. Meanwhile, our beloved Camp Nurse, Peggy Ackers, was presented the Director’s Award of Excellence by Seeds of Peace CEO Leslie Lewin and Camp Director Sarah Brajtbord. At night, campers presented a magnificent Talent Show, including a moving song about Laila by the PSs.

Day 16: August 9

While our educators attended the second annual Seeds of Peace Forum on Educating In a Diverse Democracy at Portland City Hall, back at Camp, Color Games officially began! The next two days would see campers divided into two teams, Green and Blue, competing in all sorts of challenges. By the end of the day, scores were tied!

Day 17: August 10

Color Games were in full swing: canoe races, soccer, basketball, street hockey, debate, art, music, dance, Ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. All leading up to “Message to Hajime,” a relay-race gauntlet comprised of over 100 tasks. The winner: Green Team!

Day 18: August 11

The last full day of Camp is always one of wrapping up. Campers had their last dialogue sessions, packed for their departures, and learned what year-round regional programs will await them back at home. In a Quaker silent meeting, many campers shed tears, expressed gratitude for being able to be who they really are at Camp without being rejected, and said that the experience made them realize that they could become the people they hoped to be. We also held a memorial service for the Seeds who have passed away over the years; including Laila, five were from 2018.

Day 19: August 12

Departure Day is always bittersweet; feelings of accomplishment and fulfilment clash with flowing tears for leaving the community we created at Camp. By the evening, only one camper remained; he rang the Camp bell one final time and, as its ring reverberated through the empty campgrounds, left on his bus.

Combined with our first session, this summer a total of 352 incredible young leaders—from now on officially “Seeds”—have now gone back to their homes with the skills, wisdom, and courage to lead change in their communities. Not only that, but they have returned to year-round local programming awaiting them there as well. Our 26th summer of Camp may have ended, but their journeys with Seeds of Peace have only just begun.

Hoops stars to host 14th Annual Play for Peace clinic

Jul 15, 2016 / No Comments

OTISFIELD, MAINE | On July 20, professional basketball players will join 159 Seeds of Peace campers from the Middle East on their journey to overcome legacies of conflict and courageously engage each other as a first step to creating change.

During the 14th Annual Play for Peace clinic, these young campers will get a break from their intense daily dialogue encounters and learn teamwork and hoops skills from some of the best basketball players and minds in the game, including Teresa Edwards, the Basketball Hall of Famer and five-time Olympic medalist, Boston Celtics legend and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Dave Cowens, Tobias Harris of the Detroit Pistons, two-time NBA Champion Matt Bonner (San Antonio Spurs), Luke Bonner (UMass), Jake Cohen (Aris Thessaloniki).

NBA Champion Brian Scalabrine (Boston Celtics) will be making his record 12th Play for Peace appearance. Joining him is Darren Erman, a former Seeds of Peace counselor, Celtics assistant coach, and current New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach.

A visit from world-class athletes and coaches will bring renewed energy to Camp as the players demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills on and off the field. The visitors will also learn more about our campers and the challenges they face as they work for change.

This is the 14th year that Play for Peace has been organized by Seeds of Peace board member and former sports agent Arn Tellem, who now heads the Detroit Pistons front office.

Seeds of Peace inspires and cultivates new generations of leaders in communities divided by conflict. We equip them with the skills and relationships they need to accelerate social, economic, and political changes essential for peace.

147 young leaders graduate from first session of Seeds of Peace Camp

Jul 13, 2009 / No Comments

OTISFIELD, MAINE | On June 22, 147 young Afghan, Egyptian, Indian, Israeli, Jordanian, Pakistani, Palestinian, and American leaders arrived in Otisfield, Maine, to participate in the 17th summer season of the Seeds of Peace Camp.

As they entered the front gate, the Seeds of Peace flag was raised to signal the beginning of their intense three-week-long leadership training and conflict resolution program. Inside the gate, a new common identity was born among diverse national and religious backgrounds. When they departed on July 13, they left as friends, empowered to lead their communities in the Middle East and South Asia toward the possibility of peaceful coexistence.

It was not an easy, quick or painless process. Campers described it as “intense”, “sobering” and “very worthwhile.” In dialogue sessions, early shouting gave way to an ability to listen to opposing viewpoints. Slowly and through hard work with each other and themselves, Israelis and Palestinians learned to communicate about divisive issues that shape their lives back home: borders, refugees, water, Jerusalem, and much more. For the first time in their young lives, instead of talking at their supposed enemies, they began to engage in conversations—however heated—with their friends.

Outside the dialogue sessions, Camp staff used sports, arts, entertainment and even religion to reinforce bonds of trust, respect and compassion. The Ropes Course forced young Indians and Pakistanis to rely on each other for balance—if one person falls off the rope, so does the other. Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu religious services were open for all to observe, allowing all campers to gain a deeper appreciation for the unique differences as well as the commonality of all spiritual traditions.

During the final days of the session, campers passed the relay wand from hand to hand during Color Games. They worked as teams across nationalities and religions to produce original works of art, music, and dance, incorporating elements of each delegation’s unique background and culture. They admired the colorful traditional clothes of the Afghans and the rhythmic pounding of the tabla drum by the Jordanians. Campers watched the Indian delegation perform traditional dance steps at the talent show and were in awe when they reached out to the Pakistani delegation to join them onstage.

In the words of a Pakistani camper, Ghulam Zain, “Despite my will to stick to my views, I was compelled, not by any individual, not by the camp, but by the experience to look at the bigger picture. Seeds of Peace opened a new door in my life—and I personally feel like seeds of peace have been sown in my own personality.”

These young leaders have returned to the Middle East and South Asia. Seeds of Peace continues to support the next stage in their development as peacemakers through innovative programming and field offices around the world.

More information about our programs »
Read daily Camp Reports from the summer »

A Summer of Tikun Olam (Repairing the World)
Heschel News

Sep 19, 1997 / No Comments

Seeds of Peace International Camp, in Otisfield, Maine, is a unique coexistence experience for teenagers from the Middle East founded five years ago by a former journalist, John Wallach. During the summer 1997 session, there were Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Tunisian, Qatari, and American boys and girls, in groups called delegations. The 175 teenagers, and approximately 50 counselors and other staff, came for four weeks, to campgrounds that Seeds of Peace has leased for the next ten years.

The camp’s structural concept is such that campers engage in various activities during the day, including land and water sports, art, music and drama. With a strict “English-only” policy, campers are encouraged to get to know one another by participating in athletics, eating meals together, and sleeping in the same bunks.

In addition to counselors who live with the campers, and are responsible for activities, Seeds of Peace also engages trained facilitators to lead coexistence workshops which the teenagers attend every day. Consisting of no more than 12 campers, each facilitation group is composed of a mix of young people from all delegations. By switching group leaders every three days, campers have the opportunity to participate in and learn from different types of activities designed to help them improve their listening and communication skills. Discussions often become tense and frequently continue long after the workshops are over. Counselors must try to maintain their objectivity so that they, too, can facilitate dialogue and encourage interaction between the campers in the bunk, in the dining hall, in the art room, or on the playing field.

Youths meet to promote Mideast Peace
The Boston Globe

Aug 19, 1996 / No Comments

BY OMAR KELLY | When he boarded a flight from Egypt to the United States over the weekend, 15-year old Mohammed Wasfy had his heart set on accomplishing a mission some deemed impossible.

“Friendships,” he said. This is my chance to make friends out of enemies.”

Mohammed’s flight landed in Boston less than two hours before he put his plan into action.

Clad in his blue jeans and white T-shirt, Mohammed took the first step toward his goal. During the first activity of the Seeds of Peace program, he hung out with teenagers from eight different Middle East countries, all at once, for the first time in his life.

Mohammed is among the 150 teenagers participating in Seeds of Peace, an internationally recognized coexistence and conflict-resolution initiative based in Washington.

Through teenager participants from Qatar, Tunisia, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco and Greece, the program works with the next generation of Arab and Israeli leaders to promote Middle East peace.

Yesterday these young leaders spent the first day of their three-week stay in the United States in Boston. The remainder of the trip will be spent at a campsite on Lake Androscoggin in Maine.

“Most of these kids have never interacted with each other before. They were too busy fighting, “said John Wallach, the program’s founder and a former foreign editor for the Hearst newspapers.

“We get these kids together so that they can build a new foundation for peace. Forget the older generation. They’ve been fighting for years,” Wallach said. “The only chance we have is building the next generation before they begin to hate.”

The future world leaders participate in a camp that resembles the United Nations with a teenage twist. Their mission: learning how to get along and live on friendly terms with one another in a way that has eluded their countrymen.

Day activities at the camp include sporting events and fun and games while the evenings will be reserved for serious discussion at summit-style forums.

The participants are chosen through schools in their home countries. And each year the camp brings back the best participants for more.

The goal is to dispel fear in the hearts of the next generation, preparing them for the arduous task of peacemaking. By nurturing lasting friendships, trust and teamwork, this program makes it possible for youngsters to become the seeds from which an enduring peace will grow, Wallach said.

Iddo Shai, a 16-year-old Israeli student, is participating for the third time. He said the program has helped him, along with others, explore feelings and fears they have about one another.

“Everyone is learning to understand and empathize with those feelings from different and conflicting backgrounds,” Iddo said. “I learned even though we have differences, we are all very similar people.”

Yesterday, these young ambassadors, between the ages of 13 and 17, began their Boston visit by attending a New England Patriot’s exhibition football game at Foxboro Stadium.

Also on the group’s agenda is a visit to Harvard University, a picnic with young people from the Boys and Girls club on Talbot Avenue at Franklin Field in Dorchester, and a benefit performance by Marvin Hamlisch, the writer for the Broadway show “The Chorus Line.”

Seeds of Peace receives no government support. The primary source of funding is private donations.

“These children are helping to make peace, but it takes about $2,000 to pay for every kid who participates and we need the financial support,” Wallach said. “This program is the only chance we have with building the next generation before they begin to hate.”

What does it mean to be ‘transformed’?

Aug 13, 2019 / No Comments

We talk often about Camp being ‘transformational’. This is the word our newest Seeds use to describe their experience, and it’s how Seeds who are well into their careers reflect upon their time from decades earlier as teenagers in Maine.

But when a word is used over and over, it can lose meaning. So we asked counselors at the end of each session this summer to share specific examples of moments they have witnessed among their campers that shed a light on what it means to be transformed.

Perhaps you might find yourself changed after reading these.

• I worked as a group challenge counselor, and we had a female camper of color who was also Muslim and wears a hijab.

During our first couple of Group Challenge sessions, it was very visible how—I don’t want to say intimidated—how aware she was of the group dynamics, given that we had at least two very masculine white, male campers.

She was very aware of herself, the way she presents and carries herself. And she was very silent in these first two meetings. But starting in the third session, she began getting more vocal.

We got to the point where we had this challenge called “The Islands.” There are two islands where you need to be silent if you’re stepping on them. At some point, she was advised by one of the male campers to go on one of the silent islands. But her reply was, “We’re not gonna complete the challenge without my voice, and I have the advice and knowledge we need to complete this challenge. I’m not going to go to any of the silent islands.”

Her voice eventually turned into a group agreement that one of the two white male campers should be on the silent island. She ended up leading the whole group activity and completed the group challenge. I was very inspired by that moment, and the many conversations that the group had starting from that moment.

• I had a girl in my bunk last year, who had a really difficult time at Camp for most of the session, until we entered Color Games.

That really shifted things for her. She had been feeling really lonely, but then she started interacting with people during Color Games. That was what motivated her to come back as a PS, finally feeling that connection and that she was really contributing to Camp in an important way. I saw her now this summer and she feels empowered here, she feels as if she is making a difference, and that her voice is heard.

• I had a camper from Jerusalem, who, at the beginning of Camp, was really shy and really scared about talking in big groups.

He never wanted anyone to take his picture and he thought that he didn’t have anything useful to say in dialogue. He would come back to the table every day and report that, “I didn’t say anything today; I don’t think I have anything good.” And he was also really nervous how much everyone danced at Camp. He was like, “Why are you guys chanting all the time?”

But about two weeks in, he came to the table and said, “I just spoke for the first time.” He said that it felt good to speak in that space. Just seeing him around Camp toward the end too—he was always asking Bobbie to take pictures of him. He was dancing around Camp, he was begging me to go to the Small Hall for the dance party because he was so into it. And even when he left Camp, he was like, “I wish that I had taken more pictures.”

So just to see that transformation from “I don’t want anyone to see me” to “I deserve to be seen” was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve seen from a camper.

• I had a camper in one of my Group Challenge sessions who said his favorite part of Camp was being there after dialogue, when everyone comes out.

He liked checking in on them to see how they are doing and to take care of them. He was clearly the leader of the group, and in group challenge we were very frequently telling him that he wasn’t allowed to speak, or that he had to wear a blindfold, to give other campers the opportunity for leadership. He always complained about that and didn’t like it.

Near the end of Camp, I saw him sitting by himself, and asked him what was going on. He started talking about how he was realizing why he was always silenced or blindfolded, and what it meant for him to be a leader. And how all of the times that he spent taking care of other campers, he wasn’t taking care of himself—or there was no one to take care of him.

It was a really powerful moment to see him finally acknowledge that there are times when he needs to take care of himself, or be taken care of, and that he cannot always be the leader. There are other people who have those capabilities, and so it’s okay if he steps back to take care of himself, because other people will still be taken care of.

• I came to know this particular camper during Color Games, and the ways that she grew were through sports.

I think she is a very quiet person by nature. I saw her during bunk rotation and how she kept to herself. The growth I saw in her during Color Games was insane.

I chose her to come play basketball, and she didn’t believe it at all. She came to the court saying, “I’ve never played basketball before.” But during Color Games, she did wonders. In the Hajime run, she ran from the soccer field lap to the main gate, and I happened to be the one who was running behind her. Once she finished the race, she just hugged me, and told me how my being there meant a lot to her. It made me think about how little things can make people realize that they are a small part of a big dream. That they’re contributing to something larger than themselves. The change I saw in her was really magnificent.

Egyptian Seeds react to Morsi ouster

Jul 3, 2013 / 1 Comment

CAIRO | Egyptian Seeds—from Cairo to Camp in Maine—have taken to social media to share their reactions to the news today that the Egyptian military was ousting the country’s leader, President Mohamed Morsi.

“The potential our generation has and its passion for change is unbelievable,” said one. “I hope for a leader who accommodates the rights of everyone.”

Some Seeds struggled with the non-democratic means in which the military was taking over.

“It’s the best thing that could have happened, in the worst way possible,” said a Seed at Camp.

“I don’t think ousting Morsi was the best solution,” said another Seed in Cairo. “I was hoping that a solution to the political situation in Egypt would have somehow fulfilled the aspirations of both [the pro- and anti-Morsi] groups, since they are both Egyptians demanding legitimate rights.”

“I believe that the best solution would be to hold a referendum on whether or not Morsi should continue his term, and for the Egyptian people to decide their fate through the ballot box.”

“I’m still optimistic—I hope there are early elections,” said a Seed at Camp in Maine.

Other Seeds have spent weeks participating in anti-Morsi protests and celebrated today’s events.

“What you saw was not a coup,” said a Seed who had been demonstrating against Morsi in Cairo.

“It is the outcome of a grassroots initiative that grew exponentially and bypassed all the politics and traditional frameworks to speak directly to and for the people.”

While some Seeds celebrated, others were cautious, warning against alienating Morsi supporters.

“We’ve been calling out for true democracy, and it wouldn’t be true democracy if we decide to exclude a group of people who have the right to be heard. Let’s be smart and break out of this vicious cycle.”


Video taken July 3 by Egyptian Seed of crowds celebrating in Cairo.

Egyptian Seed Mona examines the lack of political leadership in her country.


NECN Video: Egyptian campers attend Seeds of Peace camp in Maine.

More reactions from Seeds to events in Egypt

  • “Here’s to a brighter future.”
  • “Egypt: a place where internet and traffic is achingly slow. But we create history instantaneously.”
  • “The Egyptian revolution continues.”
  • “I’m hopeful that we have learned a lesson and things will improve for my country from here!”
  • “Today, Egyptians made history—again. It’s not a coup. It’s democracy in its truest sense.”
  • “My parents are on the streets. I’m anxious to hear their accounts.”
  • “A great number of Egyptians have been alienated by the political decisions recently made, and this could be very dangerous.”
  • “We have to unite to run the country wisely.”
  • “Today marks another achievement in Egyptians’ efforts to take matters into their own hands and bring an end to decades of exploitation and corruption. I’m glad to have taken part of every part of this wonderful process.”
  • “These so-called “Islamists” violated every single principle that Islam stands for.”
  • “The ouster of former president Morsi is the direct outcome of a people’s revolution.”
  • “The president of the Supreme Constitutional Court will lead an interim coalition government, followed by the drafting of a constitution and early presidential and parliamentary elections. The military is obviously not taking over.”
  • “I don’t oppose the fact the he is no longer the president, but I have problems with the way it was done, and the negative impact it might have on the country as a whole.”
  • “I am thrilled by the lessons Egyptian citizens are teaching the world in determined and just civil movements. I’m hopeful the spirit of change and justice will spread as fire in a summer wheat field.”

Follow reactions by Seeds about Egypt on Twitter ››
Read a letter from Seeds of Peace Executive Director to Seeds in Egypt ››
Read an Egyptian Seed’s New York Times profile on Egypt’s new president ››
Read an Associated Press story about Egyptians at Camp ››

Three essential tips from SEEDesign

Nov 13, 2018 / No Comments

An accelerator for female Palestinian entrepreneurs to help them develop their businesses.

A platform that brings together Israeli and Palestinian teachers in Jerusalem for professional development workshops.

A destigmatizing sexual education program for both Israeli and Palestinian teenage girls.

These are just some of the project ideas that Seeds and Educators brought to SEEDesign, our design thinking workshop that took place in Haifa on October 3-4. The workshop was created to help these leaders shape rough ideas into practical action plans. This year, SEEDesign was led by Nitzan Waisberg, a design thinking expert at Tel Aviv University.

But what is design thinking, exactly? It’s a solution-based method to solving problems focused on three principles: empathy, ideation, and experimentation. Here’s a quick synopsis of what we taught in SEEDesign.

EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Design thinking is called a “human-centered” process, and so the first step to solving a problem or developing a product is to walk in the shoes of the people you’re trying to help. That means not just understanding their needs, but also their physical environment, how they use products and services, how they experience things, what their lives look like, and what motivates them. In this way, you ask questions and observe in order to set aside your own assumptions of what would be best for someone else. This should be familiar to anyone who has gone through dialogue at Camp.

Ashraf Ghandour, our Alumni Engagement Manager who helped organize SEEDesign, spoke of an Israeli Seed who came to the workshop with a project idea that would expose Jewish Israelis to Palestinian culture in Tel Aviv. The other participants helped her work through not just what the most effective version of this exposure would look like, but more importantly how it would be received by Israelis and what social and political sensitivities she needed to take into account. If she hadn’t considered these nuances, her end product simply wouldn’t resonate with its intended audience.

DEFINE THE PROBLEM

After gathering your data and observations as described above, the next step is to ask yourself, “What is it, really, that I’m trying to solve?” You may find yourself thinking something very different from when you began, or find that you never formally thought about what the problem itself was in the first place.

The best way to define the problem, according to Nitzan, is to create a human-centric statement. For example, instead of setting a goal to “Increase mental health coverage among trauma survivors by 15 percent,” design thinking suggests a framing such as, “Trauma survivors need access to affordable mental health care so that they can thrive, grow, and develop resilience.”

Doing so will make it easier to ask questions that lead to ideas for solutions. With this example, the problem statement lends itself to consider challenges such as how to encourage trauma survivors to seek out help or ways to make mental health care more easily accessible to trauma survivors.

We saw this process in action at SEEDesign, too. One participant was a Palestinian Seed in university who is struggling with whether or not to defy his parents’ wishes for him to study medicine and instead pursue a discipline he was passionate about. In discussing his predicament with the group, he realized he needed to ask himself why his parents disapproved of his choice. Was it because of family tradition? Was it that they considered what he was studying to be lesser than other fields?

Eventually, he concluded that his parents were worried he would not be able to achieve success, independence, or financial stability through his chosen field of study. With this in mind, he was able to ideate with the group ways to show his parents opportunities for success beyond traditionally acceptable professions.

WORK WITH A GROUP TO IDEATE SOLUTIONS

A big part of all these examples, and of design thinking in general, is people working together with peers from across disciplines and experiences to share ideas. Nitzan refers to this as “multidisciplinary collaboration.” The purpose of SEEDesign is exactly that—to provide a space where participants could bring up challenges they’re running into and receive input from the rest of the group.

One Israeli Seed wondered, “How can I incorporate learning from other projects in the Seeds community within my own work?” For her, the most helpful part of the program was getting to hear from others in the group and helping to build on their ideas and initiatives.

Another Israeli Seed wanted to develop a women’s empowerment coalition out of her former Scouts group members. So she and the other participants brainstormed ways to get them involved, eventually coming up with the idea to contact the Scouts’ parents.

Sometimes, even just working with one other person to generate ideas is enough to make a big difference. Ashraf told us one of the most exciting moments of the program was seeing experienced Seeds acting as mentors for younger ones they had never even met before.

“We had a Palestinian Seed from ’94 and a Palestinian Seed from 2015,” he said. “The dynamics between them were wonderful—the more experienced Seed put her project aside, realizing the importance of mentoring the younger Seed and helping him [figure out] his project … It was teaching through modeling in its best version.”

At the end of SEEDesign, participants shared how excited they were to apply design thinking moving forward. A Palestinian Seed told us, “The program provided insight not only on the specific project I am currently working on, but generally in my daily life,” while an Israeli said, “It amazes me how we can use this method for anything in life.”

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that SEEDesign’s emphasis on community, asking difficult questions, and working together to tackle challenges resonated with participants. Those are, after all, what Seeds of Peace is all about.

GATHER Summit 2018: Community and connection in vivid colors

Jan 10, 2019 / No Comments

The “YES” sign, built from dozens of illuminated light bulbs, may have been an uncommon, perhaps even questionable, choice of hotel lobby decor, but it served as backdrop—and the perfect metaphor—for the 2018 GATHER Summit.

More than 70 entrepreneurs, artists, educators, activists, and policy makers joined together in Athens, Greece, in the middle of December to reflect in their work, share best practices, and dig into questions around the systemic levers of change. From the wee hours of morning until late at night, a vivid brightness and endless buzz of positivity emanated from everyone involved.

The Summit was shaped around four tracks: economic, political, social activism, and arts and education. Changemakers from Palestine, Pakistan, Israel, India, Cyprus, the Balkans, Egypt, the US, Jordan, Afghanistan, and the UK built skills around storytelling and resource development.

But more than that, they built and strengthened community.

“How amazing it was to be from different countries, different backgrounds and many other differences, and to be able to work in one business mind and systematic goal in less than a week. We are leading the change,” one participant from Palestine reflected.

An asset mapping session kicked off a slew of networking opportunities, with participants posting services they sought and skills they could share. From there, individuals met up in pairs over the course of the Summit for ‘brain dates’—where they could learn from and advise each other.

Workshops led by experts in the field included introductions to impact investment and nonprofit fundraising, effective negotiation, putting the ‘story’ back in storytelling, using narrative to move from ‘action-inhibition’ to ‘action-enabling,’ and rethinking for-profit biases.

An open-space activity allowed the nearly 60 changemakers to suggest topics of discussion and move freely from one conversation to the next. Groups explored ways to support women in traditionally patriarchal societies, tackled notions of identity and how to instill that in our children, and discussed what to do about Gaza, to name a few. Not surprisingly, we had to extend this session, because people could not be pulled away from each other.

There was even time to explore the city of Athens—visiting local social service, political, or economic organizations to learn more about systemic change, and, of course, climbing the hill to the Acropolis.

Connections were formed, skills solidified, and participants left the Summit renewed in their conviction to lead change, in a myriad of thoughtful and impactful ways.

Said one Israeli participant, “The most important thing for me that I can apply are the relationships I gained and the knowledge that people support my unorthodox path toward contributing to peace in the world. I have more confidence, and I feel like I have a larger and more supportive network.”

Meet two Vietnam vets-turned peace activists who keep campers healthy

Aug 8, 2019 / 2 Comments

We tend to highlight the programmatic aspect of Camp—from dialogue to arts and sports. These are the areas that challenge campers and spark joy, that make them grow in ways they could never imagine.

But there are also the unsung heroes who keep Camp ticking (like the staff working in the Camp office), who keep our campers fed (Chef Mike and his crew), and our medical staff who tend to our Campers physical and emotional well-being. Meet two members of this vital team: Nurse Peggy and Doc Rob.

Peggy Akers is a nurse practitioner from Portland who has been at Camp for the past 10 years. Rob Boudewijn retired last year as an emergency department physician’s assistant, and this is his second summer at Camp.

Seeds of Peace: What do you see here that you think, perhaps, other camp medical staff don’t have to deal with?

Doc Rob: The problems that we see here, medically, are minor. We are always ready for emergencies. That’s what we are here for—those potentials. But, at least in my experience, a majority of them are cuts and bruises or aches and pains. And the majority of campers ask, ‘can I go back?’ Most of them want to get back out in the field and do whatever.

Nurse Peggy: I think it’s dialogue. I think that’s the part, where we see kids who are struggling with dialogue, and they will sometimes come in because it is hard. And they don’t know how to say, ‘I don’t want to go to dialogue.’ We do everything we can to get them to go back to dialogue. It has been so wonderful to have Ella here; it’s really changed things for all of us.

Seeds of Peace: Describe a little bit about who Ella is and her work.

NP: Ella is the social worker who is available to the entire camp. And she is here for us when we have a kid who is struggling. Because we cannot really leave here and go off into the woods and talk for a little bit.

So, Ella is here to really talk to the campers. We have to be pretty creative to figure that out. Because you do not want to discount their headaches; it’s real for some of them. Dialogue is the most important part. The kids do not tell me what they talk about in dialogue. Sometimes they will tell me about an exercise that they did and how hard that was. Some of them do not like dialogue at first. I am just really honest, saying how important it is, and that it is a safe space for them to say anything. And if they do not get that, then I do get Ella. She’s the in between for all of us.

Seeds of Peace: Many kids come into any camp medical infirmary with stomachaches or headaches. It could be what they ate, or dehydration. But you hear about how emotional trauma or stress takes on a physical form. And so that’s probably a real difference here as well.

NP: You know sometimes kids just need to come in here and chill. They just need to lay down in a quiet place, and they need space. Then they wake up and they say, ‘Oh, I feel so much better!’ They know we are checking on them every 15 minutes or so, and we are right here. I guess I feel motherly.

Seeds of Peace: One of the things that I think is fascinating, too, unlike most camps in Maine, especially in the international session, is that the campers are coming from really different backgrounds, cultures, and geographies. It’s different water, food, climate, bugs, and bacteria than they might be used to.

NP: Oh yeah, the bug bites. Some of the kids aren’t used to the bug bites. Each group is always embarrassed, but the biggest problem for this session, as it is every year, is the constipation. And I talk about it the first day. I say ‘there is magic stuff here, all you have to do is come in and ask for it.’ It’s Metamucil.

DR: I was talking to a young man the other day about using the bathrooms, and he said, “I can’t go there—everyone will hear me.” You have no privacy even though the doors are closed. You can hear everything, and for some people, that’s a big issue. Particularly for kids. You can imagine them saying, “I’m not going anywhere,” and then five days later, well …

NP: So they can come over to use our bathrooms any time, and they know that. And then we always have pads for the girls back here, in case they need anything. We try to make it so that it’s an easy, safe place for them. I hope they feel like they can come here for anything.

Seeds of Peace: Are there certain times of day or certain activities that when you look at the schedule you think, “Okay, let me get ready because I’m going to be busy in an hour?”

NP: Ga-Ga! Our philosophy is, we bring everything up there to the Ga-Ga pit. Big bags of ice and all the bandages. And nothing happens. If we sit here and wait for them to bring people, then they bring people. But if we’re right there, no one gets hurt. It’s true!

Seeds of Peace: We talk about Camp being transformational for those who come here. How do you see that play out in your space?

NP: We usually sit here and look out. We see the kids from the first days, where they’re just sort of walking along to dialogue, to where they’re suddenly arm-in-arm. It just happens, and it’s so beautiful to watch. Just laughing and skipping along. Every day just feels lighter for them.

DR: I think it’s important to stress that the main medical part here is the nurse. We’re both there, but I try to keep myself as much on the periphery as possible. I’d love to know more, but also, I think, they’ve got enough stuff going on, they don’t need me getting involved. They just need to know that I’ll be there for them if something happens. But when it comes to people like Peggy, they have much more knowledge of and camaraderie with the campers.

NP: You know, you’re out in the woods here! I mean, you’ve got emergency meds, but still. These are someone else’s kids. Our job is to protect them and keep them safe while they’re here. We take it really seriously.

Seeds of Peace: You started to tell me that the two of you have a really unique story about how you met … how your friendship began.

NP: We didn’t meet in Vietnam, but we met because of Vietnam. We lived in San Francisco; I was going to school there to become a nurse practitioner. I had heard about the Vet Center and I was kind of struggling. I had never told anyone I was even in Vietnam. (I was a nurse in the war.) I wanted to see if there were other nurses that had been there. In Vietnam you don’t go as a group. You get orders and you go. So, it is not like you go together and come back together like they did in World War II. So, I didn’t really know people that had been there. I went to the Vet Center and Rob was there, and we became friends. Then, somehow, we both ended up in Maine, and we have been friends forever.

DR: I worked at the Center for many years after Vietnam. I left Vietnam in 1969, I was a medic there. And at that time, we called it the post-Vietnam syndrome, which is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. During that whole period of time until President Carter came along, the VA wouldn’t acknowledge it. Then, under President Carter, they established the Vet Center and we opened up the first center in San Francisco. I was one of the people that helped set it up, and Peggy was the first woman that we ever had. And at that time, our job was to try to reach out to Vietnam veterans, any vet, but particularly Vietnam veterans struggling with whatever issues: drug addiction, PTSD, a whole variety of things.

NP: One of the things that brought us together as friends, Rob’s been in the peace movement. He walked across the country with other veterans. He started a group called … I can’t remember the name of it anymore.

DR: Veterans for Draft Resistance.

NP: I got very involved in the peace movement in San Francisco.

DR: After Vietnam, she worked in Thailand in refugee camps.

NP: I first came up here to Camp and felt so much hope. Just seeing these kids. And sometimes you can get so discouraged when you are right in the middle of everything. You march for this, march for that, but nothing changes. But Camp for me was such a wonderful place to feel that hope for the world, for these kids. I don’t mean to be laying the heavy burden on them. But when I am here, there is a great possibility that there could be peace and a better climate. You just overhear their conversations and feel just ‘wow.’

DR: This is a story that is not told often enough. Because it is easy to just feel dismal and despair, and particularly when you come to our age. These kids are great. These kids are our future.

NP: They are such special kids really. Sadly, we do not get to know them as much as the counselors do. Because we really only get to know the ones that come in frequently or are not feeling well. Sometimes I will see a kid and think, ‘I have never seen them before and I wish that I had.’ But at the same time, I don’t want them to be here in the infirmary. The day the kids leave, you see the absolute love and compassion between the counselors and the kids. It’s so beautiful. And I just weep. To have those relationships; some of these kids don’t want to leave.

Seeds of Peace: Most are going back home to a reality that is very different than this. Even the campers who are walking back into the most privileged circumstances, they are still walking into a teenagerhood that is not as accepting as it is here.

NP: Absolutely, I see them being goofy and silly. We watched a baseball game yesterday, and the kids were dancing and cheering each other on even though they are on opposite teams and it was just so sweet. To see that these are kids who might not be so goofy in front of other kids at home. It was pretty wonderful.