RAMALLAH | Thirty Palestinian Seeds met in Ramallah on December 27 to examine Nelson Mandela’s lessons on nonviolence.
The seminar introduced Seeds to the history of apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s story, and the peaceful methods Mandela used to create change. The methods employed by Mandela resonated with the Seeds, inspiring them and illustrating their potential to change the status quo.
“It is very hopeful for me to learn about a leader in history who was able to end an apartheid,” said one participant.
The Seeds examined the historical roots of nonviolence and ways it is currently being employed in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ali Abu Awad, a Palestinian activist, pacifist, and member of the Parents Circle-Families Forum, spoke to the Seeds about the principles of nonviolent resistance. Abu Awad stressed the importance of what he calls “heart-to-heart” resistance in ending the Israeli occupation.