JERUSALEM | Seeds of Peace’s dialogue programs for parents of Israeli and Palestinian Seeds is continuing for a second year.
Two groups of a dozen or so Israeli and Palestinian parents are meeting for dialogue on a monthly basis in Jerusalem.
Palestinian parents are also meeting uninationally to address challenges particular to Palestinian Seeds. In March, 15 parents from Gaza traveled to Jerusalem and Ramallah to meet with their peers, marking the first-ever meeting of parents from the West Bank and Gaza.
“Of course it is a very special experience for them,” said Farhat Agbaria, coordinator of the Seeds of Peace Parents Program. “It looked like they were smelling freedom and peace in the busy roads of the Old City of Jerusalem. They wanted to take advantage of every minute there.”
The Parents Program is especially important because it fosters support for Seeds work among within their families. This support is critical for Seeds to stay motivated and committed to work towards change. Enabling parents to experience what their children go through and gain more familiarity with Seeds of Peace encourages that support, while giving Seeds of Peace an opportunity to have another avenue of impact.
Curiosity about their children’s experiences at Seeds of Peace drives the encounters, which often represent the first opportunity for parents to sit down with “the other side.”