THE GOAL

To raise money for two Israeli youth and two Palestinian youth to be able to travel to the United States for the first time and attend the 6th Annual Global Youth Peace Summit and in the process actualize a living experience of peace.

HOW YOU CAN HELP MAKE THIS A REALITY

In order to make this experience of possible for these youth, we need to raise $10,800 by June 1st.   For one youth from the Middle East to attend, we must provide them with plane tickets, living expenses while in Austin, and camp tuition. The total per person is $2,700.  We would like to be able to sponsor 4 youth who have shown exceptional leadership at The Sulha.

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT?

The 6th Annual Global Youth Peace Summit (August 12^th – 19^th) will unite refugee, immigrant, local and international youth (ages 13-18) for an eight-day peace conference devoted to heart-centered dialogue, the importance of service to others, cultural awareness, authentic expression and exploration of self and world.  The Summit is a sustainable peace movement that offers young people an opportunity to directly experience themselves and their world through the eyes of equality, acceptance and compassion.

The Global Youth Peace Summit is a place for healing.  Many of the youth who attend the Summit have experienced poverty, religious persecution, child labor, gang violence, and neglect; some have witnessed the atrocities of war and have literally run for their lives; many have been uprooted from their native cultures and struggle to integrate into an entirely foreign world.  With recognition that sustainable peace begins within, The Summit brings together youth from all over the world including Burma, The Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, Guatemala, Colombia, Uganda, Afghanistan and many more.Palestinians, bringing hearts together in the ancient ways of hospitality and peace. It is a place for cultural exchange and forgiving.

WHAT IS THE SULHA?

‘Sulha’ is an Arabic term referring to the process of making peace, the root is the same root as ‘forgiveness’ in both Hebrew and Arabic. The Sulha is a collaborative, grass-roots effort made by peace-seeking Israelis and Palestinians and has been on-going for ten years. The goal of The Sulha is to rebuild trust between Israelis and Palestinians, bringing hearts together int he ancient ways of hospitality and pace.  It is a place of cultural exchange and forgiveness.

For more information and to watch a very moving video from The Sulha gathering, please visit www.sulha.com

THE PARTNERSHIP

The Sulha and Global Youth Peace Summits are very similar projects. They are both based on deep listening, community integration and intimate sharing; helping people find peace with their pasts and with each other. Sustainable peace begins from within and is established at a grass roots level, one Peace Leader at a time.

PEACE LEADERS FROM THE SULHA WHO WERE SPONSORED LAST YEAR

Shir, Israeli youth from Neve Shalom, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

My name is Shir, (My name means ‘song’ in Hebrew) I was born to a Jewish family and raised in Neve Shalom/Wahat a Salaam a Jewish –Arab cooperative. I have been living here with Palestinian people all my life and it seems to me the most normal and natural way of living as opposed to the absurd way most people live here in this country.

Through the years in elementary school we were involved with Maisun Carman Abbas in founding and establishing our youth club in the village. For the last two summers I have been volunteering work with children from the Palestinian city of Tul Karem and I also worked as a councilor in the summer camps in the village.

Since 2006 I have been involved and active in a very unique group called the Sulha Family. This is an alternative Jewish –Palestinian dialogue group different from other groups here, because the meeting is a different one with a special atmosphere through singing, dancing, praying and all the most basic activities that join us together as human beings. This dialogue comes together in two ways. One is a big happening of three days for every one. The second is a five day camp for youth run usually in the desert three times a year. I have been in this group four years.

Two years ago the general manager of the Sulha asked me if I was willing to initiate and found a new group of youth who would be the new leaders, who would initiate all kinds of new projects. All year I was busy with this group project.

I think that the first thing to see the horizon of peace is to try melting the picture of enemies between the two nations. I think there is a lot of hatred in every nation based on the lack of knowledge. Without even meeting or knowing the people, our surroundings have decided for us that those people are our enemies. This could come from media, schools, parents etc. I believe that what is basic is to talk to one another as humans, then we will make a big step towards lowering the hatred.

I want to attend The Global Youth Peace Summit very much, it sounds challenging and interesting and exciting. For me this is a new way to dialogue and meet deeply with new people from different parts of the world that suffer from other aspects of “separation”. All my life I was involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I feel that it will help my work with other young people, if I get the perspective of the suffering in other places and cultures around the globe, and widen my point of view of looking at the conflict, and at the ways toward solutions and education for Peace.

Hiba Atrash, Palestinian youth from Jaffa, near Tel Aviv

My name is Hiba, an Arab girl from Jaffa. I’m fourteen old and I study at a British school called Tabeetha. All my life I’ve been striving to be independent, to live a happy life with the freedom of choice. I keep telling myself that when I grow up, everything’s going to change  and I know that I’ll try the best I can to make it a better place to live.

I grew up in Jaffa, which is a beautiful city that everyone loves. Many people don’t know, however, that it’s also a violent place. Living in Jaffa, is a huge challenge for me. My school helps me a bit to disconnect from this disappointing reality. My school is a place full of people from all around the world. Africa, China, Japan, Russia, Bulgaria, USA, and many more. All of these years, I learned how to meet new people, learn about their cultures and way of life and know that no matter what your race or color, you are special.

I have an Arab mother, which was born in Jaffa too. When my mother told me that she was only 17 when I was born, I was shocked. I told her, with all my respect that I’ll never be like her.  In the Arab community, there are many rules that are very strict. For example, there’s no such thing as “freedom” for a girl. A girl should always have a man watching over her or “protecting” her. My mother, Suha, works in the Peres Center for Peace. She helps a lot of ill children from the Palestinian Territories, by giving them temporary permits so they can come to Israel and be given the right medication. I am very proud of my mother, because she helps thousands of innocent children to survive.

I think that my family knows that I don’t think the way they do. Because one day, when I finish all my studies, I’ll make my own decisions and know what’s right for me. I have a dream, as Martin Luther said, that one day, I’ll change the world. I’m inspired by many people, and this man is one of them. My goals in life right now are to succeed in studying, to expand my knowledge, and to help people in need. When I feel sad or needing a place to be alone, I meditate. Meditation helps me to reach my inner soul and connect with it, from this action, all of my problems are solved.  I know that when I’ll grow up, I’ll travel the world and see how people are living. Many people don’t know that not everything in TV or movies is always right; there is a shocking reality behind each and every thing.  I want people to know, that peace will always survive, and racism will eventually fade away and die!!

Thank you for reading my letter, I hope to meet you all and learn about these projects even more.