Seeds of Peace Special Report | Fall 2005

SPECIAL REPORT FALL 2005

Oldest Seeds Alumni Poised for Success After...

THE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

The Ultimate Reunion

“

It’s incredible to see the potential of the Seeds.

It’s unbelievable how talented we are. The only thing we are limited by is imagination; with us, everything’s possible.

”

–Summit Participant

This August, 120 American, Egyptian, Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian Seeds, now in their 20s, reconvened at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine for the first-ever Leadership Summit – one of the most important ventures in Seeds of Peace history.

The participants, alumni from years 1993-1999, included 11 of the 46 inaugural Seeds from 1993 who once stood together on the White House lawn as witnesses to the Oslo Accords signing 13 years ago!

The Summit provided these Seeds of Peace pioneers with the opportunity to engage once again in daily dialogue sessions, learn from professionals through lectures and careeroriented workshops, develop future alumni activities, and establish an association to enhance alumni involvement in the leadership of the organization.

Each morning, Seeds heard from leading professionals in various fields who challenged them to think critically about the role they can play as citizens of their countries and voices for change. Speakers included Shamil Idriss (Search for Common Ground), Kenneth Cohen (ExxonMobil), Doug Suisman (Suisman Urban Design; Lead Author of RAND's The Arc: A Formal Structure for a

Photos: Susi Eggenberger

Palestinian State), Keith Reinhard (DDB Worldwide), and Ambassador Swanee Hunt (Women & Public Policy Program, Harvard University).

Afternoon workshops in business, media and communications, politics, conflict resolution, and facilitation and mediation tasked Seeds to create projects upon their return home. Guest speakers attended the workshops as well including those from the Wharton School of Business, the Young Presidents’ Organization, the Portland Press Herald, the Palestinian American Interest Counsel, and the American Israel Affairs Interest Committee.

Countless innovative graduate program initiatives conceptualized by the Seeds themselves were developed including: • The Business Workshop will begin seminars and entrepreneurship programs to encourage both for profit and social entrepreneurship opportunities.

• The Media Workshop will aggressively target local Middle East press to raise awareness about Seeds of Peace.

• The Politics Workshop will initiate a Public Policy Journal as a forum for the exchange of ideas and debates

surrounding policy issues affecting Seeds from all nationalities.

• The Conflict Resolution Workshop will educate interested Seeds on the Arab-Israeli peace process with the goal of holding a political conference as a follow-up to the 1998 Seeds of Peace Summit of Villars.

Along with these promising new initiatives, the Seeds created an Alumni Association “to provide a structure for Seeds of Peace alumni to continue efforts toward cooperation and peace.” The newly-established group will sustain communication between alumni from different countries, support regional programs, provide a platform for Seeds to exchange ideas and engage in projects outside of Seeds of Peace, and encourage alumni to support activities for younger Seeds.

The Leadership Summit ushered in a new era for Seeds of Peace, setting forth a vision aimed at its oldest graduates to fulfill their promise as the next generation of leaders. Its success, and the impact these Seeds will have, is best left to one of the Seeds graduates who summed it up: “It’s incredible to see the potential of the Seeds. It’s unbelievable how talented we are. The only thing we are limited by is imagination; with us, everything’s possible.”

Four Hundred Young Leaders Graduate from...

The Seeds of Peace International Camp

“Peer Support” (returning campers) made the trip from Maine to Washington DC to gain a greater understanding about American institutions. Meeting leaders helped them learn how democracy works in the US to better develop their leadership skills upon their return home. During each visit, the PS campers visited the State Department, White House and congressional offices, as well as other cultural and community institutions.

The office of First Lady Laura Bush also graciously offered a special tour which made the trip extra exciting!

For the fourth year, stars from the National Basketball Association held a clinic, Play for Peace.

Players included Brian Scalabrine (Boston Celtics), Jason Collins (NJ Nets), Sean May (Charlotte Bobcats), Daniel Ewing (LA Clippers) and WNBA player Michelle Edwards (formerly of the Seattle Storm).

Play for Peace is organized each year by Arn Tellem, agent for the players and Seeds of Peace board member. This year’s clinic, as always, was a great success for the

before, this was my first time realizing that there is so much in common between us that not too many people speak about. This is why I am hopeful that one day I will not only spread this message to my friends and family but to the world.”

I’m an Israeli before I'm a Seed; I’m also a “human being before I'm an Israeli – Seeds of Peace makes this human being better that it was before. – Omri, Israeli

”

Photos: Susi Eggenberger

This summer brought another two incredible sessions at the Seeds of Peace International Camp with over 400 new Seeds and over 40 new Delegation Leaders graduating from the program. Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Moroccans, Yemenis, Indians, Pakistanis, Afghans, and American Seeds all bonded through daily activities such as dialogue sessions, sports and arts. For the first time in many years, Seeds of Peace brought Palestinian Seeds from Gaza as well as those from the West Bank who had been officially selected by the Palestinian Ministry of Education. Similarly, the Israeli Seeds were chosen by the Israeli Ministry of Education.

Seeds, the staff, and the players themselves. Sean May, on his first visit to Seeds of Peace reflected: “The highlight of the day were the dialogue sessions. I was so impressed listening to these young men and women talk the way they talk. It’s phenomenal.”

The camp's success might be best demonstrated by one of the new Seeds from Gaza named Yusuf: “At camp, I was able to meet Israelis, and although I have met Israelis

Three media pieces on CNN/CNNI and two on the CBS Early Show with anchor Harry Smith (pictured above), as well as articles by the Associated Press, alerted over 5 million people worldwide to Seeds of Peace this summer.

Adult Educators Teach Responsible Citizenship at...

The Arab Educators Seminar The Seeds of Peace Delegation Leaders Program brought 30 Arab educators together at Georgetown University in July for a 10-day seminar, Building School Environments that Encourage Responsible Citizenship in Youth.

Upon their return, the educators have collectively impacted over 3,000 people in their community including their students, school colleagues, and families. In the summer of 2006, Seeds of Peace will reunite the group in the Middle East as part of a follow-up seminar.

Photo: Ralph Alswang

Participating principals and teachers represented 16 Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian secondary schools. Funded by the US Department of State-MEPI and Seeds of Peace, the seminar introduced educators to new curriculum that encourage youth to be socially responsible, sensitive to gender equality, critical thinkers, tolerant of diversity, and prepared to participate actively in their communities. Stated one of the participants: “This seminar made me extremely aware of the shortcomings in our classrooms and it has given me ways to correct them.”

Seeds Continue Regional Programs through...

The Seeds of Peace Center for Coexistence While the Seeds of Peace International Camp was in session in Maine, the Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem held summer programs for Seeds graduates living in the region. Programs included dialogue sessions, events for Seeds parents, sports activities and a continuation of the Sesame Seeds project. These initiatives, as well as others, enabled the Seeds to impart their knowledge to their communities thus affecting and impacting others.

Political Seminars. Seminars for individual delegations were first held separately for Israelis and Palestinians as a foundation for a serious and larger bi-national political seminar that would focus on the Palestinian elections and the Israeli disengagement from Gaza. The final session included a private discussion with politicians and professional negotiators Sa’eb Erekat, Gelad Sher, and Robert Malley. Seeds took advantage of the personal meeting asking tough questions about recent political events and potential future steps towards achieving peace. This seminar also included a 3-hour training course called Education Towards Democracy.

From left to right, US negotiator Robert Malley, Palestinian negotiator Sa'eb Erekat, and Israeli negotiator, Gilad Sher.

Educational Seminar. Israeli and Palestinian Seeds gathered to discuss and exchange ideas about their educational experiences including classes, study habits, family, and friends. The seminar encouraged the Seeds to be savvy consumers of their education and posed difficult questions to them about the role of education, the differences between formal and informal educational systems, as well as the differences in the Israeli, Arab-Israeli and Palestinian high school curriculums. Said one Israeli Seed: “I learned about how everybody sees education in a different light; everyone has criticism of its own educational system as well as the system of others.”

Sesame Seeds. Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Seeds held numerous activities this summer to spread the Seeds of Peace values of tolerance and acceptance to young children. Palestinian Seeds, from Jerusalem and Bethlehem, ran a workshop at the Children Village SOS in Bethlehem that included a “Sesame Puppet Show” with activities corresponding to the show. The Israeli Seeds held four Sesame Seeds workshops at hospitals reaching 150 children. A social coordinator at the Israeli Ministry of Education praised the Seeds and thanked them for their commitment: “It was clear that you invested thought, effort, and tremendous attention in order to bring pride and happiness to the children.”

Shu’fat

Refugee

Camp.

Palestinian Seeds ran a 3-day program for 65 children from the Shu’fat Refugee Camp which included games, hands-on activities, as well as a visit to the Center in Jerusalem. Leena, a Palestinian Seed who helped organize this event commented: “These three days are some of the best days of my work at Seeds of Peace. Now I see how my Seeds work comes together to make one picture. The Shu’fat Refugee Camp has now invited the Seeds of Peace family back to honor us and the work we have done.” Community outreach projects such as these are making a difference, especially among the youth, by allowing the Seeds to teach and communicate the values and lessons learned at Seeds of Peace to others.

Center Color Games. To close out the summer, the Center held its own version of Color Games bringing almost 50 Israeli and Palestinian Seeds together. It was a day filled with laughter, fun competition and sporting events.

Seeds of Peace can make a change in our families, communities, and schools; it will be hard, but “we’ll do it because we succeeded doing it to ourselves. – Sabreen, Palestinian ”

Indian Seeds Visit Pakistan for...

The India-Pakistan Home Stay Program This summer, 26 Indian Seeds arrived in Lahore, Pakistan for the third annual India-Pakistan Home Stay program – an 8-day exchange filled with friendship, celebration, and determination.

The Seeds began with a 3-day workshop on coexistence and understanding. In addition, the Seeds participated in dialogue sessions, a well fought match of cricket, and school presentations that addressed students, teachers, and school officials. Indian Seeds were welcomed into the Pakistani homes and enjoyed home-cooked meals with the families, something that, even as bordering neighbors, they had never experienced. Upon her return, Trish, an Indian Seed said: “Lahore to me is now really like a home away from home.”

This annual Home Stay program allows the Seeds to continue the peacemaking and reconciliation work they started at camp and continue at home through year-round programs The Seeds are crossing borders, leading the way to peace for generations to come.

EVENTS

Coming Soon! Seeds of Peace now has its own version of those popular rubber bracelets with the word “peace” in Hebrew, Arabic, Dari, Urdu and Hindi. For information on how to purchase bracelets for yourself or your friends and family, visit www.seedsofpeace.org.

Seeds of Peace Annual Gala Dinner

Photos: Mia Matheson

In May, Seeds of Peace held its Annual Gala Dinner for over 500 guests that honored board members Helaine and Fred Gould and awarded CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Ami Ayalon and Sa’eb Erekat with the John P. Wallach Peacemaker Award. Ayalon was the former director of Israel’s Shin Bet and Commander of the Israeli Navy (ret.), and Erekat is the Chief Palestinian Negotiator. Also in attendance were the Prime Minister of Egypt, Ahmed Nazif and Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman.

US Mission to the United Nations

SAVE THE DATES • Thursday, February 16, 2006 Young Leadership Event, Skylight, NYC

Photo: Allen King

In September, the US Mission to the United Nations recognized Seeds of Peace for its work in promoting peace and two-track diplomacy in the Middle East. Israeli and Palestinian Seeds spoke on a panel entitled The Role of NGOs in Promoting Peace in the Middle East and later attended a special reception with Ambassador John R. Bolton, US Representative to the United Nations.

In Stores! Seed graduate Jennifer Miller’s first published book Inheriting The Holy Land: An American’s Search for Hope in the Middle East is an extraordinary synthesis of history, reportage, and coming-of-age memoir. It was inspired by interviews and reflections from her Israeli and Palestinian friends from Seeds of Peace.

• Monday, May 22, 2006 New York City 2006 Gala, The Pierre Hotel, NYC Visit www.seedsofpeace.org for other upcoming events around the country or to find out how you can get more involved.

www.seedsofpeace.org 370 Lexington Avenue, Suite 401 New York, NY 10017 Non Profit Org US Postage Paid Permit 3423 New York NY