Summer camp sows seeds of peace
By Yolande Knell
Maine, United States
Going to summer camp is a rite of passage for many young people in the United States.
It offers a chance to have fun outdoors while making new friends away from home.
The international camp set in woods by a glittering lake in Otisfield, Maine follows the same tradition but it also has a lofty ambition: to sow the seeds of peace in the Middle East.
Every year the youth organisation, Seeds of Peace, brings 340 teenagers to this remote site. Most are from Israel, the Palestinian territories and other parts of the Arab world.
"Seeds of Peace is the best experience that ever happened to me," says Nadia Tibi, 15, from Israel. "I've met people I never thought I would meet."
As she speaks, Nadia stands arm-in-arm with Majdoline Shahed, a 17-year-old Palestinian from Jerusalem.
Together the teenagers shout in support of their team-mates competing on the playing field. They wear matching blue t-shirts and face-paint.
Opportunities to meet
For the past three weeks Nadia and Majdoline have slept in neighbouring bunk beds.
Each day they eat together, do joint activities and attend dialogue sessions with counsellors to discuss their experiences of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
"This is the only place that you can be with people from different cultures and countries and talk very honestly," says Majdoline.
Seeds of Peace was set up by the late American journalist John Wallach in 1993.
He saw there were few opportunities for young Israelis and Palestinians to meet and believed this encouraged them to grow up seeing each other as enemies.
The camp has seen highs and lows reflecting progress and setbacks in the Middle East peace process.
The first 46 boys who travelled to Maine were together when news broke of the Oslo Accords.
"We were euphoric," remembers co-founder, Bobbie Gottshalk.
"We thought the weight was off everyone's shoulders and now we were just going to work on making the peace happen."
The campers were invited to attend the signing ceremony in Washington after they impressed First Lady Hillary Clinton during a White House tour.
"Then things started to unravel."
'Nearly destroyed'
On Ms Gottshalk's table in her cabin at the camp sits a photograph of Asel Asleh, a popular Arab-Israeli Seed.
He was shot dead by Israeli security forces at the start of the second Palestinian intifada in 2000.
"It nearly destroyed us," she says. "But you know young people have a spirit about them, an optimism that just can't be quelled that easily."
Outside camp director Leslie Lewin speeds across the waterlogged grass in a golf cart on her way to inspect a rope course.
Constant rain has been the latest challenge at the camp.
Yet Mr Lewin is convinced the past three weeks will have a life-changing effect on the teenagers who are about to go home.
"For so many of these kids, coming here is what it took to hear the other side of the story.
"I think that this basic level exposure has a really strong impact on the future."
Security restrictions make it hard for former Seeds in the West Bank and Gaza to meet Israelis they befriend at the camp in Maine.
But where possible, workers in the region arrange follow-up events and dialogue sessions.
"Things don't end after you leave camp. Actually you have more to do when it finishes," says Mirna Ansari, a second-year camper.
She has stayed in touch with an Israeli friend she met at camp two years ago through the Internet.
The girl also visited her family in Ramallah. "She really enjoyed it," says Mirna.
"Now I do think that there will be peace between Israel and Palestine. If we as teenagers believe that, then when we grow up we will work on it."
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Max S on -
I got this from the BBCnews website. If anyone know how to put photos onto a discussion can they tell me because I can't work it out and have tried for the last ten minutes and I want to murder my computer now. Cheers.
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Permalink Reply by Wael Al Saad (Jafra) on -
go to add image
applied an image > brows > ..
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Permalink Reply by Catherine on -
Thanks Max - I am sitting here at my desk looking out at an empty camp (last week was the last summer camp session until school groups begin again) and this lifted my spirits. Camp is a magical place - it is a cliche' but it is true.
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Permalink Reply by Max S on
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I am glad I lifted your spirits. Being British I don't understand these summer camp things and to be honest they sound like hell to me. When it comes to summer I don't want to be running around I want to lie in a hamock in the garden, a glass of wine in my hand and pretend that I am a millionaire. Sure, when I was younger I would have loved it but not now. Still tell me more about these camps.
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Permalink Reply by Catherine on
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Check this out -
Let me know if the link doesn't work and I can email this to you. The author is also involved in bringing I/P youth to camp in the US. Summer camp is about relationships. Sometimes that happens in the "running around" but there are also plenty quiet times. Campfire was always my favorite time of day. The camp I am at now had a number of staff from Britain - even a Welshmen! This year they did much of their international recruiting in Belfast. I was really bummed I didn't get to go on that trip! The story you posted is exactly what I want to be involved with.
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Permalink Reply by Catherine on
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OK - the link didn't show up - I don't know what I am doing wrong...
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Permalink Reply by Max S on
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Can you find me the link? Ask Roni or Paul they are the technology wizards here (I am the donkey so I haven't got a clue).
If you are interested in getting involved in Seeds of Peace then this link will be of some use:
http://www.seedsofpeace.org/getinvolved
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Permalink Reply by Catherine on
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http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=17141
The author does a camp similar to the SOP camp.
Here is my camp -
http://gallery.campmanitou-lin.org/
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Permalink Reply by amiera on -
This is fantastic...
One day when I grow up (have money and contacts)... this is exactly what i'd like to do. Construct a different cross-cultural identity for I/P while young. I'd also like to work towards reforming the education systems- introducing history books on both sides that are unbiased and work towards developing a common history...
One day!
:)
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Permalink Reply by Max S on
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Wrong attitude Amiera.
Not one day. Soon.
No, I know what you mean. I think the same way but there are lots of things like this. Do you know the hand in hand school? http://www.handinhand12.org/. The truth is there are a lot of these type of things going on but they do not get enough coverage nor are they well organised. How many people on this website are doing similar things but are unaware of it? The answer is a lot.
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Permalink Reply by amiera on
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Yeah... this is the thing with NGOs... I'm working with one at the moment, and in our partner areas... there's so many programmes that are essentially the same and struggling from week to week to provide for the communities etc. It's difficult. I hope to attempt to avoid this by working my way up there. I think educational reform is probably one of the most difficult, but one of the most important tasks ahead. It's so obvious even on this site, how different people's versions of the past are- and it is again clear that in these cases... it is too late for change- their minds are stuck on what they have always been told is right... even if ALL of the facts point the opposite way. we need to get in there young, and state-wide. How to do that, is another (unknown) matter!
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