For the second summer in a row, Debate for Peace co-led a unique peacebuilding camp together with the Kosovo-based TOKA youth organization. This year’s program included over 30 students from 10 cities and towns around Israel, as well as Kosovo, Albania and the United States. The program ran from July 22-29, with the Debate for Peace delegation staying an extra day in Pristina for meetings.
As part of the camp, students participated in daily dialogue sessions, writing, storytelling or art workshops aimed at promoting empathy and bridgebuilding, engaged in “Forum Theatre”, Music for Dialogue, and created Social Action projects. They also enjoyed camp activities like Water Olympics, a basketball-volleyball tournament, desert making competition (Iron Chef), Cultural Night, and a scavenger hunt in Prizren.
Following the camp, Debate for Peace students visited Reporting House, where they learned about the consequences of armed conflict during Kosovo’s struggle for independence, and met with Leke Rezniqi, head of the Kosovo-Israel Friendship Association. On the final day in Kosovo, the delegation visited UNMIK, the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and learned all about its history and current work, including efforts to advance peace and reconciliation via youth engagement.
Debate for Peace thanks all of the members of TOKA camp for their full engagement in this opportunity, the only peacebuilding camp for Israeli, Palestinian, Balkan and American youth, and in particular expresses gratitude to Reporting House, Leke Rezeniqi, and the UNMIK staff for their generosity in meeting with our students, and to the entire TOKA staff, led by Nuhi and Donarte, and Debate for Peace interns Ariel and Gabe for their tireless efforts to ensure a special learning experience for each camper.
Debate for Peace 