KIMUN 2017 was an unforgettable experience, not only because it was my first conference abroad, but because it was also my first time in Kosovo, a place rich of culture, friendly people and much more.

Before the trip, I had mixed feelings about it. It wasn’t my first time abroad without my parents, but it was my first time abroad with people whom I’ve never met before, total strangers. I wasn’t nervous, but I was a little bit concerned about what’s going to be there and how I’m going to adapt. But as soon as I arrived, I realized that everything is going to be just fine. The people who were complete strangers became a second large family.

In Kosovo we did a little of everything: some tourism, some MUNing, some shopping, and the most important: we made new friends. I personally enjoyed each and every bit of this trip thoroughly. We visited many historical and cultural places, especially on the day in which we visited Prizren. We firstly visited one of the mosques of the city. Secondly, we visited the church of mother Teresa who is considered an important national figure for Kosovars and Albanians. We then headed to meet with the head of the Jewish community in Prizren, and crowned the day with a visit to a Sufi mosque.

I made a lot of ‘international friends’ in Kosovo, from Kosovo and from other countries as well. These friends are super special, everyone of them has his own interesting story. and I hope I’ll meet them again very soon.

This trip ended with a bittersweet feeling. I was happy that I was part of it, and sad that it’s done. It is an experience of a life time.

My advice: Do not hesitate to take part in events like this. Pack your bags, and head straight to the plane, just don’t forget your passport.

By: George Abu Daoud

By Noam Williams

Let’s begin from the end. I know that i’ll come back to Kosovo and I’ll continue being in touch with my friends from the delegation and my Albanian friends.

On 29.11 me and 10 students from all over the country: 5 muslim arabs, 5 jews  ( including me) and 1 christian flew to Kosovo. Before the flight I didn’t know much about Kosovo or about the kids that flew with me, but now sitting in my house in Netanya four days after I came back I can say that I met some amazing kids  and I discovered a unique country with a unique culture and some warm people.

When we arrived at the hotel, the best moment of the trip for me happened.

 At 11:59 PM, all the delegation were in the lobby with me and we counted the seconds  till my birthday. And at 00:00  all of the delegation sang happy birthday to me in three different languages: english, hebrew, and arabic,. It was really unique and in that moment I understood that this was a unique trip and that these kids are my friends.

1.12

My birthday. We went in the morning to the UN mission to Kosovo they explained to us about their work and their project. I really liked that meeting because my dream job is to work in the UN.

After this we went to a big shopping center where we bought present for our families, and afterwards we met some of our Albania friends. In the beginning i was scared because they were older than us by 5 years. But they sang to me happy birthday in Albanian!

2.12

The first day of the conference we met our Albanian and Turkish friends from the american school in Kosovo.  

We spoke about sports and hobbies in our countries  and had fun

3.12

We went to Prizren one of the  most beautiful cities i ever saw.

But before we arrived there we stopped in the house of the Albanian/Kosovo national hero (Adem Jashari) his story was really sad. Afterwards we went to Prizren where we visited a unique road. This road included a sufi mosque a Sunni mosque, an Albanian church and a serbian orthodox church and a jewish center which is still being built. We met the head of the jewish community, and I translated for him from french to English, and we also met the head of the Catholic church and the head of a Sufi community

Meeting those people that live in peace was really inspirational and unique  

4.12

The first day of the mun. It was really fun and challenging it was fun representing the country that i got and i really  had fun with they other kids.  

5.12

The last day. It was a full and hard day

In the morning we did check out i was really sad because i understood that it’s my last day in this amazing country.

We went to Kosovo parliament for the last session of the mun. At the end of the conference, after all the pictures, we  all signed  each other on the signs of the state. We arranged to meet in the evening with the friends from the American school and went to speak with the representative from the American Embassy. The representative explained to us about her life as a diplomat and explained to us her difficulties in work.

Then we went to a restaurant and talked to different people

And then we went to meet with the only family from Kosovo who has been recognized so far by Yad Vashem as חסידי אומות עולם . They explained to us about Besa, something that I personally think should be explained to every Israeli wherever he is. After the conversation we went out for two hours with our friends from the American school. We took photos . They came with us to the hotel and told us all to see each other in the hope that we would meet again.

Then we went to the airport and realized that it’s the end of the trip . I’ll come home with all my experiences and all my new friends.

I knew that I would return to Israel and tell everyone about the most enjoyable trip.

The MUN conference in Kosovo was an experience that changed my life. I met incredible people that I now consider family. In previous conferences I was active during the debate but failed to make personal connections with the people around me. This conference was different. Even though I had only met the group I traveled with two days before the conference I already trusted them and loved them. They made this conference an amazing experience through which I made many connections I hope to keep. Those people, so different from me that I would never have imagined they could be my friends, became people I trust with my life.

Some of them don’t share my religion. Some don’t share my ethnicity. Others don’t share my opinions. And I had a great time arguing with all of them. I argued about politics and about human rights. I argued about capitalism and about the army. I was challenged. I was forced to think differently and creatively. It was an exercise for the mind, and I came out of it with some new perspectives, but also more confident than ever in some of my own.

The trip to Kosovo also introduced me to an amazing country with great sights and incredible stories. I learned about the national hero of Kosovo, and about a Jewish doctor and an Albanian man who saved each other’s lives during World War II. I saw churches, mosques and a Jewish community center standing one next to the other. I had snow fights on old bridges and passed an abandoned church on my way to the university of Pristina. I nearly froze to death and five different people offered me five different kinds of help. I shopped for clothes and walked around the biggest mall I have ever seen.

All those things and many more made this an unforgettable experience. I was very happy to come back home, to my family and my friends, but I carry this trip with me, and talk to the friends I made there all the time.

By Inbar Shaked Vardi

It took me a few days to process everything I experienced during my time in Kosovo as a part of the “Debate for Peace” MUN delegation.

Such a wonderful country with a great and interesting history and culture and even greater people.

The Kosovars who accompanied us during our stay there couldn’t have been more welcoming, the kindness and hospitality that was shown to us is definitely a thing that I will never forget!

Another thing that I found admirable is the freedom of religion in Kosovo, whether if it is the people who were so interested in my Jewish identity and Israeli ethnicity or whether is this one street that we saw which included a church, a mosque and a synagogue.

In terms of our delegation, I was lucky to meet such inspirational teenagers with such a diversity of ethnicity, religion and political stands.

We argued, we debated but mostly we loved each other, and that is the ideal of the relationships between different groups in our land, we do not have to agree but we have to respect and cooperate in order to see a brighter future!       

By: Aviv Hanuka

All it took was a couple of days in Kosovo to make a family out of strangers.

When I got to the airport I was both exited and terrified, millions of questions going through my mind. Are the people I’m going with nice? How is the conference is going be? (We were still confused about how exactly the conference would work), will the food be good?

When we landed in Turkey we had 8 hours to kill. Steven told us to work together on our resolutions, but we were too tired to do anything. We did work a little but we ended just talking and having fun and getting to know each other. Let’s keep in mind we were 5 Jewish, 5 Muslims and 1 Christian, who all think differently from one another.

When we arrived in Kosovo, the people working at the airport were smiling at us, their smile was very welcoming.

The first day was meeting the others who were participating in the conference. It was kind of scary because they were older than us (20 and up), but talking to them made me at ease.

Second day was an opening ceremony for the conference, they divided us into groups to find resolutions on the topics we are debating about, and we got to meet more amazing people.

The third day we had a field trip to Vushtrri, one of the oldest cities in Kosovo, well known for its very old bridge that survived the war of Kosovo. Then to Prekaz, visiting the remains of the house of the legendary Kosovan commander Adem Jeshari, his grave and his family museum. Our final stop was in Prizren, the second largest city in Kosovo. In Prizren we visited Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites and we met with the head of the Catholic community in Kosovo, the head of the Jewish community in Kosovo, and the head of the Halveti Sufi order in the Balkans.

As the days went on, we’d go to the conference in the morning, then go to the meetings that Steven planned for us, meeting some amazing people, gotta thank Steven for that.

But let’s not forget the nights I shared with 10 amazing, cool people, having our own little party, waking each other up in the early morning to sneak out to see snow, sharing our stories, teaching each other some traditional dance moves, getting to know each other’s culture, teaching  the Jews some Arabic (that was the best).

And also the people we met from Kosovo are amazing, wonderful, awesome, super cool. The sweetest ones, they have become chapters in my life.

Goodbye was the worst. I’m going to miss every single person I met and got to know through the trip, I feel this trip needed more days, or it just ended too fast because we were having fun, I’m going to try my best to keep in connected with as many as I can.

The days I have been in Kosovo were one the best days in my life.
I got on a plane with strangers, and we came out as a family.

By Mariam Abdallah

By Mayada Othman

Kosovo International Model United Nations 2017:

I did not know that going to Kosovo would be that amazing.

At first, I was so scared and nervous-traveling abroad with people I didn’t know, especially since it was my first time to travel without my family.

But it turned out that you guys……. were more than a family. I literally enjoyed every second.

The eight hours we had to spend at the airport passed really fast: we talked, we played, we laughed and we helped each other with everything, just like family members, I love you guys.

The people in Kosovo were more than amazing , they did their best for us to always feel well and comfortable during our stay there. It really felt like home, ain’t no words can describe you guys️.

And I want to thank Mr. Steven Aiello, the director of “Debate for Peace” for taking care of us and for being really nice and lovely.

And last but not least, a huge thank to the person who always cheers me up, the one who was the main reason I got the opportunity to travel to Kosovo, the one who wants the best for me and for everyone, the one who always gives me the right advice at the right time, my best friend, my role model, and my English Teacher Mr. Salah Fokra, you are a real legend. Thank you for believing in me; I will never let you down.

And finally thank you all for making my senior year an unforgettable one 🇽🇰️.

About a week ago, my mom kissed me goodbye at the airport.

Then it was just me, my suitcase, my social anxiety and a group of people I have never seen before.

The first stop was Istanbul, where the connection has started while helping each other write resolutions for the MUN conference, the main reason for the trip. Between writing and taking photos of our Starbucks coffee mugs, we started to get to know each other.

The group was diverse, 11 delegates, 5 of them are Jewish, 5 are Muslims and one Christian. I was one of the Jewish ones. For me, the diversity between us was one of the main reasons for the trip to be even better than I could have ever imagined.

The night afterward was the night we met most of the other delegates that will be in the conference. I got really scared knowing that everyone was older than 20, and I was 15, a thought that quickly disappeared through the days while meeting another group of high school students that was in the conference as well.

Sunday was the day we had the field trip to Prizren, one of the prettiest places in Kosovo.
On our way, we saw the house and heard the story of the national hero of Kosovo, and for my opinion, one of the biggest heroes in Europe, Adem Jashari.

In Prizren itself, we met three amazing people, the priest and head of the Catholic cathedral, the leader of the Jewish community and the sheikh of the (Halveti) Sufi community.

The last couple of days, especially the KIMUN (Kosovo International MUN) conferences, that was an amazing experience for itself.

Never in my life did I think that I would have such an incredible experience and meet such amazing people.
I couldn’t ask for a better trip and I’m thankful for that.

by: Shaked Haninovich

A little over a week ago I left Israel for Kosovo with a unique delegation of 11 high school students: 5 Jewish, 5 Muslim, and 1 Christian. Coming from 9 cities or towns around Israel, many students met for the first time through this trip, but we left as a joint delegation to compete in the Kosovo International Model United Nations conference (KIMUN).

From previous experiences, including leading the first-ever Jewish-Arab MUN youth delegation abroad last year, I expected us to have a good time, and from my previous visit to Kosovo and Albania, I expected us to get a warm reception. But the last week exceeded even my most optimistic hopes.

From the very moment we arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, until the bittersweet end of the trip 6 days later, there was a powerful feeling of camaraderie that affected everyone around us. From security agents at the airport, to fellow passengers who stopped to say how impressed they were, to our wonderful hosts and the many amazing people we met in Kosovo: fellow students; religious leaders; diplomats, dozens of people got to witness what true Jewish-Arab and interfaith friendship can and should look like. Our group of 11 students truly lead by example.

Preparing for the conference

in Sabiha Gokcen airport

True to our name, we had many great debates and intense discussions. Naturally many people we met were curious to learn more about Israel, and learn they did—with a great diversity of views coming from our group. We had lively discussions on issues of equality and discrimination in Israel; Jerusalem, refugees and other potential negotiation topics; even over security profiling while waiting for our final flight in Istanbul. The different views and backgrounds of participants only enhanced the experience, and as I’ve come to expect from our students, utmost respect and appreciation for one another was shown at all times. In an intense and competitive international trip we faced different kinds of adversity, and students took turns helping one another.

In a trip like this, the differences between people—religious, political, ethnic, don’t disappear. Just the opposite—the deeper the friendships, the more we learn about one another, and even about ourselves. It’s the appreciation for what makes us person unique, and their particular combination of characteristics, backgrounds, and personal views, that brings us all together. The differences in accents between Arabic speakers of different towns, the Tunisian, Romanian, Iraqi heritages, the different perceptions of growing up in the same country–these differences only brought us together and made the group as a whole stronger and more special.

Kosovo, with its strong history of religious tolerance, and more recent efforts to rebuild a sense of national community via democratic and grass-roots institutions after bitter ethno-religio-political conflict, was really the ideal destination for such a delegation. In Prizren I prayed minha (the Jewish afternoon prayer) in a mosque, then we walked down the street, passing Serbian and Albanian orthodox churches before reaching the still under-construction Jewish community center, facing the Roman Catholic cathedral. Within 3 hours we met with the head of the Catholic community in Kosovo, the head of the Jewish community in Kosovo, and the head of the Halveti Sufi order in the Balkans. All unique, all distinct, all Albanian and with admiration for one another. And in Prishtina we heard about Besa—the uniquely Albanian code of honor in which hospitality for those who reach your home trumps any differences, and by which humanity persevered in at least one nation during the Holocaust, with thousands of Jewish refugees saved by Albanian heroes.

Meeting the head of the Jewish community

Meeting the head of the Catholic community

Meeting the head of the Halveti community

Catholic church visit

I look forward to many such future delegations, and to seeing where our students can take these experiences and how they will incorporate them into their lives, and impart them upon the people they meet. As future leaders, they have incredible potential, and when they work together as a group of diverse young leaders from different backgrounds, they become much more powerful, poised to amplify the influence. Which is good, since they have many lessons to teach the world.

By: Steven Aiello

My name is Alon Mor, almost 16 years old from Petah Tiqwa (a boring little city near Tel Aviv), and I study in Ben Gurion High School.

I have been in MUN and Debate for Peace for three years including this year. During this time, I have experienced many new interesting and unique things that I doubt I could have done if I wouldn’t have joined the team. I participated in many UN conferences, mostly here in Israel and one even in Romania, and traveled abroad to a Leadership Camp in Connecticut, in the US.

Participation in MUN has brought many benefits for me: My English has improved, I educated myself about different countries in the world, I met amazing people from amazing communities that I would not meet without this program and I improved my teamwork abilities, and now, I am more comfortable with such work.

Many countries have recently chosen young leaders to lead them for a better future: France elected a 35-year-old President, Austria chose a 31-year-old Chancellor…. So I believe we are “old enough” to try and work together, Arabs and Jews, to build trust and aim for a better future (certainly our leaders aren’t very good at it). Call me “naïve”, I don’t give up.

Goededag!

My name is Zohar Yaron, currently living in Even Yehuda for ten years after moving back to Israel from the Netherlands. I am 17 and I study in the Wizo Hadassim high school.

Several months ago I discovered Debate for Peace through my English teacher, who had recommended me to go to a meeting in the US embassy.
After the meeting, I came out of the building overjoyed, knowing that I wanted to see what more Debate for Peace had to offer, and I wasn’t disappointed.

At the end of October, 6 students, including myself, were chosen to speak on a panel in Tel Aviv so that we could explain what Debate for Peace is and our experiences from it. I prepared a speech ahead of time, memorized it and still held it under my eyes so I wouldn’t forget anything.

Speaking in front of a crowd always has been one of my biggest fears and so the biggest block in my road. Whenever I stand in front of an audience knowing I will have to speak I get tense and uneasy, stutter, choke and start mixing between all the languages I know.
But as I was waiting for my turn, I listened to my friends speaking from their hearts, I looked at the audience and saw all of their eyes shine with hope and pride, their words were touching everybody. They had not rehearsed their speeches; they spoke what was true for them and what they were feeling confident about.

When it was my turn, I folded the paper, took a deep breath and said everything that came to mind and when I looked back at the audience, their eyes were shining at me as well.

Debate for Peace has taught me plenty of new skills for debate, diplomacy and more. But most importantly, for life as well, and I intend to use those skills to give others hope, help solve conflicts and keep improving myself and my surroundings.