Interfaith conference at the Ahmadiya community in Haifa
Peace be upon you, vibrant community
Allah says in the Noble Quran [ O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.]
One of the most educational platforms which I’ve joined in my life is MUN (Model United Nations).
It’s the main activity through which I have been able to develop many aspects in my life, including the social aspect, by joining conferences, debating, attending lectures, negotiations…etc.
And this is acceptable in Islam because Allah says in the Quran [25. Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! Your Lord is Best Aware of him who strays from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright].
With regards to this issue, I become motivated by MUN so I consider it is as the best stage in order to accomplish the message of my Lord, in addition to meeting new people from different countries, cultures..etc. It offers the best way to react with others, especially for me as a religious person, and additionally, you’ll become more open minded from many sides especially the political one.
Ali volunteering in south Tel Aviv
I hope that everyone who wants to start a new page in his life will join MUN
My name is Fiona. I’m a Filipino-Indonesian currently living in Israel. In recent years, I have learned the importance of youth empowerment. In a country where conflict is prevalent, youth are often silenced. Debate for Peace empowers youth in need of a platform. Debate for Peace has enabled me to feel empowered as a teenager, living in a world faced with conflicts.
In July 2017, I had the opportunity to partake in an Israeli-Palestinian negotiations simulation. It is vital to acknowledge one of the most contentious, complicated and volatile issues of our time. Our delegation had the ability to meet people with a diverse array of perspectives regarding the conflict with the common aim of working towards a peaceful resolution. It is imperative to consider the agenda of this simulation, which was to bridge the void between different perspectives. The sole concept of a community of people striving for peace enabled me to restore faith and hope in conflict resolution. We spent two days with long hours, discussing different key aspects of the conflict. Despite the difficult concessions and negotiations, we were able to come to a peaceful resolution through initiating dialogues. This event was a paradigm which showed that peaceful dialogues can lead to change without resorting to violence.
The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations simulation was one of the many opportunities I have been a part of that have inspired me significantly. As an individual who strongly believes in coexistence, the importance of diversity and peacemaking, Debate for Peace embodies such beliefs for me. Debate for Peace has connected me and many others in the hopes of working towards peace through peaceful dialogue, activities and conferences. Debate for Peace continuously allows us to speak, inspire and change the world around us. To my Debate for Peace family, may we continue to change and inspire the world we live in and achieve our prospects.
My name is Marsel Badir. I am currently 16 years old, and I live in Kfar Qasim. I am Muslim, I study in Al-Qasemi High School in Baqa al-al-garbiyye and most importantly I am part of a group called Debate for Peace!
I’ve been doing Model UN for the past one and a half year and honestly its been an amazing time!
Debate for Peace opened a channel that I did not believe existed up until my first conference. The first time I stood up to represent a country, the first speech, the one that made me shake the most was the one to make all of the difference. It made me realize that policy is not only about change, it is the way we embrace ourselves and we share our opinions with the acknowledgement that even though we are so diverse, we are not that different.
I made that choice to stand up and talk and without that first step I couldn’t have met all of the people that I’ve come to know today, some of the most amazing people that I believe to exist in this world of difference. Close friends, amazing people, my brothers and sisters of this humanity. For you we might be young diplomats, but for us Debate for Peace is family. And for that I am super thankful and I hope this family grows bigger and bigger with every person who joins, for we are the future. We build the change we want to see and we do it by debate, For peace 🙂
ما هي أفضل تجربة ممكن ان يخوضها شخص في سن السادسة عشر
بالنسبة لي اظن ان بداية أفضل تجربة لي كانت عند اختياري لأكون ضمن فرقة مكونة من ثمانية اشخاص لتمثل جمعية Debate For Peaceفي المؤتمر الذي أقيم في مقر الاتحاد الأوروبي في بروكسل– بلجيكا.
خلال المؤتمر مثلت عدة جمعيات وطرحت عدة مواضيع لكن الموضوع الرئيسي الذي تمحور عليه المؤتمر كان الصراع الإسرائيلي الفلسطيني، ما هو الوضع الراهن وما هي الحلول المقترحة لحل الازمة.
تسنت لي الفرصة لترجمة خطاب زياد سباتين ممثل جمعية “طريق الامل والسلام” من اللغة العربية الى الإنجليزية والذي تحدث عن معاناته في سجون الاحتلال وعن فكرة جمعيته.
Hilde Vautmans حضر عدد كبير من الأشخاص الى المؤتمر منهن عضوة البرلمان البلجيكي ،
Victor Bostinaro عضو الاتحاد الأوروبي
و السفير الفرنسي والممثل الدائم لفرنسا في مجلس السياسة والامن في الاتحاد الأوروبي
H.E. Ambassador Nicolas Suran
بعد المؤتمر حصلنا على فرصة التعرف والتحدث الى جميع الحاضرين ومعرفة آرائهم حول الصراع.
وخلال فترة مكوثنا في بلجيكا قابلنا مدير إدارة عمليات السلام في مؤسسة السلام الرومانية والذي تحدث عن ماهية الاستراتيجيات واهميتها في عمليات جلب السلام
كما اننا قابلنا عضوة البرلمان البلجيكي Simone Susskindوطرحنا عليها عدة أسئلة مثل ما هو سبب اهتمامها بالصراع الإسرائيلي الفلسطيني.
خلال هذه الأربعة أيام اكتسبت فعلا افضل تجربة ان التواجد في الاتحاد الأوروبي في سن صغير ومعرفة كم لدينا قدرة كبيرة ان نحدث تغيير وان نلهم العديد من الأشخاص هو امر رائع.
اليوم تبلورت في عقلي فكرة افضل عما يحدث حولي، تجربة مثيرة لزيادة الوعي و لتعزيز الثقة والثقافة.
Debate for Peace at the European Parliament, Oct. 19, 2017
This month (October 2017) a group of six participants in the “Debate for Peace” MUN network, accompanied by Steven Aiello- the “Debate for Peace” founder and a “Debate for Peace” alumna- Hala Majadley, traveled to Brussels, Belgium. The highlight of the trip was participating in a special session at the European Parliament that tackled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with an emphasis on civilized cooperation between the two nations.
On the first day that followed the group’s landing in Brussels the group attended the European Parliament, where they have heard two different panels of speakers talk about their perspectives and personal experiences with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first panel was named “Local perspectives on the peace process – Identifying needs – based solutions.” Steven Aiello was the first panelist, and he spoke about his experience with MUN in Israel and the founding and development of “Debate for Peace”. Steven was followed by Sara Linder, the founder of the “Political is Personal” organization that emphasizes the “feminine” side of the conflict, bringing both Israeli-Jewish and Palestinian women together in order to create and spread the value of peace. After Sara, Mohammad Asideh – A Palestinian non-violent activist had the floor and spoke about the importance of civilized, non-governmental cooperation between the civilians of Israel and Palestine. The founders of the “Path of Hope and Peace”, Phil Saunders and Ziad Sabateen, had the floor after Mohammad. Phil Saunders spoke mainly about his move from the Israeli metropolis Tel-Aviv to a small town called “Tzur Hadassah”, located just inside the so called “Green Line” and about his cooperation and experience with the Palestinians. Ziad expressed his dissatisfaction with the political efforts on both sides. Yafa Nassar a “Debate for Peace” student and participant, helped translate Ziad’s speech from Arabic to English for the audience.
Debate for Peace member Yafa Nassar translates at the European Parliament
The second panel was titled “Beyond the Paris Peace Conference – what role for the EU in the peace process” and consisted of three panelists who gave different perspectives about the way the EU should\shouldn’t intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The first panelist who had the floor was Kai Brand-Jacobsen, the director of PATRIR. Kai spoke about the somewhat decreasing belief in the “peace process” on both sides and about how peace is better built through talks and projects than weapons. The second speaker was Nicolas Suran, the ambassador of France to the EU, who mentioned the French support to the conflict and also spoke about the importance of taking advantage of the peace opportunities that we have today because they may not be there in the future. The last panelist Dr Tony Klug – special advisor on the Middle East to Oxford Research Group, consultant to the Palestine Strategy group and Israel Strategic Forum, talked about his hope for peace and how we should not trust slogans but take actual acts, to achieve peace.
After the second panel came to an end the floor was open for questions from the audience. One of the Israeli students Aviv Hanuka got the opportunity to ask the panel a question about what future peace efforts by the EU could do to perform better than previous efforts that have failed to achieve peace between the two nations.
DfP students Aviv (right), Omar (left) and Marsel (2d from left) with audience member
Right after the panel the students also got the opportunity to attend a reception with the audience, and the other panelists, which was a great chance to talk with the many interesting people who attended the conference.
Another enriching experience that the students enjoyed in this delegation occurred the next morning, when the group participated in a peace and conflict solving strategic workshop run by PATRIR’s Director of Peace Operations -Kai Brand-Jacobsen. The students discussed a lot of important questions such as: Why creating a strategy is especially important in peace building and how to create the pathways for peace.
As Claire Payne, Founder, EPMED, & PATRIR IPDTC Global Coordinator said: “It was wonderful to have the students of Debate for Peace among us for the EPMED PATRIR Conference ‘Palestinians and Israelis: Moving Towards Needs-Based Solutions’. They brought a whole new level of energy, passion, determination, and most importantly, hope. They showed the European Parliament an initiative which most in the room had never heard of, and rather than the typical negative dynamics we so often hear and experience in an event on this contentious conflict, we instead felt uplifted and reassured that the youth may be able to take us in a new direction. Rather than focusing on the past, they focused on the future. Each of them used the opportunity to the full, networking and questioning senior officials on their career paths, how they themselves could get there, and what they should study. In a politically-charged environment, with discourse stuck in tit-for-tat retributions, Debate for Peace was a breath of fresh air, and I have no doubt that they will go on to do great things for their country and the world”.
On Friday evening the Arab-Jewish delegation attended services at a liberal synagogue in Brussels. In addition to the prayers, the students got to present themselves and answer questions, and then shared a potluck dinner with the synagogue and its members and friends.
At the Beth Hillel synagogue
On Saturday, the last day of the delegation to Brussels the students started off with a breakfast and introduction with Avi Goldstein- the director of PATHWAYS institution for negotiation education. As Avi said later: “It was a pleasure to meet the participants from Debate for Peace during their recent visit to the European Parliament in Brussels. Composed, focused and motivated, they formed an inspiring inter-communal delegation with a timely message of the importance of joint problem-solving, two-way communication, and honest – even if sometimes difficult – discourse about tough, systematic issues. We can all learn much from these young leaders.”
Debate for Peace at the Atlantic Treaty Association
The group also had the chance to visit and learn about the Atlantic Treaty Association, and the Brussels Parliament. After three intensive days of learning, presenting, and eating waffles, it was finally time to return home to Tel Aviv.
Seeing the sights on the way to the European Parliament
Or Moshe represents Debate for Peace at United Nations Day 2017 in Jerusalem
United Nations Day–on October 24th, marks the signing of the UN Charter in 1945. It has been recognized as a holiday for almost 70 years, since 1948. Yesterday, Ort Givatayim senior Or Moshe got to represent Debate for Peace at the 2017 United Nations Day celebration, at the UN building in Armon Hanatziv, Jerusalem. We are grateful to UNTSO for extending the invitation and helping to strengthen the UN-Model UN connection. Or was one of the youngest participants at the event, and she shares her thoughts on the occasion below.
“Today, I had the opportunity to participate in an actual UN event and get a glimpse into the world of professionals. It has been an incredible experience. I have met and talked with people from UNTSO and the Israeli office for foreign affairs. I had the honor of participating in a UN memorial ceremony with soldiers from all over the world. I learned about different countries and cultures around the world and even tasted exotic food from the Caribbean.”
When UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressed a closed audience at the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv University last month, 8 Debate for Peace youth leaders had the opportunity to be part of the audience. We thank the staff of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) for helping to ensure that the leaders of the future get to hear from today’s global leaders.
Waiting to hear from the UN Secretary General
As their comments after the event show, students were appreciative of this special opportunity, and especially impressed by how the UN Secretary General addressed the difficult history of Jews in Portugal head-on, acknowledging travesties and tribulations, and taking responsibility for part iniquities.
Yuval (Ort Rabin in Gan Yavne)
Meeting the Secretary General was truly an experience. His speech was very interesting and meeting such an important diplomat is truly an honor. I’m very glad I had the opportunity to attend the event.
Sana (Al-Qasemi High School in Baqa al-Gharabiya)
The UNSG was very warm and thankful to be there, and I am very happy I got to be a part of something like this, something that doesn’t happen often. It was a great opportunity and a wonderful experience
Alon (Ben Gurion High School in Petah Tiqva)
The experience of hearing Mr. Guteress’s speech was very interesting. It was a huge honor for me to attend the speech of such an important person. I learned from the speech that Portugal had an unfortunate history with its own Jews.
Ben (Yachad High School in Modi’in)
It was such an interesting environment to be in, and it really puts you in perspective where you will you be if you’ll work hard enough. Hearing the Secretary General talking about problems relevant to this day and apologizing for his native country’s crimes against the Jewish community back in the 15th century was extremely moving.
Zohar (Wizo Hadasim High School in Even Yehuda)
The UN Secretary General spoke truthfully about his country [Portugal], about its mistakes during the Second World War and has apologized. It showed that he has taken responsibility of their past and that he truly strives to improve the situation.
Yafa(Bashaer High School in Sakhnin)
It was an honor to meet the Secretary General of the United Nations. I felt a wonderful feeling: everything was perfect and exciting. It was an unforgettable experience that I would like to repeat again.
Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you my life-changing trip to the US this summer.
Following Debate for Peace MUN conferences, I was invited to the Jerusalem PeaceBuilders summer camp in Houston, Texas. In the beginning I had some doubts about the camp and the fact that I was going to be the only Israeli Jewish male in the camp, but I went anyway. I was wrong to doubt– the JPB camp was beyond my expectations!
Speaking at a mosque in the Bronx
In this camp I got the unique opportunity to spend almost 2 weeks with youth in my age. I met so many new friends and we had so much fun together doing summer camp activities and peace-building dialogues. The meaning of the camp for me was creating these bonds between the religiously diverse participants and making us better interfaith citizens.
In our time at the JPB program I got to attend a Juma’a prayer in a mosque and a Communion service in a cathedral for my first time! It was so new for me and I’m glad I could observe it. We also went to a Reform Judaism synagogue, where we held a service in different way from what I’m used to, as an orthodox.
Preparing to go on-field at our first baseball game!
The second part of my trip was in NYC and NJ. Together with Debate for Peace director Steven Aiello and a fellow Muslim Arab student Khetam Kalash, we represented Debate for Peace and talked to fellow interfaith leaders in the metropolitan area of New York. I had so much joy spending time with people who care about a better, peaceful future. I feel as they brought me a new, stronger second wind to work harder for bringing people together, and creating more friendships between those close, yet so far, communities.
Khetam Kalash, 16, from Nahda High School in Kufr Kara, spent 2.5 weeks this summer at the Jerusalem Peace Builders camp in Houston followed by the Debate for Peace extension in NYC. These are her reflections from the trip:
“I don’t know from where to start, it’s just too much to tell, but the most important: it’s unforgettable.
On the 2d of August, it all started.
My parents left me with the JPB (Jerusalem Peace Builders) participants in the airport after a lot of hugs and instructions; I’m leaving them for 3 weeks! And after 15 hours of flights, we finally arrived in Texas, USA to start the journey or you can call it a challenge too, for two weeks.
Now you’re probably wondering what is JPB? JPB is an American organization that picks all different (and unique) Muslim, Jewish, and Christian students from Israel and the US ages (14-18) and brings them together to discuss how things go in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, how people see it, what’s the point of view for each one of us and how can we bring peace and live together in one country, or maybe two in the future!
We heard from an imam, a rabbi and a priest, we prayed together, we ate together, we slept together, we shared everything together, we had no hate for anyone, we were such a family! And yes, it was amazing and brought hope for each one of us that this is gonna happen! That we don’t have to hate each other because of political reasons that have no sense maybe, we’re all humans who bleed the same blood, we’re all equal! What made me strongly believe in this, once during the program we went to a church, the imam and the rabbi sang there like we’re all the same belonging to the same god, religions can’t divide us!
Meeting a Holocaust survivor friend in Manhattan
After these beautiful 2 weeks, me and Omri (a Jewish student my age) got to travel to New York to share and talk about a program we have in Israel called “Debate For Peace” for high school students (aged 15-18), which brings Arab and Jewish students together in different (Arab and Jewish) cities all around Israel through the school year, and sometimes in the summer vacation too! We debate and discuss different topics that usually students don’t think about or don’t have the chance to talk about it.
In this program we have a conference every 3 months on average, and each conference has a topic like religions/ peace/ refugees.. and it’s divided into committees (25 student for every committee). Each participant has a random country to represent in some topic, and should represent it well even if its policies don’t agree with our beliefs, and in the end we have a best and an outstanding delegate for each committee. But the main goal is not about winning and debating, it’s mainly about gathering Arab and Jewish students together, as well as improving our English (as a third language for Arabs and a second language for Jewish students) and raising our self confidence by challenging ourselves to stand up and speak.
Speaking on a panel at a synagogue in New Jersey
So what did we do in New York City for a week? We visited 2 mosques and 2 synagogues, the embassy of Kosovo, the Center of Jewish History, and did a lot of other interesting and fun things.
We got the chance to introduce our program (Debate for Peace) and talk a little about our experience in JPB, and as you would expect, we had a lot of support and a lot of questions about Israel and Palestine, and how Arabs, Muslims and Jewish people live together.
For me it was such an unforgettable experience that changed me in a good way, how to see and deal with things better, and how “physical age” can’t stop you from accomplishing “big things” or things that older people don’t have the courage to do. For instance, I was the first non-jewish Arab speaker in one synagogue in New York to come talk about peace, and I’m only 16! What you only have to do, is to believe in yourself and then you can achieve great things!”
On April the 21st, our group volunteered to help take care of kids in a kindergarten in south Tel-Aviv, as a way to strengthen the sense of community in a place where it is much needed, as well as empowering the sense of team work and self worth.
Our group is constructed of about eleven 16-19 year old students who come from all over Israel, starting with Kufr Bara All the way to Gedera, and who come from different religious backgrounds. Here is some of the feedback we got from the kids:
“It was an amazing experience,
I really enjoyed it even though it was a little bit tiring. So happy that I got to meet the lovely children. Hope that we could do it again:)”
-Donia Daghash
“The other day was a great experience even though there were some challenges with people, I enjoyed having fun with the kids”
-Serena Bush
“I think it was a good experience to volunteer in tel aviv
But it was. Hot outside and we didnt have that much fun
Debate for Peace 