Written by: Mohamad Jamous
AR Palestinian Director
Airports are one of the places where feelings go crazy, shivering in our souls. There, we mix all nationalities, religions and cultures and the airports remain crowded with an endless stream of feelings. Something beautiful and strange burns inside our souls, a chemistry activated by situations and people, and manifestations appear outside of us that we call joy, sadness, pain, comfort, anger.
In the airport, on my way to America, reflecting on my 30th birthday, I experienced feelings of longing and eagerness to fulfill the many years of work for peace that had taken so much to start, facing all kinds of challenges and obstacles to build it, and also, I felt eagerness to continue on this journey.
In the faces around me, I recognized the anticipation of meeting, and the pain of parting.
“Hope,” I see it in the gleam and luster of many eyes, and in the smiles on the lips of people passing me. Minds plan for the coming days, and hearts rejoice with memories, nostalgia, and the desire for a better future for our children.
My travel to the United States came through an invitation from The Abrahamic Reunion to participate in workshops and meetings to build our programs for 2022, especially to increase confidence between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples after the unfortunate violence the country recently faced.
I left the Holy Land for the United States sad, excited, and happy at the same time. Sad to leave two peoples I had worked to build bridges of hope between; and happy because I knew that this journey would make me more useful to both peoples when I returned.
With the joy of arriving, I awaited the completion of entry procedures, and met my second family, the family of peacemakers.
My journey in the United States began by getting to know new people, experts in their fields who increased our confidence and hopes in ourselves and taught us effective new ways to make a radical and positive change in a better direction. We learned smart new educational methods and systems that we will use to teach young and old to love the other.
One important method in our training was based on VR technology, a virtual reality simulation for effective intervention using a video game console and motion sensor. These systems display 3D models on a large panoramic wall screen, with images shown in actual size. Because of continued improvement in VR media, personal and simple devices can be used that are not complicated or expensive, and scientific studies have proven the efficiency of this innovative technology in transforming attitudes and behavior.
When parties to a conflict engage in armed hostilities, the narrative of the conflict and the experiences supporting it become a reality. We are trying to change the harsh logic of confrontation and deeply held beliefs regarding conflict, which can be a long and relentless process, fraught with many setbacks and potential threats to a successful outcome.
Such an intelligent system presents us with transformative opportunities hitherto unparalleled. Notably, it provides a unique ability to exchange views. Virtual reality can bring the buried reality of conflict to the forefront of dialogue, creating a greater possibility for leaders and representatives of conflicting parties to experience a shift in mindset.
I feel so happy and lucky that I was able to attend this training at this exact time when we need it so badly. Over several days we were taught to use this system and how to inspire the minds of the next generation with this educational material. Now, we will implement what we learned on the ground to bring more stability and peace to our holy land, and I feel sure that this material, will help us to rebuild what was demolished recently in the violence.
The path to peace is not easy. There are many difficulties, challenges and huge stones on the path, but together, Muslims, Christians, Jews and Druze, we will continue walking this path, moving the stones aside, until we reach our one and only goal: TO ACHIEVE PEACE.
We have hope and faith that there is a ray of justice, a ray of strength, of love, of feelings! We will spread this ray from the heart of the Holy Land to show each one that we are standing united facing the challenges, together.
Many years I spent in trying to end this conflict by spreading love and equality, many years of effort, fatigue and exhaustion, spent in building multi-religious and cross-border programs, raising my voice and the voice of the Abrahamic Reunion for peace. Now, as I enter my thirty-first year of life I am on the same path and committed to the same covenant. I will remain a soldier for peace, to do good until what is in my heart reaches the hearts of everyone. I will not give up until I see happiness and love in the hearts of every Israeli child, and in the hearts of every Palestinian child.
We all deserve to live in dignity, and we all deserve to live in peace! We will achieve what governments have failed to achieve, and we will achieve what countries have failed to achieve. We are the sons and daughters of this land, and we are the roots of this land. We will cleanse it of malice and hatred, and we will bring people out of the darkness into the light.
Having faith in God is the best hope and assurance, it provides that everything will be okay, as he is there for us even in the most difficult times. Faith in God is something that should be practiced every day, especially in more challenging times. When you are struggling, always remember not to lose faith in him, whether it’s in happiness or sorrow. He is right beside us to guide and protect us from all the bad in the world.
It is the greatest help to live by these principles, they will motivate you to have faith in him even in tough times.
