By Mohamad Jamous, AR Palestinian Director
Event organized together with Abed Manasra, AR Israeli Director
September 15th, 2022
Today I will write a different story.
A story of the youth that stirred the heat of their hearts and came to serve peace and freedom.
A story of young people who prepared themselves to face all challenges and obstacles in order to achieve peace in the Holy Land.
The story of young people who put hope between their eyes to achieve change and renounce violence in the Holy Land.
The Abrahamic Reunion Young Peacebuilders!
On Thursday, 09.15.2022, at exactly seven o’clock in the evening, 16 Young Peacemakers from the Palestinian and Israeli sides gathered under the umbrella of the Abrahamic Reunion.
They gathered to deliver a message to the world that the voice of youth is still there, and the heat for peace is still burning, and hope is still alive…
16 Palestinians and Israelis came together to teach and learn, believing in the Abrahamic Reunion, and believing in the renunciation of violence and achieving peace by raising their voices high in the sky.
16 Palestinians and Israelis came from all the Palestinian and Israeli cities through Zoom and started the annual Young Peacebuilders Training Program.
This is the program that I have prepared well during recent months.
This training will enable the participants to dislodge the black clouds in the sky of the Holy Land, to allow the sun to reappear and shine again over us in all its splendor, its rays to warming all existence, so that all the birds can sing, the roses awaken, the flowers bloom, and all the dew drops can fall from the leaves.
This is how this beautiful meeting seemed to us, when the day smiles with its refreshing radiance, and life begins with it and its threads embrace all parts of the sky.
The meeting started at seven in the evening with my partner Abed and I welcoming all the participants and thanking them for their willingness to stand by each other in the pursuit of achieving the best for all.
We fist gave the participants time to introduce themselves, and it is worth mentioning that these participants are all university graduates, educated and working in different specializations.
After everyone introduced themselves, Abed and I explained to the new participants what the Abrahamic Reunion is, and the various and varied programs that the AR carries out in order to achieve peace and create a better life for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
We explained some details about the AR, and I reassured the Palestinian participants in particular that our programs are very far from politics and political parties.
As you know, working as a peacemaker, peace lover, or engaging in youth-work related to peace in Palestine, it is not easy and safe, especially for younger people.
The factor of fear always persists among the Palestinians in this field. That is why I always challenge the ideas of danger and challenge the inner challenges to help to conquer this fear.
After we explained the details and programs of the AR to everyone, we began to explain the training program that these participants will follow during the next year. We introduced to them the quality of these programs and the experience that will be gained, and the importance of the presence of members of all the four religions working together during this training.
We shared how our goal is to create an environment and a space for all young people of different religions and nationalities to participate in the development of stability in the Holy Land.
In our explanation, we focused on the need to create opportunities for young men and women to become leaders in their communities, cities and villages.
Great enthusiasm dominated this meeting, with clear expressions from some of the participants! Some of them did not even wait for the discussion to open to ask questions, they brought them up right away.
This shows how seriously all participants are engaging in this program.
After we finished explaining and communicating the required information to the Palestinian and Israeli participants, we opened the door for dialogue and discussion to ensure that they all have a clear and complete picture of this educational training.
Some asked some questions, such as the participant, Marian Sabbagh from Ramallah, who asked about how to arrange and make special permits for Palestinians to enter Israel, when there is a program inside Israel.
Some asked when to meet and get to know each other.
And many direct questions from the participants, until we answered all their inquiries and questions.
I also set a time during the next week to meet with all the Palestinians participating in this training.
A special WhatsApp group was created for the Palestinians and I spoke with them and set a day to meet all of them in the square of the Greek Orthodox Church in the city of Ramallah.
I will meet individually with all the Palestinian participants residing in different cities in Palestine, to lay a strong foundation and a solid plan to continue this training, and help break the barrier of fear among all.
Two hours later, at about nine o’clock in the evening, we ended this initial meeting of the Young Peacemakers Training with the feelings of love and enthusiasm among all, looking forward to meeting in person soon.
The following is a list of the Palestinian participants in this training:
1- Rimon Sabbagh – Ramallah (Christian)
2- Hanna Abu Al-lail – Ramallah (Christian)
3- Mira Al-Sabbagh – Ramallah (Christian)
4- Marian Khoury – Ramallah (Christian)
5- Haya Barghouti – Ramallah (Muslim)
6- Lawyer Wissaam Soudah – Jenin (Christian)
7- Ayman Jamous – Nablus (Muslim)
8- Osama Al-Issawi – Jericho (Muslim)
9- lawyer Tuffaha Hanaysha – Ramallah (Muslim)
10 – Mahmoud Odeh – Nablus (Muslim)
11- Samer Shawka – East Jerusalem (Muslim)
12- Marah Asmar – Ramallah (Muslim )
