January 12, 2010
Beit Sahour, West Bank- The United States Agency for International Development, the Catholic Relief Services and the Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy held the second nonviolence adventure camp under the Youth Voices for Community Action project (YVCA) for 54 youth leaders from the Jenin area.
Twenty females and thirty-four males, aged 18-25 years, attended an intensive five-day adventure camp from January 8th until January 12th, 2010. The camp provided the youth with conflict resolution skills and worked on improving their self-esteem to become actively engaged in positive development of their community.
“Violence is the nickname that my friends call me, because I have been violent in my relations with others. I want to make it clear that this camp changed me. I will refrain from violence whether verbal or physical in my relations with others, and I am convinced that it is smarter without violence. Friends, please do not call me “violence” again,” said Fakhry, a camp participant from Tulkarem in his speech during the closing ceremony of the camp on Jan 12th, 2010.
His Excellency Minister Abdel Fatah Hamel, the Governor of Bethlehem, visited the campsite on Jan 11, 2010, and met the participants and answered their questions that mainly focused on youth problems and youth violence. In his speech, the Governor stressed the importance of nonviolence as a smart way to address community problems and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
During the camp, CRS and partners identified 12 self-motivated youth leaders (6 women and 6 men) who will continue working with CRS partner, the Women Activities Center, to identify issues that disturb civil peace in the Jenin area. To address these issues, the Women Activities Center will be receiving up to 5 grants that the 12 youth leaders will implement starting in the summer of 2010 until fall 2011.
This camp is the second out of five camps the Youth Voices for Community Action will be implementing in the West Bank. Two camps from Nablus and Bethlehem areas will be held from January 15th – 19th and 20th to 24th, respectively. The remaining camp for Ramallah/Jerusalem area will be held in February 2010.
The YVCA project is a 30 month cooperative agreement between USAID/Conflict Management and Mitigation and CRS ending in January 2012, designed to empower youth to become actively involved in solving issues of conflict in their communities. |
