Peace education programs thrive amid violence

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Very worthwhile read.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4715022,00.html

The escalating wave of violence Israel has been hit with in recent weeks, which ratcheted up tensions between the country's Arab and Jewish populations, managed to spur an interesting counter movement leading to a spike in requests for "peace-related materials" for both Jewish and Arab schools.

While incitement spreads like wildfire on social media, and Jews and Arabs seem to be drifting further apart, the phone at the Peres Center for Peace has been ringing off the hook.

Schools, youth groups, individuals, and other organizations from across the socio-political spectrum have been seeking programs and teaching materials from the center's peace education department, in an effort to halt the societal fray.

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The center produces special reading materials and lesson plans for educators, and organizes a variety of different programs, including a cooperative program titled "Bridges for Peace," and the Twinned Peace Sport School (TPSS) - where Israeli and Palestinian children learn to play soccer together.

Participants in the [Bridges for Peace] program meet both in person and through Google Hangouts and work together towards a joint final project. According to the Peres Center, the goal of the program is for the students to take their experiences and share them with their parents and the community at large.

Another one of the center's programs, the TPSS, or sports school, is a central program at the center. TPSS is also a fan favorite with the kids. The program aims to teach children from different backgrounds how to play together as friends rather than opponents.

The teams come from their home communities but are merged during matches, where coaches teach the children how to share the ball, and play together as a team. All the teams are made up of players from different backgrounds, and games are held in different cities. The program also features language lessons, where Jewish players study Arabic and Arab players study Hebrew. TPSS was recently nominated for the Beyond Sports Organization's conflict resolution prize in London.

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I post this because it would be nice to have some discussion about ways to move toward peace. Not all such discussion has to hooray for our side.

Should there be more programs like this? Massively more? Would that make any difference?

If you think so, ways to help: http://www.peres-center.org/

[oberliner]

2. The more friendly, positive interactions between Israelis and Palestinians, the better

Especially among children.

[Little Tich]

3. Peace education is definitely one important aspect.

It would seem to be a little bit naive to train people how to share the ball, until you realize what happens when children grow up without such an experience.

It's good to know that there are some sane voices in Israel. There's not enough of those them days.

[Israeli]

4. There is plenty of sane voices Little Tich.....

they just dont get the same media attention as the insane voices do .