"By the end of this project, participating youth will have received additional skills, confidence in their leadership skills and a brighter understanding of the world around them. The children will have a deeper awareness of our key core values and have experienced the joy of play with children of different backgrounds."
Hand In Hand is a center for Arab-Jewish education in Israel. Currently responsible for five bilingual schools, the center builds spaces in which Arab and Jewish communities can come together and learn. Inspired by the organization’s commitment to coexistence, Play For Peace is excited to announce its upcoming partnership with Hand In Hand.
The project, Sharing Society with Laughter and Compassion: Fostering Young Play for Peace Leaders in Israel, will spread the PFP vision throughout Israel. In doing so, it will support the shared goal of building an inclusive society. Our collaboration will begin with the formation of a PFP Club in Galilee. It will include training 15-25 Hand-in-hand student alumni. This will allow them to become youth leaders, and to assist their mentors in providing peace education programming for the younger children in their community. Where PFP will focus on the facilitation of training, both online and in person, Hand In Hand will focus on alumni recruitment and participant documentation: recording the thoughts and experiences of the youth involved. The project, of course, extends beyond youth involvement. It is meant to benefit the community as a whole, fulfilling the vision of both PFP and Hand in Hand:
"At Hand in Hand, Jewish and Arab children's daily experience is one of mutuality, equality and deep friendship. But parents and other adults realize they can't put the burden of building shared society solely on the shoulders of children. They understand that they must forge the path, and exemplify strong, vibrant partnership between Arab and Jewish citizens in shared communities.” (Hand In Hand, “Our Model”, 2010).
We hope to begin training workshops by the end of this month! This project will see at least one Play for Peace Club formed: a crucial tool for reaching our common goal of coexistence. By the end of this project, participating youth will have received additional skills, confidence in their leadership skills, and a brighter understanding of the world around them. The children will have a deeper awareness of our key core values and have experienced the joy of playing with children of different backgrounds.
REFERENCES Hand In Hand: Centre for Arab-Jewish Education in Israel (2010). Official Site. Accessed: 17.09.2015. https://www.handinhandk12.org Hand In Hand: Centre for Arab-Jewish Education in Israel (2015). Facebook. Accessed: 17.09.2015. https://www.facebook.com/Hand-in-Hand-Center-for-Jewish-Arab-Education-in-Israel-132094370146131/timeline/
