Peacecamp

Allaa's text:

The Peace camp last year was in my opinion great. The important topic of Peace camp 2004 I think was Identity. “You first have to understand yourself before you are able to understand the others” was an important part of this project.
We also did a lot of workshops like making masks and dancing.
I learned at this camp that it is important to listen to both sides before you
judge and important for me was also that new friendship is something very important and it is nothing which happens in everyday life.
If I have to be honest I soon stopped thinking about the peace camp, but at the time when it happened it was an amazing experience in my life.
In my opinion there wasn’t anything missing, I only don’t want such discussions after which everybody is frustrated.
I don’t expect something big. For me not the discussions were important, it was
the fact that we made new friendships and talked about anything.
I heard that we are going to talk about the Holocaust. I don’t want to talk about
it, because I think one important thing for peace in the Middle East is that the
Jewish people stop living in the past and mourning the past, because Holocaust has nothing to do with the situation in Israel nowadays.
I only can say I am open for new things, but how I told you I’m not going to take part in the discussions about Holocaust.
I contribute whatever has to be contributed to have an interesting and funny
camp.
Now I can’t think of anything that could be done at a peace camp in the future.

The first camp took place quite a long time ago and because of this I’m quite sure that I won’t be able to remember everything that happened or that I felt during this week.
Of course I have some impressions, mostly positive ones, which I will hopefully never forget.
The most important one is that it doesn’t count to which culture a person belongs but how he or she is able to tolerate and accept others.
This happened at our camp. Although the members of the Arab group had difficulties with the language and also were not allowed to expose their opinion freely, in the end they had been integrated into the group quite well and I think that they really were happy about having participated in the end.
What I learned was first of all that in a country like Israel people’s life is much more difficult than for instance in Austria. I’m not speaking of terrorism now (although I can imagine that it is very hard to live in fear all the time) but of the fact that people are never told the whole truth, neither by the government nor by the media.

There are few things I didn’t like at the first camp.
One of them is that the activities done were all chosen by adults and although I enjoyed most of them less or more I think that no adult knows as well what young people want as they themselves.

When I do something for the first time I generally try not to have too many expectations, but as this is our second meeting I know what is awaiting me and I hope that it will be as nice as the first time.
Of course there are things that could be even better, for example it would be nice to have less stress and a little bit more free time because I think that an exhausting discussion like those we had in Rechberg can never be as good for a relationship as spending your time together and talking about any unimportant things.

I would like to contribute a little more to the activities than I did in Rechberg this time, but there are things I’m better at than doing discussions about a topic I don’t know much about.
In general I’m not a person who is speaking just to do anything.
By the way I’m quite sure that the discussions will be better this time because we know each other a little bit better and we also have been informed more about the topics.

1. Peace Camp 2004 was probably the greatest week in my life. In the camp, we learned about different identities and cultures through artistic workshops and group activities. But the camp was more than that- it was getting to know myself in a deeper way, and getting to know new people with whom I have made very strong connections. I think that the camp changed my life, and I hope many youth groups will have the opportunity to participate in it in the future, and learn as much as I did. Each camp is another small step to peace.
2. I think the schedule of the camp was very well organized, and except for maybe some more free time, I think everything was good and there is not much to improve.
3. I have many expectations from the second camp in March. First of all, I’m happy to meet the kids again, because I miss them very much. I also hope to make good connections with the new Bedouin group, and make a stronger connection with the Arab group. I hope the Austrians will learn more about the real situation in Israel and about the conflict, because in Austria they can only hear about it on their news, and the information they give there is very much one- sided.
4. My personal contribution to the camp will be giving my opinion, participating in activities, and making good contacts with others- contacts that influence them.

תארו בבקשה מה למדתם מהפרוייקט באוסטריה - איזה ניסיון קיבלתם, איזה חוויות חשובות?
תשובה: הפרוייקט באוסטריה נתן לי המון ברמה האישית. הכרתי נערים בני גילי שבאים מארץ אחרת, תרבות אחרת ומנהגים שונים. גיליתי שלמרות הפערים הרבים, בסופו של דבר כולנו דומים והחיבור איתם היה מיידי. כמו כן, הפרוייקט לימד אותי המון לגבי חייהם המלאים סתירות של הערבים- ישראלים. סיקרן אותי לדעת כיצד הם מתייחסים לנושא הזהות שלהם- האם הם ערבים בלבד, למרות אזרחותם הישראלית? האם הם ישראלים? לבסוף, הבנו כולנו, שלמעשה איש אינו יכול לומר מהי זהותו האמיתית. כולנו מורכבים ממגוון רב של פרצופים ודעות ולא מזהות אחת ברורה.
האם היה חסר משהו בפרוייקט באוסטריה? מה היה יכול להיות אחר או שונה? האם יש לכם הצעות לשינוי לפרוייקט כזה בעתיד?
תשובה: לי באופן אישי, היה חבל שהחיבור בינינו (היהודים) ובין הערבים ישראלים היה פחות טוב מאשר החיבור עם האוסטרים. אני מאינה שהסיבה העיקרית לכך היא ההבדל העצום בין התרבויות השונות, אך אולי בפרוייקט הבא הדברים יהיו קצת שונים מכיוון שהסביבה והאנשים כבר יהיו יותר מוכרים.
אנחנו עומדים להיפגש שנית באפריל 2005 - מה הציפיות שלכם מהמפגש השני? מה לדעתכם תהיה התרומה שלכם במפגש? מה אתם מצפים ללמוד או לקבל במפגש השני?
תשובה: אני מצפה להנות מהפרוייקט השני בדיוק באותה מידה בה נהנתי בראשון. אני מקווה שהדברים והפעילויות יזרמו בצורה חלקה ושבאמת נוכל לממש את מטרת הפרוייקט. כמו כן, אני מקווה שנגיע לדבר על נושאים נוספים הנוגעים לכל שלושת צדדי הקבוצה, מפני שבפרויקט הראשון הבנתי כמה זה חשוב לשמוע את כל הצדדים בנושא מסוים, כי רק ככה ניתן להגיע לפשרה.
מה יכולה להיות תרומתכם האישית למפגש?
תשובה: אני מקווה להשתתף בכל הפעילויות ולתרום את דעותי בנושאים השונים שיעלו. תרומתי האישית למפגש יכולה להיות עצם ההשתתפות בפרוייקט ולקיחת חלק בתהליך שאמור לגשר ולהביא את כולנו לעתיד טוב יותר ופתוח יותר לדעות שונות. אני בטוחה גם שאנסה לפחות להעביר הלאה את הדברים שאלמד מן הפרוייקט לאנשים אחרים.

Peacecamp 2004

I`m very sorry that I`m not able to write anything about the last Peacecamp because I didn`t take part. I was the substitute for Luschnig Michael in case he fell ill.Well, my expectations for the Peacecamp are that we `ll talk about some problems which both groupsfrom Israel have and to understand both of them. And I also think that it will be great fun for everybody.
My personal contribution will be to show interest and to take part in every activityt.

The first peace camp was a very good experience for me. All the people I met there and all the fun I had I will never forget.
I would not like to miss the time I spent there in Rechberg.
I remember the feelings I had when I arrived at the castle. I didn’t know how it was going to be and I didn’t know anyone, just Mor and Livnat from writing E-mails before the peace camp started.
It was something totally new. But I think soon everybody noticed that the camp would be a great success. And so will be the second, I am sure.

What I really regret is that I didn’t talk a lot to the Arab group. I mean, I had contact to the girls and I think we had great fun together. But I think it was not enough. And the relationship to the Arab boys was not really good. I didn’t talk a lot to them but the fact is that I don’t know why. When we spent the evening in the disco we danced, but somehow we never really talked.
That is what I am going to change in the next Peace Camp. I want to talk to everyone and I don’t want to come back home again and think that I missed talking to anyone.

I read through the texts which are on our homepage and I noticed that this problem of
understanding hurt some people and I am really sorry for that. No one meant to hurt anyone.

I am not sure if I would change anything else. The excursions we did were great and as far as I know the excursions and activities which we are going to do in Israel will also be great.
All the discussions we did were interesting, although they were sometimes a little bit exhausting, because everybody was so tired. Maybe there should have been a little bit more time for other things, like sitting together or making music during the day. But I don’t want to say that we didn’t have time for anything else, it was good like it was. And of course we also had fun during the discussions.
In the end I want to say that I am happy that there will be a second camp and that we all are able to see each other again

Sarah

The most important experience for me, regarding the project, was to meet the Arab group. Living so close and yet never have the chance to meet is a very sad reality.
It is maybe funny that meeting Israeli-Arabs became possible to me only through this project in a far stranger country and continent.
Meeting the Austrians was a very interesting experience as well, but I feel that our mentality is much more the same. It did not trigger me like the interaction with the Arabs, who live in the same country with me, and bear the same citizenship.
Through this project I was able to get to know the Arab culture, the social codes, and their way of life. Before the project I never found myself in an Arab village, and now I find myself going there so many times, in such a natural way, full of confident.

I enjoyed the project with all its aspects – the stay in Austria, which is a most beautiful country, the interaction with the other groups, the artwork, the discussions – everything! Accept the Austrian food – I would not have changed anything in the “Identity-peacecamp” in Austria!

Now it is the time for the Austrians to come here and see our – the Arabs’ and the Jews’ country. They will be able to see the landscape, to meet the various population, to learn about the conflicts we live in, to see the cradle of their own religion, and the 2 other religions, to stay in the houses of their friends, and – again to discuss all of this in a way we never have the chance to do.

What is my contribution for the camp? I am part of a group – the Jewish-Israeli group, and by that I represent all the Jewish-Israeli youth for the Arabs and the Austrians. But I am also Livnat – an independent person, who makes, with 7 more boys and girls, the Jewish group to what it is. I don’t know exactly I contribute to the project, but I am sure that by being myself is the real contribution.
I am happy that the Austrians are coming to meet us. It will give us a second chance to meet and to deepen our friendship. I hope that they will enjoy being here not less than I enjoy being there. I am looking forward for the 31st of March to meet all again.

Livnat, 3/20/2005

1. Peace camp 2004 was for me the most unbelievable experience I ever had.
I learned a lot about my identity throw out all of the time we had spent there, all of the workshops we had, the trips and even the movie made me learn about my self and about the people who surround me.
2. I am happy to say that nothing was missing in the peace camp, it was perfect in all of the ways…. But if it could have been more than 9 days it would have been even more perfect.
3. In this peace camp I am really expecting the same interesting discussions between every one of the group members, but mostly I am waiting to see everyone and have the best time.
4. I hope that my personal opinion will be my contribution to this camp

Reut Levy- Carmel, Israel