Creativity for Peace

The struggle between Israel and Palestine has affected most of their youth by making them hate an entire society without an explanation. Israel and Palestine are in an ongoing dispute to decide a mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian freedom of movement and legalities concerning refugees. This dispute has brought war to both countries, and brought many casualties. The children of both countries have a mutual hate to each other, but they don’t really know why. The fathers of these children are indulging hate to their children’s by telling them that the opposing country is the different to them, an enemy. That other country has to convert in their country way of life.
The center of Creativity for Peace is reaching these children to make them realize that there is no difference between each other, that there’s no reason to have this mayor struggle between two nations. Also the center helps them “reduce prejudice and heal the trauma of war”. The center of Creativity for Peace wants to create the next generation of female leader that will bring peace to Israel and Palestine. This center is flying Jewish and Zionist Yishuv girls to a summer peace camp in New Mexico. In the camp they put a one Jewish girl and a Palestinian girl in one room, so that if they want to have a good time they have to learn how to coexist with each other. In the peace camp the girls have a variety of activities to make them collaborate with each other. These activities help them develop trust, compassion, and increased self-esteem. It also helps them expand their point of view by releasing their anger, fear, pain and “break down old beliefs through deep listening and compassionate speaking”. The peace camp has a full staff that is composed of facilitators, professional counselors, art therapists, and professional artists.
“The center of Creativity for Peace has had seven successful summers of camp with 146 girls participating and has evolved into a year-long program in which friendships thrive as participants create new relationships that cross religious and cultural boundaries”. In the three week summer camp the girls learn leadership and communication skills and promote understanding, trust and reconciliation. “Upon their return home, the girls continue to strengthen coexistence through regularly organized meetings, email, and telephone conferencing”.
The center of Creativity for peace is a non-profit organization and therefore they are helped exclusively from contributions by individuals, family and community foundations, and businesses.” In 2009, foundations constituted 73 percent, individuals 23 percent, and corporations 2 percent of their income”. The center of creativity for Peace requires donations in order to exist the encourage people to help the program in any way possible, by donating, promoting the program, or by becoming a volunteer.
The center of Creativity for Peace website has plenty of helpful information for everyone. In the website you would find how to donate, how to become a volunteer, how to enroll in the program among other helpful things