Peace Camp Stresses Unity in Diversity

[babylonsister]

Peace Camp Stresses Unity in Diversity
‘If we are to have real peace, we must begin with the children’
by Brad Wong

MILL CREEK, Wash. - Before Mill Creek resident Tony Mattar attended Seattle’s Middle East Peace Camp for Children, he felt removed from his Egyptian-Palestinian heritage. He often saw himself as just another suburban kid.

“I didn’t have the passion,” Mattar said.

But now, “I want to get the word out about peace,” said the 16-year-old counselor who finished his fourth year at the weeklong camp on Friday.0818 02

At a time when war rages in Iraq and conflict continues in the Middle East, peace camps such as the one on Capitol Hill bring Jewish, Muslim and other youth together, supporters say. This year’s camp attracted about 50 children and 30 counselors, including Arab Christians, Muslims, Arab Americans, Jewish Americans and Israelis from throughout the Puget Sound area.

Co-directors Susan Davis and Maha Gebara base their camp’s anti-violence focus on Gandhi’s saying, “If we are to have real peace, we must begin with the children.”

This week, the children gathered under tents in the tree-dotted yard of civic activist Kay Bullitt, who has hosted the annual gathering on her property since 2002.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for young people to start appreciating other people and not to get into the mindset of being suspicious of strangers,” she said. “All the religions honor strangers and encourage kindness to others.”

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/18/3251/

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Glad to see work like this is being done

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall know God.

[babylonsister]

2. I agree; I thought it was a nice, 'hopeful' story. nt

[Solly Mack]

3. Thanks for this story!!!!

[babylonsister]

4. Anytime! Nice, isn't it. Too bad there aren't more of these camps. nt

[Desertrose]

5. Wow. This is really neat.....

Maybe if we ever get a Dept of Peace, there can be many more camps like this one.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for young people to start appreciating other people and not to get into the mindset of being suspicious of strangers,” she said. “All the religions honor strangers and encourage kindness to others.”


Thanks, babylonsister :hi:

DR