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Seeds of Peace is a peacebuilding youth organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1993. As its main program, the organization brings youth from areas of conflict to its international camp in Maine. It also provides regional programming to support Seeds of Peace graduates, known as Seeds, once they return home. Its mission is to to empower youth from conflict regions to work for a better future.

History

File:SeedsofPeace.jpg

The main entrance to Seeds of Peace camp

Seeds of Peace began as an idea of the American journalist John Wallach. At a state dinner with politicians from Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority, Wallach toasted them, then inspired them to pledge to bring 15 youngsters from each of their respective countries to a new camp he was founding in Maine. These 48, including 3 Americans, ranging in age from 13 to 18, comprised the first session of the Seeds of Peace International Camp, founded on the site of the former Camp Powhatan in Otisfield, Maine.^[1]

The campers from 1993 were later present in the signing ceremony of the Declaration of Principles (better known as the Oslo Accords) in Washington, D.C. President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat were photographed holding Seeds of Peace T-shirts.^[2] This turn of events enabled the organization to grow rapidly in the years after Oslo.

Since its inauguration in 1993, the International Camp has produced over 4,000 Seed graduates. In addition to the original countries, there are now graduated Seeds from Jordan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus/Republic of Cyprus), and the Balkans. The Balkan programs (Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo) and the Cyprus program (Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey) have been discontinued.^[3]

Organization

John Wallach's vision focused on leaders of the next generation—on Seeds who will one day be in positions of power. In the first years of the camp, it became clear that to realize this vision the organization needed the support of people in the regions of conflict in positions of power now. This need to establish legitimacy on the ground at home inspired the creation of the Delegation Leaders Program. Delegation Leaders are educators from the countries in conflict; they take part in the selection and orientation of Seeds at home. They accompany the Seeds to and from camp. At the camp, they are they eyes and ears of the parents, of their communities; at the same time, they engage in an intense encounter experience of their own. After camp, they are invited to join the growing circles of support for Seeds of Peace.

These many years of conflict resolution programming has produced an impressive cadre of Seeds working in international affairs, politics, business, medicine, nonprofit and media. Headquartered in New York City, Seeds of Peace has offices in Amman, Cairo, Gaza, Jerusalem, Kabul, Lahore, Mumbai, Otisfield, Ramallah, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C.

While at camp, participants speak English, the common language of the camp, in order to open the lines of communication between national and ethnic groups. Campers are actively discouraged from speaking their native tongue unless told to do so by the staff, or during individual delegation meetings.

Camp is the potential beginning of a long process, of relationships that grow. The adjustment to life at home after camp can be difficult, especially when the political conditions are less than encouraging. To aid in this transition, the organization supports returning Seeds with year-round programming, including dialogue sessions, cross-cultural visits, educational and leadership development workshops and outreach events. These activities work to sustain the relationships and ideals developed in the International Camp, supporting the Seeds' lifelong commitments to sustaining promoting dialogue and understanding in their home regions.^[4]

In 2001, Seeds of Peace expanded to South Asia. Seeds in this region are active leaders through various programs that bring together conflicting sides from Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Asel Asleh

On October 2, 2000, Asel Asleh, an Israeli Arab graduate of the program, was shot dead by Israeli security forces during a demonstration. He was wearing the organization's t-shirt at the time of the shooting.^[5]

Leadership

John Wallach, the founder of the organization, also served as its president until his death in 2002. He was succeeded by former State Department official Aaron David Miller, who left the job early in 2006. Later, Janet Wallach, wife of John Wallach, was named president emeritus and Steven Flanders served for a time as the executive officer in charge. Starting in the spring of 2007, Nicolla Hewitt served briefly as President, until her departure in 2008. In the fall of 2009, the organization announced a new Executive Director, Leslie Adelson Lewin.

Seeds of Peace maintains a strict policy of remaining apolitical. This is essential in order to create the safe environment for individuals to express their ideas and opinions. Seeds of Peace activities are funded mainly by donations, with specific activities receiving earmarked funds from governments and large philanthropies. In September 2009, the organization successfully completed a set of USAID funded programs.

Offices

The organization's U.S. headquarters is located in New York City.

Seeds of Peace also has opened central offices in Tel Aviv and Ramallah and smaller offices in Cairo, Amman, Lahore, Mumbai and Kabul. With the support of Seeds of Peace staff, and growing networks of older "Seeds," Delegation Leaders and parents, the young graduates of the International Camp continue activities, across borders, and within their own communities. Programs for older Seeds—people in their twenties—are expanding as the organization meets the needs of Seeds moving through new phases of life. There are continuing programs for Delegation Leaders and parents working to support the mission of Seeds of Peace. In the summer of 2009, for the very first time, a Seed returned to camp as a Delegation Leader.

The Olive Branch

The organization's graduates publish a magazine, The Olive Branch, that sums up their activities over a period of several months (see http://www.seedsofpeace.org/node/1830). During 2008 and 2009, Delegation Leaders and other educators involved with Seeds of Peace published four issues of "The Olive Branch Teacher's Guide," which presents the best practices, the reflections, the tools, for encouraging the values and skills embodied by Seeds of Peace (see http://www.seedsofpeace.org/getinvolved/educate/teach).

Life after camp

Approximately 350 new seeds graduate from Seeds of Peace every year. After camp, there are follow up programs back home. Until 2006, there was a "Center" in Jerusalem. Due to the increasingly difficult geography of conflict, the checkpoints, the permissions required, Seeds of Peace closed down the Center and opened two offices, one in Ramallah and one in Tel Aviv. Egyptian and Jordanian Seeds and Delegation Leaders meet regularly. Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani (and, to a lesser extent, Afghani) delegations continue projects together. They visit with one another, even during difficult times, when the conflict between their countries flares up.

The follow up programs have changed over the years in response to the changing political conditions. In the aftermath of the Second Intifada and the stalled peace process, there is a growing understanding of the need to balance cross-border programs with programs in the communities, programs that focus on leadership and civic engagement, and giving back to the community. There is also a growing awareness of the need to enlarge the circles of support in the communities.

Advisory Board

Source

Board of Directors

Ozi Amanat
Tim A. Attalla
David Avital
Amr Badr
Richard Berman
Darcie A. Bundy
Joseph Gantz
Barbara Gottschalk
Munir Hussein
Hani Masri
Michelle Mercer
Eugene Mercy, Jr.
Lindsay Miller
James Orphanides
C. Michael Spero
David Strasser
Sebastian Stubbe
Arn Tellem
Nancy Reiss Tellem
Jane Toll
Robert Toll
Janet Wallach
Michael Wallach