CHRONICLES OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCY

The Best of People

Photo: Her royal Majesty, Queen Noor of Jordan.

Six months later, in August, 1993, 46 Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian teenage boys arrived at the newly created International Camp in Maine, ready to participate in this grand experiment.  They spent three weeks in workshops, addressing their feelings, getting to know one another, and coming away with a greater understanding of their similarities rather than their differences.  Along the way, they also picked up leadership skills.     Seeds of Peace members were present at the signing of the Oslo Accords.  Can you imagine how exciting it must have been for these teens to attend such an historic event?  (photo of U.S. President Bill Clinton with Seeds teenagers behind him)

Photo: Seeds members at Center for Coexistence.

Each successive year, the camp has expanded, including teenagers from more countries.  Girls now attend.  400 boys and girls attended the 2005 summer camp.  The End of Polarity (seeing unity, rather than separateness), is one of the Keys in my book, The Seven Keys to Live a Masterful Life.  In that chapter, I quote a Jordanian girl who attended Seeds of Peace:  “In order to understand your enemy, you have to go to war with yourself.”  Seeing how we are all one sometimes requires that kind of radical thinking.  There’s a Seeds of Peace Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem which operates year round, offering programs for continuing discussion between graduates and opportunities for community service.  The educational outreach projects allow graduates to teach what they learned at Seed of Peace to others.  (Seeds members at Center for Coexistence).

Photo: President Bill Clinton with Seeds of Peace members standing behind him.

The Seed of Peace comprehensive training program has become an international model.  They’re now working with teenagers from other areas of conflict.  2001 saw the beginning of its South Asia program with Indian and Pakistani youth.  Since 1993, over 3,000 teens from 25 nations have graduated from Seeds of Peace.  A reunion of 130 Seed graduates gathered at last summer’s camp and set up a formal Alumni Association.  When John Wallach passed away in 2002, he was replaced by Aaron Miller as President of the organization.   Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had this to say about Miller:  “Although my colleagues and I at the Department of State will miss him greatly, the work he will be involved in is vital to Arab-Israeli peacemaking."  As Executive Vice President of Seeds of Peace, Janet Wallach (photo of Janet Wallach) continues to lead the way in fulfilling her husband’s mission and dream.  She oversees the activities of the New York office and is involved in fund raising.  But what she’s most passionate about are the young people themselves.  “There has been a large investment in each Seeds participant.  They are our hope for the future,” Janet explains.  “We want to make sure they stay connected to the values they learned at Seeds of Peace.”  Their 32 member Board of Directors and 5 Advisory Board members includes George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Shimon Peres and Sa'eb Erekat. (photo of Queen Noor) (photo of Israel Shimon Peres, book ended by two Seeds of Peace girls). The extensive media coverage for Seeds of Peace includes being featured on 60 Minutes, Dateline NBC, Nightline, The Today Show, and in numerous newspapers and magazines.  A new documentary film called Seeds has already garnered several prizes.