"Education, Democracy, Identity and Conflict"

An International Educators' Forum at Bethlehem University

 

Brother Daniel Casey, Vice Chancellor, along with Brother Fergus McArdle, Academic Vice President, opened the two-week long Educators' Forum at Bethlehem University of the Holy Land from 4-15 July 2005 focusing on Education, Democracy, Identity and Conflict. Brother Daniel noted in particular that Bethlehem University is proud to be serving its society and students, among whom are a majority of talented Palestinian women. Educators from Canada , the United States and Palestine participated in a variety of plenary sessions, group discussions, and opportunities for on-site visits to various parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel . Dr. Majed Darras, representing Mr. Abdallah Shakarnah, General Education Director in Bethlehem District, and Ms. Nancy Elias, the Education Faculty Acting Dean, also welcomed the participants as did Dr. Howard Davidson, the International Coordinator, and Dr. Sami Adwan, the Palestinian coordinator of the Forum.

Over the course of the two weeks of the Forum, the 7 North American and 60 Palestinian participants jointly explored issues related to Palestinian education and its historical development; teachers' training; textbooks and intercultural education; Palestinian history; stories and suffering of the Palestinian refugees and the international legal implications; Palestinian women in struggle; the Palestinian environment: water, settlements and the apartheid wall; and the challenges facing the Palestinian people in relation to the state of Israel. The North American participants included 6 academics from Canadian universities and one from an American university and the 60 Palestinian participants included school teachers, principals and supervisors (many of whom are Bethlehem University graduates) as well as some current Bethlehem University students.

Among the highlights of the Forum's on-sites visits were a visit to Deheisheh Refugee Camp and an enlightening discussion with refugees representing 3 generations. A field trip to Nablus as well as to Hebron provided "in situ" experiences to the international participants of the reality of the negative impacts of the Israeli settlements and the Separation Wall. Among the issues explored during the dialogue among the Forum participants were international law and right of return; media, identity and occupation; education for political prisoners; and the effects of Israeli Occupation on children's psychology and schooling

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Sincere appreciation and gratitude to Ibda'a Center in Deheisheh Refugee Camp, the Palestinians Political Prisoners Club, Badil Center for Refugees, the Temporary International Presences in Hebron (TIPH), the Red Crescent Society in Hebron, An-Najah University, the Education Director Office in Bethlehem District, our benefactors from overseas and the Bethlehem University students, Institute for Community Partnership (ICP) and the administration for their active participation and support in making this such a successful program for all participants.