Bethlehem University Student Speaks of her Experience with the Youth Peace Network 2006

3 October 2006

For the last three years, Amany Rishmawi, a junior at Bethlehem University, is a volunteer in the YMCA in Beit Sahour, a small town to the east of Bethlehem. The programs deal with developing a non-violent resistance approach to the Israeli occupation by organizing awareness campaigns. Amany was chosen by the East Jerusalem YMCA to participate in the Youth Peace Network Forum which was held in Vancouver, Canada for three months during the summer.

Speaking of her experience Amany said : “In the youth forum the debate was not about involving the youth in the decision making process but about how they can contribute to their communities. I was so happy to represent Palestine and the Palestinian youth in different themes of discussion. The group attended The Urban Forum, and many different sessions dealing with peace, cross-cultural conflict, conflict resolution, mediation and many other peace related programs. I joined an event in the World Peace Forum for intergenerational and story sharing dialogue, and I was honored to talk about Palestinian women, youth, Christians and many different topics about the sufferings of the Palestinians in the Holy Land.”