WHAT
DIALOGUE DOES:
Listen
to the youth + Poetry Pals
11
December 2009
I think it's so groovy now
That people are finally getting together
I thinks it's wonderful and how
That people are finally getting together
I knew a man that I did not care for
And then one day this man gave me a call
We sat and talked about things on our mind
And now this man he is a friend of mine
Reach out in the darkness
Reach out in the darkness
Reach out in the darkness
And you may find a friend
Reach Out of the Darkness
1968 Top Ten one-hit phenomenon
by Friend & Lover (Jim Post and Cathy Conn
Post)
LISTEN at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLRd4neGGE&feature=related
LYRICS at http://www.top40db.net/Lyrics/?SongID=68194
WHAT DIALOGUE DOES:
Listen to the youth
Youth
worldwide seem to do it best -- reach out of the darkness toward one another,
finally getting together.
Face-to-face, citizens change and successful
relationships transform confrontation to cooperation.
READ powerful, personal experiences of courageous
Palestinian and Jewish youth in Dialogue -- alumni of SEEDS OF PEACE,
one of many North American summer leadership-training programs-- http://traubman.igc.org/camps.htm
-- for youth from regions of conflict.
Ahmed from
Gaza
At the
beginning, dialogue sessions are so difficult.
Everyone has hard feelings for the other side.
No one wants to listen.
But we learned how to really listen and to understand,
and at some point I started to see the good in people from the other sideI realized they are just humans.
I found that the best moments are the ones when you
see the rest of your group listening to your stories, paying attention to every
word you say about yourself, your family, your life.
You then feel safe, among people who care about you.
Ophir from Jerusalem
I remember
the shock me and my friends went through during the first dialogue sessions.
I remember people crying on both sides; it was
apparent that both sides were having a hard time.
I remember shouting, sometimes even yelling, out of
anger and despair.
At the beginning of dialogue I was sure that our
debates would be based on facts, just like those you see during university
lectures, or on the news.
I soon realized, however, that debate is not the
essence of dialogue.
I realized that both sides have two different versions
of history and facts.
And when both sides try to convince the other that
they are on the right side, the other side rejects the attempt, with anger.
I realized that if you want to learn and really know
what is going on, you must listen to personal stories.
During the last sessions of dialogue, both sides took
a harder look at their facts.
They then realized, sometimes, that these facts are
distant from the tiny personal stories that create reality as we see it.
Telling all this to people who arent
involved in Seeds of Peace is very difficultits even
harder than dialogue, sometimes.
This process demands bravery from all Seeds.
May you all be blessed, Seeds, for having this
courage.
Ibrahim from
Bethlehem
When I
first met Israeli Seeds, I thought they had come to talk about us.
I did not think they came in peace;
I thought they hated us.
I soon discovered in dialogue that they came to talk
to us.
That they had come to talk about peace.
Through dialogue, I learned how important it is to
listen, and not just talk.
If we listen to them, they will listen to us.
I did just that, and found they respected what I had
to say.
I, in turn, respected their thoughts.
READ more inspiring narratives of successful
communication and change on pages 9-12:
DIALOGUE: It's more than just talk
The Olive Branch - Fall 2009 - Pages 9-12
http://www.seedsofpeace.org/files/OBFall09_Part1.pdf
POETRY PALS:
Muslim, Jewish, Christian
youth engaging
In Chicago,
POETRY PALS - http://www.poetrypals.org/
- creates youth partnerships for personal expression and growing
friendship through poetry and art.
Youth participants have included Jews, Christians, and
Muslims -- Arab and non-Arab.
Poet-educators teach children, ages 10-14, how to
write poetry then participants explore many topics: personal experiences,
relationships, culture and identity.
The youth share their poetry and art, gain an
appreciation for one another, and strengthen their own identities and
self-esteem.
At the same time, participants learn to express
themselves and listen with respect to others.
For many, writing poetry becomes a lifelong tool
of expression and relating to others.
POETRY PALS succeeds through a group of
dedicated volunteers and its shepherd, Donna Yates ( PoetryPals@sbcglobal.net
).
READ about activities like 4th and 5th graders
proudly collaborating to write a holiday-themed poem -- The Flavors of Ramadan
and Hanukah -- on the Web site of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue.
Artfully Teaching Tolerance
by Donna Yates
WATCH
their inspiring video:
POETRY PALS
(4 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1VF9LK4B3U&
POETRY
PALS is modeled after WE THE POETS - http://www.artsandspirituality.org/we_the_poets/
- in Philadelphia, where poet-educators and creativity specialists help the
youth from different cultures and faith experience a new culture of innovation
and collaboration.
WE THE POETS (formerly the Interfaith Youth
Poetry Project) is a program of the Arts & Spirituality Center to provide
teacher training and workshops run by teachers and poets for public and private
schools, and religious schools of various faiths.
Children learn basic tools of the craft and write their own
poetry, which is shared through public readings, journals, and a poetry pen pal
exchange.
These activities strengthen ties between youth and
adults of different cultures, backgrounds and faiths while fostering artistic
expression.
Through poetry they express their hopes, concerns and
ideas, especially about events and conflicts in their lives and globally.
Participants grow closer when articulating and
illustrating their own feelings and beliefs, while learning about others.
SEE the photo at:
