“We will be the change!”
A German-Israeli-Palestinian team consists of young political activists that organize joint seminars on a two-State solution, security, social justice, and sustainability. “Despite the frozen peace process, as youth we hope to change the situation and improve the future of all parties involved. We believe that we can achieve this goal. We will be the change,” stated by Ahmad Karaeen, one of WBC’s Palestinian project partners.
The WBC provides a protected and safe space, which allows partners to meet on an equal footing.
Here, a trustful co-operation is possible- even with different subject matters.
Current activities:
- Ongoing seminars and workshops on “social justice”
- Narratives in Israel and Palestine
- 50 years of political youth exchange: Facing the Future Together
- Annual conference 2015: Two Narratives-One Future
- Women’s network
- Cooperation with trade unions in Israel, Palestine and Germany
Projects are financed by the German Ministry of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and in cooperation with the Forum Civil Peace Service.
“We choose life, we choose peace.”
Israeli and Palestinian youth associations focus their activities on peacefully oriented education.
Jointly developed seminar concepts and workshops are included in the children’s and youth’s work.
“We choose life, we choose peace.” This quotation comes from a collective letter of all youth organizations involved in the project to their members. Young men and women wrote a special letter from Israel and Palestine during the Gaza War: “When if not now, it is important that those that want freedom meet each other?”
Current activities:
- Trainings for multiplyers
- Workshops on education
- Leading-Group meetings in the frame work of the IFM-SEI cooperation
Projects are financed by the German Ministry of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and in cooperation with the Forum Civil Peace Service.
“In fact, we are the same …”
Artists from both sides are looking for common ground with different forms of artistic expression, and alternatives beyond the mainstream. From art exhibitions to hip-hop productions, from movie nights to poetry slams- here creativity is never limited. For the past several years, we have been working closely with our Israeli-Arab partners on the music project Heartbeat. Music, video, text, and spoken word are forms of expression that allow young people to protest against racism and discrimination without resorting to violence, and call for a better future for their generation. These projects have been featured as exemplary youth projects by several organizations and programs, including “Europeans for Peace”.
Current activities:
- Narratives of Longing – International Artist Exchange with Poetry, Spoken Word and Performances
- Theater with young asylum seekers
- Unesco Jazz Day 2018
- Art Exhibitions at the WBC
- I Am You Are – Poetry, Protest, Songs.
- DiVers! Poetry & Spoken Word Project
- Art for Kids! Mural paintings with Kids from the neighbourhood in Abu Tor
Projects are financed by the German Ministry of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and in cooperation with the Forum Civil Peace Service.
Activities
“Talks are the key peace.”
“Talks are the key to peace”
Tolerance and respect will be strengthened primarily through dialogue. In exchange programs and trips to Germany for Israeli and Palestinian delegations the Willy Brandt Center brings together young political activists and to creates a safe space for encounters and communaication. Vice versa we organize trips for young Germans to Israel and Palestine, in order to bring them to a closer understanding both of the Middle East conflict, and the past – and thus strengthen their engagement for a peaceful future.
Ongoing activities:
Youth delegations
Political visits and seminars
Leadership Programs
Projects are mainly financed by the German-Israeli youth exchange ConAct, the foundation EVZ, youth organisations such as Young Socialists and SJD – Die Falken and private individuals.