Peacecamp 2007

really enjoyed the Peacecamp, I have met new friends and had a great time in Austria(in Reibers).The first 1-2 days were hard for me because I didn't know anyone, and the Arabic and the Jewish people were always arguing about their conflict(wars in Israel nowadays).But I also think that the activities, which were too much for me:), helped everybody to come closer.My favourite was the outdoor activity with Gerald, we had a lot of experience in that time.I also enjoyed the sightseeing in Vienna, but I think it was not organized well.My biggest experience was our performance in Vienna, because it was the last time that we worked together.The last night in the hotel(in Vienna) was also great, but I was sad too, because I had 10 wonderful days with the other people together, and I didn't want to believe that this Peacecamp finished.I hope that all of the members of the Peacecamp 2007 will meet again in Israel or in Hungary.

Dear all,
I am on holiday!
Kind regards to all of you and BIG HUG
Evelyn

We started our journey in the light of a good experience and an
oportunitie to make good friends abroad.
I think both of our expectations came true in this 2007 Peace Camp. All
of the delegations (Jews, Hungarians, Austrians and Palestinians) got
to know a little bit more about other cultures and could talk freely
about their problems, which I think is a very big step towards peace.
The activities were great and everybody participated in them, so we
learned the names and each others' feelings within just two days.
We could really work together and solve the probles as a team and it
was very good to see how people from different nations can work as
one group.
The weather, the food and the hostel in Reibers weren't so good but it
didn't matter as long as we were together talking and playing, which
was the aim of
this camp, so I think we did our "task" well.
To sum up, it was a very good experience for all of us and I REALLY
hope that we will meet again (soon :-)
Thanks to everyone,
Gábor

This camp was perfect. I really enjoyed it. I could make new friends, I got to know new people, new cultures, and the most important thing, is that I have lots of new friends. The aim of the camp was "imagine peace" but we made peace. We could show to the world, that we can live in peace all together, and we can love each other. This camp fullfilled all my expectations. I just want to say thank you Evelyn, and i hope that we can organise the meeting next year in Izrael. (from Kinga)

For me, peacecamp2007 was about knowing other children from different cultures, learning about their habits, their languages and about themselves. And it was about having (much) fun, of course. We all enjoyed the activities and workshops, but most of all our free time, because we could chat and laugh a lot all night and all day. We got to know the others in couple of days very well and we made friendships, which, I hope will be lifelong. I miss everyone so much, and I'm looking forward to our reunion in Israel or in Hungary. I loved the little village of Reibers, where we spent these days together, because it is the land of nowhere, but really cute and PEACEful. The perfect place for imagine and, actually, make peace. (from Dóri)

we ask you evelyen please to start planing for meating between all the
members again in witch place you choose and witch time you want just to see
you again and your husband and all the members because i miss you all and i
realized that without peace and friends like those we cant live because we
cant achive anything just in war and fighting.
so please we want to see you again because i'm personally felt that you are
my family and my brothers and sisters

thanx for all

amer watad

Before and after peacecamp 2007, which took place from July 2nd to 12th in Reibers, Lower Austria, participants were asked to answer 4 questions related to the theme "imagine peace". While their answers remained vague and impersonal before peacecamp ("The main obstacle to peace are the politicians"; "In order to promote peace one should exchange the politicians"), answers after the camp reflect a sense of personal responsibility and the possibility of exerting an influence on one's social and political reality ("I will tell people that prejudices are wrong and that it is not impossible to live together in peace").

During 10 days, sportive, creative and cultural activities offered opportunities to explore modes of cooperation and to establish a dialogue between members of four different cultures, Hungarians, Austrians, Jewish and Palestinian Israelis.
Psychoanalytic large group sessions allowed to explore conflictuous issues and to look at the conscious and unconscious elements which stand in the way of cooperation in the political reality of these groups and people. "We were supposed to imagine peace", said one participant at the end of the encounter, "but we did not imagine peace – we lived peace". And another one asked "We all lived together in peace for 10 whole days, so why can't we all live together in peace?"

The first group-discussion was ruthless and almost violent: "When I hear the word "Palestinian" I immediately think of suicide bombers, of blown up busses, of terror" said one of the Jewish-Israeli participants. Silence, dismay, helplessness and rage were part of almost all group-sessions. But at the airport, before leaving, there were sadness and tears, tears about having to separate and to leave after having grown together and established real closeness with one another. "When somebody in Israel tells me that all Palestinians are terrorists, I will tell them that this is not true, that I have shared a dormitory with 8 wonderful Palestinians and that I got on well with them".

The transitions from angry confrontation in group-discussions to a peaceful and constructive sense of togetherness at culture evenings and workshops were impressive. Without them, the two last-day-performances - the open day in Reibers and the festival4peace in Vienna's Augarten - would not have been possible. "We fought in the groups-discussions but were friends in the bedrooms". L. does not want to feel guilty about having her own state, S. feels threatened by N.'s necklace with the Palestinian flag over Israel, but N. does not understand why this should be a threat to her Jewish co-citizens: she cannot identify with the Magen David on Israel's flag nor with the Hatikwa, nor with the crosses which hang on all the walls of our peacecamp-youth-hostel. The Arab group points out a sense of equality which they experience at peacecamp:" We eat the same food, we sleep in the same rooms, we do the same things". The fact that they thank us again and again for this experience of equality evokes some doubts about the way they may feel in Israel, of which they are citizens, just their Jewish co-citizens.

How was it possible to leave the debates and confrontations in the groups and not to carry them into bedrooms and workshops? "We have decided", tells us one Arab participant. "We have decided to fight in the discussions and to be friends in the bedrooms". Is it possible to make such a decision and to stick to it, to leave all the unresolved and complex issues within the groups-setting and not to carry it into all the other activities? "Yes – this is what we have decided: We wanted to imagine peace".

One participant pointed out that peacecamp created a kind of new reality, in which one could confront difficult issues, because all could feel safe, protected and taken care of in the very same way. Another participant described how the rules stated for the group discussions created a sense of mutual respect, which enabled participants to confront complex issues which would be left within, and not destroy, the groups.

And B., who liked to be provocative at times and to sweeten bitter debates with hoax and jokes, came up with a really wise answer to the question for the main obstacles to peace: "The most obstacle is the trust. Being you without trust, being you without self-confidence is person without peace".

Evelyn Böhmer-Laufer
July 2007-07-17

Peace camp gave me the opportunity and the freedom to talk about issues and discuss conflicts, which usually I have no opportunity to talk about.



Peace camp let me learn about other cultures and introduce my culture to others.



Peace camp helped me create new relationships with teenagers from other countries who are just the same like me and at the same time so different.



In Peace camp I had a lot of fun and great time.



This is the meaning of peace camp 2007 for me.



During this camp I discovered many new things about other cultures, my culture, about other people and about myself.



I will never forget my new friends and this whole experience- peace camp 2007.



I hope that as many as possible teenagers will get the opportunity to participate in future peace camps' as I had.







Lyr

http://picasaweb.google.de/fourpeace/101HP43XPeacecamp2007

http://picasaweb.google.de/fourpeace/100HP43XPeacecamp20072

http://picasaweb.google.de/fourpeace/102HP43XPeacecamp20073

http://picasaweb.google.de/fourpeace/103HP43XPeacecamp20074

haallo liebe evelyn!

ich wollte mich nur recht herzlich bedanken, was du auf die beine gestellt hast. es war ein tolles peacecamp, mit vielen schönen erinnerungen! ich hoffe du wirst weiter projekte machen! ich bedanke mich sehr, durch dieses camp habe ich viel dazu gelernt auch über mich selber!

DANKE!!
mfg juni
bussi