peacecamp 2011

Saskia Kessler from Erlangen, Germany participated a couple of days in peacecamp 2011 and wrote afterwards at her school a paper about her peacecamp experiences.

Here you can read the document (24 pages, in German language!):
Text_Saskia

(application/pdf, 3.935 KB)

This was peace camp/Amir Adar

Peace camp was for me more than good experience, even more than outstanding experience - it was a very important lesson for me and for my life.
I chose to do not focus on the fun and the great social experience (that was speechless) I had in this camp, I chose to focus on the lesson I had. The lesson I had, was a lesson about people and about human nature.
The first thing I have learnt is that even people are very different, and even if they have different cultures, and they do not speak the same language, and even if they hate each other, after all, they are human beings! And all the human being are very similar, because they are all human beings; and to be a human being means to be good, to want peace and quiet, even if some times there are thousands of black layers that do not let the human being and to anybody else to see the light that exist inside.
The second thing I learnt in the peace camp was that any one could take those layers off! I am not enough naïve to say that this action of taking those layers off will take the same efforts from everyone, but I enough believe in the human race to say that there is no one who can not take those layers off (even if sometimes there are people who has a lot of them).
And to the question what was peace camp? I can answer that it was an experience that let me say the thing I said.

I really don‘t know what to write. It‘s so hard to put those amazing days into words.
The peacecamp has always its own spirit and there is always the great feeling of being connected to each other. You can‘t describe it to someone who has not made this experience. After the peacecamp I just talked and I‘m still talking about the peacecamp, getting on everybody‘s nerves with my peacecamp stories.
The peacecamp started at the airport and ended there. But between those days many, many, many things happened. At first everyone was a bit shy but over the next days we got to know each other and each others culture. I really love all of the culture evenings because it is a great ability to learn about other cultures. I‘m singing the songs I‘ve learned all the time and I‘m still able to dance the dances we learned.
What I really liked this year was the history session because it was well organised by Markus and Ilan. Thank you to them :) I‘m also a fan of the large group because I think it‘s important for everyone to say what he or she thinks.
But the most important thing is that we all found out that the others are not that different. We are all teenagers with the same problems and hopes and dreams.
Maybe this camp helped the Israeli and the Arabs to find a way to live together. Because I believe that everyone is able to change the world a little bit and together even more.
Thank you to everyone who has participated: teachers, students and artists And above all thank you to Evelyn and Ronny who organised the whole camp for nearly 10 years and who were always there for us.
Thank you.
Anne-Sophie Rauch=

This was Peacecamp 2011

When my teacher told me, that I can go to the Peacecamp, at first I didn’t understand why I was chosen, because I found my english not good enough, actually I’ve been learning english only for 2 years, so I was a bit afraid it. Nevertheless I was of course very happy to go.

When I got of the bus I feel a bit alone and I didn’t know, what will be my partners like.
Honestly I have had some prejudices Jews and Arabs before the camp, but some days later I found out that I have no reason for that. All people in the camp were very friendy, helpful and tolerant.

At first I supposed that we can’t solve the ancient problems between the Jews and Arabs, but when we spend some days there, I found out that these people really want to find a solution this situation, but I didn’t dare always express my opinion in the large group.
I found the Jews history very interesting, so I’ve started to deal whit it.

I found most of programmes very intresting, like yoga and the evenings, although I found a bit unneccecery some programmes, for instance mandela, and we should have hiked more in the beautiful landscape. Some night was a bit disturbing, when one tried to sleep, and couldn’t because of the loud noise. I think we had enough time to get to know one another.

Overall I think it was great 11 days for everyone. We made great friends. If I could, I’d go again.

When Riki told us about the peacecamp taking place at Reibers during ten days in July, I was inter-ested but not sure to aim my participation. Finally, I decided to participate.
When I arrived at the Airport I tried to welcome everyone. However, I liked the feeling in the bus, the atmosphere of singing, talking and getting closer to each other. I wanted that the bus ride never ends, because I was afraid of the camp, reasoned by Riki’s statement about the bad food, her characterisation of the hostel and so on.
After the arrival I observed and discovered that altogether for me rooms, meals, and all around the camp were not conform to her daunting description.
I enjoyed the whole program, the meditation, the daily Mandala, the large group, the lessons with the artists, and the history lessons. The idea of the cultural evenings is great! Due to the fact you get to know the other culture better and come closer to the other one.
The show for peace in Reibers and in Vienna was also great, because we could show what we have done in those 10 days to the invited people.
I think the Hungarians, the Israelis and the Palestinians enjoyed the day in Vienna, though there were many discussions, because the one wanted to see something of Vienna and the others wanted to do some shopping.
I loved the trip to the Czech Border. It was interesting what the Israelis and Palestinians thought before: there would be a barbed wire fence, but without watch towers and security checks. In fact there are only boundary stones, which mark the border between Austria and the Czech Republic.
At the border Sahawa, a participant from the Austrian delegation, told us about the Iron Curtain and I think it was interesting for the Israeli and the Palestinian delegations to hear that there has been also a barbed wire fence at the border with watch towers and that the inhabitants could remove such a border and could reach that there is peace between those countries.
The peacecamp was one of my best experiences in my life.