Wi'am Citizens Diplomacy Project
Who We Are:
Wi'am, the Palestinian Center for Conflict Resolution, is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with an outreach message that deploys a holistic approach for the promotion of civic society and dissemination of non-violent tools, techniques and democratic practices among community members. We work to spread a message of peace and justice in the community.
Wi'am is also working to promote international relationships and people-to-people diplomacy, or citizens' diplomacy. Our aim is to encourage more travel to Palestine, organize home stays with Palestinian families, and provide volunteer opportunities with Palestinian NGOs.
Wi'am has gained experience in organizing programs that give groups and individuals a unique insight into the complex historical, cultural, social, political and religious aspects of the Holy Land. Such programs add significantly to the experience and knowledge of visiting groups as part of their trips to Palestine.
We encourage a dialogue of cultures and religions. Wi'am offers a wide range of programs for groups to meet with Palestinian and Israeli representatives to understand the political situation first hand. Wi'am seeks to promote human encounters and cultural tourism with an alternative to ordinary tours. To often visitors to the Holy Land return home without having learned anything about the natives of the land.
We offer guided visits to communities of varied religious identity including: Hebron, Ramallah, the Taiba village, Nablus, the Samaritans, Jericho, Gaza, Bethlehem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian refugee camps and of course, the traditional tourist sites such as Tiberias, Galilee and Jerusalem.
Orientation with Middle Eastern cuisine
Objectives:
· To travel to the Biblical Holy Land and see the New & Old Testament Holy Stones
(sites) in historical imagination and contemporary setting..
· To meet face-to-face Christians, Muslims and Jews of the Holy Land and gain
their spiritual and political insights, fostering human and cultural interaction.
· To understand the human consequences of the conflict between Arab Palestinians
and Israeli Jews.
· To deepen one's understanding of the Middle East "Peace Process.
· To reflect theologically on the realities of the region, surpassing passive
observation through prayer and dialogue.
· To learn more about the Living Stones (people) of the Holy Land.
· In brief, we would like to provide opportunities for individuals and groups to visit
the Holy Stones, meet the Living Stones, and be introduced to the psychological,
political and socio-economic situation.
Waiting at Israeli check point for entrance into Ramallah (Left) Bethlehem Tour (Right)
Options available:
· Attend lectures on different topics such as: religious communities and leaders of
the Holy Land, the current political situation, the settlements, and the separation Wall.
· Visit Palestinian organizations to become acquainted with the Palestinian/ Israeli
conflict and appreciate aspirations for a just future.
· Stay with local families.
· Have lunch with local Palestinians.
· Meet with local officials.
· Meet with Israel? and Palestinian political leaders.
· Visit settlements.
· Visit Palestinian Refugee camps.
· Climb the Mountain of Tabor and visit the Church of Transfiguration.
· Visit the Druze community in the Golan Heights.
· Visit monasteries, mosques, and synagogues.
· Visit historical and archaeological sites.
