[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 170 (Friday, November 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING SEEDS OF PEACE FOR ITS PROMOTION OF UNDERSTANDING AMONG YOUTH 
                        FROM REGIONS OF CONFLICT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2003

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today 
to honor such a valuable program. Seeds of Peace was founded by John 
Wallach in 1993. It is a program designed to bring together young 
people from regions of conflict to study and learn about coexistence 
and conflict resolution.
  The original focus of Seeds of Peace was to bring Israeli, 
Palestinian, Jordanian, and Egyptian youth together, the program has 
since expanded to involve youths from other regions of conflict, 
including Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the Balkans, India, Pakistan, and 
Afghanistan.
  Seeds of Peace provides young people with the opportunity to study, 
learn and interact at a summer camp in Otisfield, Maine, and also 
through regional programs at the Jerusalem Center for Coexistence. 
Seeds of Peace works to dispel fear, mistrust, and prejudice, which are 
root causes of violence and conflict, and to build a new generation of 
leaders who are committed to achieving peace.
  Seeds of Peace has been successful at revealing the human face of 
those whom youth have been taught to hate, by engaging campers in both 
guided coexistence sessions and ordinary summer camp activities such as 
living together in cabins, sharing meals, canoeing, swimming, playing 
sports, and creative exploration through arts and computers.
  The Arab-Israeli conflict is currently at a critical juncture, and 
sustained progress towards peace depends on the emergence of a new 
generation of leaders who will choose dialogue, friendship, and 
openness over violence and hatred.
  In addition to Seeds of Peace, I am a cosponsor of Global Family Day, 
a House Resolution that seeks to raise awareness of children by having 
a one day holiday every year dedicated to family, community and sharing 
global traditions.
  Similar to Global Family Day, Seeds of Peace provides year-round 
opportunities for former participants to build on the relationships 
they have forged at camp, so that the learning processes begun at camp 
can continue back in the participants' home countries, where they are 
most needed.
  Programs such as these bring us closer to our foreign policy goals of 
raising our future leaders to think about global issues, and see the 
neighbors as other children like them, rather than enemies.
  Both Global Family Day and Seeds of Peace are strongly supported by 
participating governments and many world leaders. It is especially 
important to reaffirm that youth must be involved in long-term, 
visionary solutions to conflicts perpetuated by cycles of violence. I 
am glad we have the opportunity to honor Seeds of Peace, for the work 
it has accomplished thus far, and for the impact it will have for 
generations.

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