07/11/2003
Seeds of Peace Works with Youths to Lay Foundation for Peace
Aaron Miller speaks at State Department July 2
Washington -- Aaron Miller is working to lay a foundation for peace between Israelis and Palestinians by trying to transform fear and hatred into trust and empathy in Israeli and Palestinian children at a summer camp in Maine.
A former foreign service officer with extensive experience in the Middle East, Miller is now president of Seeds of Peace, a non-profit organization that fosters co-existence for youth touched by conflict and war. He was invited to speak at the State Department's Open Forum July 2 to share his unique perspective of the Arab-Israeli conflict and peacemaking.
The mission of Seeds of Peace is to build peace between people, not governments, and to put a face on the enemy, Miller said. Each summer, Seeds of Peace brings 450 teenagers from countries in conflict to a camp in Maine. The teenagers are chosen by their governments to attend this three-week co-existence program.
An Israeli or a Palestinian kid may feel afraid about going to sleep next to the other on the first night of the camp, Miller said, but by the end of the camp they will feel differently.
This relationship change, which Miller described as a "transformation," is strengthened by Internet communications after camp, along with conferences and seminars.
"These kids feel empowered and legitimized by the experience," said Miller.
Miller said Maine provides the perfect environment for transformation because it offers four essential freedoms -- freedom of association without stigma, freedom of movement, freedom from fear, absolute security for three weeks, and freedom from the media, which enables campers to reach conclusions for themselves.
The summer program offers typical camp activities, including canoeing, swimming, drama and fine arts. Delegates also have the opportunity to take state-of-the-art computer classes and build teamwork and communications skills through activities like the ropes course. The program aims to develop self-discovery and self-confidence, and enable delegates to come away with a new understanding of themselves, and their new friends.
In the summer of 2002, participants included eight delegations from the Middle East, (Egyptians, Israelis, Jordanians, Moroccans, Palestinians, Qataris, Yemenis, and Tunisians), two delegations from Cyprus (Greek and Turkish Cypriots), and five from the Balkans (Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Yugoslavia). These campers, along with Americans, Greeks, Turks, Afghans, Indians and Pakistanis, all shared experiences in a daily co-existence program, which was led by a team of professional facilitators.
Each year, the program concludes with a trip to Washington, DC, where delegates tour the White House and State Department, visit national monuments and museums, and meet members of the U.S. government as well as ambassadors from their countries. There is often an opportunity to meet the U.S. President, Vice President, First Lady or Secretary of State. This part of the program allows teenagers to feel empowered by conversations with members of the U.S. government, who are interested to meet them and learn from their experiences, both in conflict and at Seeds of Peace.
While the program is not based solely on Middle East peace, Miller has a strong background in this region. After completing a Ph.D. in American Diplomatic and Middle East History from the University of Michigan, Miller joined the State Department where he worked extensively in Middle Eastern issues during his 25-year career there. He has also written three books on the Middle East.
Miller took over the presidency of Seeds of Peace in early 2003 following the death of the organization's founder, John Wallach. Miller said the key concept that Seeds of Peace tries to implant was best summed by a young woman participant from Jordan.
"In order to make peace with your enemies, you have to go to war with yourself," Miller quoted her as saying.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns said Seeds of Peace will play an important role in creating a new dynamic for peace in the future.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
