American, Israeli and Palestinian Youth Come Together in Glenview for Dialogue, Conflict Resolution and Leadership Training During Hands of Peace Summer Program
Thirty-six American, Israeli and Palestinian teens are courageously stepping up to find their voices as leaders, peacebuilders and global citizens at the Hands of Peace Summer Program from July 12 to 31 in Glenview and throughout the Chicago area.
The three-week flagship Summer Program is a powerful, unifying experience that starts “Hands” (Summer Program participants) on their journey to create positive social change. In intense dialogue sessions led by professional facilitators, the participants learn about "the other," they share complicated and sometimes painful stories about the conflict or experiences in their communities, and they explore peaceful solutions to foster equality, freedom and justice. Summer Program participants build bridges and leadership skills, as they take part in activities throughout the Chicago area, including visits to a church, synagogue and mosque. The high school students, who come from widely varied backgrounds and cultures, commit to forging a connection and finding common ground, as they work to break down the walls of conflict in the Middle East and throughout the world.
In addition to the participants in the Chicago program this year, there are 38 youth in the San Diego Summer Program, which also began July 12. Following the Summer Program, Hands of Peace alumni continue to grow as peace leaders, taking part in skill-building seminars and leadership programs in the U.S. and Middle East.
The program is followed by a Farewell Celebration on Sunday, July 30, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets and sponsorships are available here: https://handsofpeace.org/farewell-celebrations.
About Hands of Peace
Hands of Peace empowers American, Israeli, and Palestinian youth to become agents of change. The non-profit 501(c)(3) interfaith organization was founded in the shadow of 9/11 by Gretchen Grad in Chicago, Illinois, in 2002. The first Summer Program was held in Chicago in 2003. Since then, Hands of Peace has expanded in size, strength, and scope with Summer Programs in Chicago and San Diego, alumni programs in Israel, Palestine, and the US, and multi-narrative tours to the Middle East for American youth
and adults. Today, there are almost 800 Hands of Peace alumni leading change around the world. For more information, go to www.handsofpeace.org.