Children of Gaza working for peace. (First Person).

On a hot summer day of 1997, I was sitting in my office thinking about the daily activities of the youth project in a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, where I worked as a volunteer. Suddenly I received a call from my friend inviting me to participate in a two-day conflict resolution workshop in a school in Gaza City.

Taking part in the workshop convinced me that education in conflict resolution can be a positive force for social change in Palestine, especially when youth are at the core of this process. They are the ones to build a civil society based on respect of human rights, democracy and freedom.

There were huge challenges in launching the programme. The education system is hierarchical and society is fearful of new initiatives. We also had financial difficulties. However a pilot mediation project for 12-15-years-olds had already taken place in four schools in Gaza, run by UNRWA, (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency). This initiative paved the way for the decision to include the rest of Gaza.

Another challenge we faced was that the teachers, who took part in the project, had never witnessed a democratic process where students could select their peers to represent them in the mediation committee at their school. Part of the programme was to train teachers to supervise their students in resolving conflicts within their schools. Despite the fact that all the teachers had volunteered to take part, at the start of training they couldn't see `where this sailing ship would lead them'.

This didn't stop the programme from expanding beyond the borders of the Gaza Strip to include 14 schools in the West Bank. By December 2000 the project included over 2,000 children in 66 schools where they have been resolving their own conflicts without the direct engagement of their teachers. A highly satisfactory annual assessment at the end of the first year had overcome the teachers' hesitation.

During my visits to some of the schools, many students informed me that their experience as mediators were not limited to conflicts at schools. They not only intervened in solving problems among their peers on the streets, but also used their skills at home, reconciling their brothers and even parents.

At another time some promising mediators participated in a programme, broadcast on the Palestinian satellite TV, to give support to their peers in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. This involvement of the students in leadership, based on democratic practice, was a main objective of the programme.

Since it was launched six years ago the programme has also stimulated other community education programmes. For instance, women--unexpected and unprecedented mediators in a masculine society--contributed brilliant ideas for community programmes, such as a phone help-line for women. It looked like a dream in the beginning, but now there are seven professional mediators and psychologists giving unique assistance to many marginalized sectors in Gaza and the West Bank.

Since October 2001 the conflict resolution programme has been running in Gaza's universities as well. The main focus is to promote the skills and attitudes of tolerance among young political leaders.

Peer mediation is still the backbone of the other community education programmes, inspired by the initial project, which have been contributing to positive change in Palestinian society. Despite the enormous pressures and human rights violations that Palestinians are currently facing, such programmes are essential for a viable future state to be based on democracy, freedom and justice.

Ibrahim Natil The Palestinian Centre for Helping Resolve Community Disputes