The Young Ambassadors for Peace (YAP) program is an initiative to train and educate 25 bereaved Israelis and Palestinians ages 18-27 to become the next generation of peace leaders.

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Israeli and Palestinian young adult peace delegates in Japan

Today’s young adults in Israel and Palestine don’t have memories of a time before the violence. Bereaved youth have paid the highest price, and have grown up in the midst of violence, grief, and loss. They were born during either the first or second Intifada. They grew up being taught to hate the other side. And at some point during all of that, someone they loved was taken from them.

They are the future of the Parents Circle and the future of the peace movement in Israel and Palestine.

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In the past year, the PCFF has been working with a cadre of bereaved Israeli and Palestinian young adults who have either been through our youth programs consistently, or exposed to PCFF messages and activities through their parents’ membership in the organization. These young adults are ready to take on more leadership roles as counselors, youth leaders and dialogue meeting facilitators, to give back to the next group of youth and to serve as ambassadors and role models in their communities. In order to take their leadership to this next level, they require training and capacity building.

In the video below, bereaved brothers, Yigal Elhanan and Arab Aramin, graduates of the PCFF’s Youth Summer Program, speak publicly about their loss and their choice of reconciliation. These two are prime examples of the young adults who would receive training.

Project Goals
The goals of the Young Ambassadors for Peace are to

1. Contribute to mutual understanding, empathy, and humanization between Israeli and Palestinian youth

2. Foster emotional breakthroughs and a process of transformation in attitude and perception among Israeli and Palestinian youth

3. Generate a cadre of leadership among bereaved Israeli and Palestinian young adults who can cultivate and lead an expanded peace constituency

Project Activities
We will raise $60,000 to support the program. YAP will engage 25 Palestinian and Israeli young adults ages 18-27 over the course of 10 months. They will participate in:

  • Leadership and capacity building workshops based on the Parallel Narrative Experience (PNE) module
  • Working in various categorized groups: uni-national, bi-national, gender mixed –separated and sub groups will strengthen our young adult leaders and deepen their commitment and ability to serve as role models and future leaders of peace work and enable them to feel safe, free, and ready for intensive emotional and educational experiences.
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