Program
Youth Peace Camp
Israeli and Palestinian teenagers spend a summer together — for many, the only place they will meet ‘the other side’ in person.
The program
What is the Youth Peace Camp?
Program activities
Five strands run through every camp, from the hardest conversations to a first afternoon at the beach.
A meeting with two Parents Circle members — one Israeli and one Palestinian — who share their personal bereavement story and their journey to choose reconciliation and dialogue over hatred and revenge. In the discussion afterwards the teens can ask the members questions, and at the end there is time for emotional processing of what they have heard.
Each summer program is held in a different location in Israel, exposing the participants to the history, the narrative and the unique culture of the place. Participants engage in activities in the community they are visiting, while expanding the outreach of the Parents Circle’s work.
Every year, participants also enjoy visiting the swimming pool and the beach. For Palestinian members it is an especially exciting and happy experience, since most of them have no access to the sea.
A special ice-breaking activity that relaxes and empowers the participants. Through group games in the open air these teenagers merge as a group, their trust strengthens, they work in teams and develop leadership skills.
A board game designed by the youth programs staff. The Colors of Life aims to forge a team spirit and helps participants get better acquainted with one another — cards with different topics, personal questions, general knowledge questions and group tasks. Created with the support of the Spanish organisation Irenia, Peace Games.
Pay for one of these weeks.
Israeli and Palestinian teenagers do all of this together. Every place at the camp is funded by someone who will never meet the young person who takes it.
This camp shows that we can sit and talk and understand each other. If we can, why shouldn’t adults and governments be able to?
From the camp
Films from past summers
$200,000
The annual cost of running the camp for 80 young people
40+
Israeli and Palestinian teenagers at the 2025 camp
In their own words
“There were so many hard things, it was overwhelming. But that’s a very important part of this camp. It’s dialogue. That’s what makes us feel empathy for each other and anger too, but then we have a chance to talk about it and understand the other side even if we don’t agree.”
“Life in the West Bank is difficult. It’s easy to lose hope. I always find hope here. We teach and inspire them, but they’re the ones who inspire us and give us hope.”
“I saw that the Palestinians are just like us, and they’re curious about what our lives are like.”
“This camp makes a difference because it targets young people, and we are the strength and future of the world.”
“When we’re united, we’re stronger, and we can get rid of injustices.”
“An Israeli kid will learn something new about the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank. A Palestinian kid will visit the beach for the first time in their life, together with an Israeli their age.”
The archive
Summers past
Part of a wider campaign
Eyes on Youth
The Youth Peace Camp is part of Eyes on Youth, our campaign for the young people who will inherit this conflict — and who are already refusing to hand it on.
Supported by
Send a teenager to camp this summer.
It costs $200,000 a year to bring 80 Israeli and Palestinian young people together. Every gift is part of that.
More ways to give
Every gift is tax-deductible and goes to the families running this work.
EIN 95-4869142
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Donate by check
Payable to American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum, with the campaign name on the memo line.
2248 Broadway #1531, New York, NY 10024
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Gift of stock
Appreciated securities avoid capital gains tax — often letting you give more at the same cost.
DTC 0015 · held at Morgan Stanley
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Give monthly
A recurring gift lets the families plan the year ahead. Change or cancel it at any time.
The Sustainers Circle of Hope
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A direct bank transfer carries no processing fee, so the whole gift reaches the families.
Bank details on request
Bank transfer details
Donor-advised funds, IRA rollovers and legacy gifts are welcome too — email [email protected].
