Middle East Children Association

Groups

MECA believes in the importance of building a basis for peace in children, and working within the educational systems that currently exist.  For approximately seven years, MECA has been working with Palestinian and Israeli teachers and students, providing them with an opportunity to create an open dialogue between the two societies.    

MECA’s core project provides Israeli and Palestinian teachers a forum to learn about one another and to work together to influence the present and future of their education systems.  Until September 2000, groups of approximately 20 Palestinian and Israeli teachers met on a regular basis, with the goal of developing curricula or activities for their students that promote the ideas of justice, human rights, tolerance and pluralism. In the process of creating programs, the teachers themselves explored these issues, created personal bonds, and broke down their own stereotypes.  Due to the strained political  situation, groups meet monthly on a uni-national basis working separately but in parallel, with bi-national seminars taking place less often, over a number of days.  The uni-national meetings also meet a need for support and reassurance within each national group during times of great strife and tension.

Groups are organized around shared traits of the group, such as subjects taught, age group of students, or teaching philosophy of members, and have equal numbers of Israelis and Palestinians.  Included in the range of groups are high school history teachers, preschool teachers, and the subjects of music education, English language studies, and civics.  During the academic year, teachers can then implement programs developed by the groups with their students.  Over 400 teachers have been involved in this program over the past year, and have returned to their respective schools equipped with personal experience to explore with their students the issues that surround making peace with their neighbors.  Through their teachers, thousands of students have been affected by MECA’s core project.

An art piece by MECA's children

As an outgrowth of the core project, the teachers' groups develop opportunities for Palestinian and Israeli students to meet, to share experiences and ideas, and to interact with one another.  There is a Students group that meets uni-nationally and bi-nationally confronting directly the assumptions and stereotypes of the other.   After exploring the issues of tolerance, respect, human rights and recognition, students are prepared to meet their counterparts.  In separate projects, within the framework of the education system, students have the opportunity to be enriched by their own and their counterparts’ community and culture.  Students have had the opportunity to participate in music programs with the Israeli Philharmonic and the Arab National Orchestra, and plan to participate in an oral history project, interviewing the elders of the two communities.  By learning together, the “other” is given a face, as we are involving even the youngest of our youth in building peace.

MECA’s projects are not only one-time events.  The diverse educational materials developed by MECA participants can be made part of a wide-scale effort to enhance the existing educational programs with teaching about pluralism and tolerance.  Looking toward the future, MECA will continue to promote expansion of education toward mutual recognition, tolerance, human rights and non-violence.