Listen, because I am Madagascar, Iraq (Kurdistan), Lebanon,
Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Syria, Palestine, America, Sudan, Iran,
Egypt. Listen, because I am young and
old and full of life. Listen, because I
am full of faith in something, in my God, my dream, our future. Listen, because I am different from you and
you have much to learn. And I promise
that I will listen to you because in the deepest rooms of our hearts we are
also the same.
We have gathered together youth from 12 different countries,
cultures, religions, languages and traditions at the International Work and
Study Camp to learn about dialogue and peacebuilding. We have been transformed and we want that
this transformation does not stop with us but that it lives through us and
through you as we all carry this message to our homes, offices, and our places
of worship.
We have been gathered for 10 days in dialogue and in that
short time we have begun the process of taking down the barriers that have been
built between us over thousands of years of history. It does not mean that differences do not
exist. We have differences but we have
come to believe that we must try to understand these differences, and we have
been inspired to leave behind our assumptions, our stereotypes, and our
fears. We are young and passionate with
the promise to continue to build bridges from living stones of mutual respect,
acceptance, love, freedom and security. But we need your help.
We ask that when you gather at fancy tables to discuss the
future of our countries and our world, when you gather in kitchens and cafes to
organize the revolutions, when faithful gather before you to better understand
the word of God, that you remember us…
Listen now, and remember me when you sit and speak of my
freedom and my rights. Remember that I
have stood before you and asked from the depth of me that you try to know
yourself, your humanity and the humanity of others. Remember that I have asked you to accept and
respect your neighbors with all their differences because a person is either
your brother or sister in faith or your equal in humanity. Real dialogue begins with a sincere desire to
understand each other, a willingness to see our common values and the courage
to push our boundaries and deal with differences in a positive way.
We ask that you practice true dialogue in your daily lives
and work by seeking equally to understand and be understood, that as much as
you speak, you try to listen more. By
practicing this form of dialogue we have realized that despite the differences
born in the traditions of 12 different countries, we have common values, fears,
hopes and demands.
Listen now, and remember your children and mine when you
speak of good and equal education and healthcare for all. Remember your beliefs and mine when you speak
of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, gender and ethnic equality. As you make political decisions, don’t base
them on religious opinions or personal benefits. Remember us.
When you publish articles and pictures in your newspapers, remember that
we have stood before you and demanded that you tell the truth. We demand a media and government that does
not hide or manipulate the people. Let
your words reflect the reality and your own humanity because it is only from
truth that we may begin to know each other and build again. Help us to work for social justice and
against persecution and oppression.
In 2006, the second year of this camp, a war broke out
between Israel and Lebanon and the participants had to return to their
countries. The experience of having a
war begin at the start of our training for Peacebuilding and Dialogue helped to
shape the form that this camp has taken while the new conflicts and struggles
that surround us today remind us of the depth of our barriers and the importance
of this work. Our
surroundings continue to inspire our passion and belief in this work as we seek
a common future in which diversity is seen as a gift.
Listen now, because we are closer than you think and in this changing world we need each other more every day. Look into my eyes and remember me, because I am a piece of the heart of God and we belong to each other. All my love, anger, fear, passion and hunger is as real as yours.
