5th, May 2010
The East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine Joint Advocacy Initiative 2009 - 2010 GoCY participants were back to Palestine from their host countries and YMCA-YWCA movements in Norway and Sri Lanka.
William Abdu, Husam Qassis and ghaida Rishmawi were selected last year to join the program which lasted from early August 2009 until late april 2010. William was hosted at the YMCA of Sri Lanka, while Husam and Ghaida at local YMCA-YWCA branches in Norway, with various tasks.
The three participants had and will further have debriefing sessions with the JAI team, and are to follow up with their activities at the JAI and links with host movements and groups.
Recently three new youth participants for the 2010-2011 phase were selected to go to YMCA-YWCA of Norway, YWCA of Kenya and YMCA of Sri Lanka. The youth are to undergo an orientation program with the JAI. The EJYMCA, YWCA of Palestine and JAI are to receive four interns for the same period from the same countries.
In return, the JAI hosted four volunteers through the GoCY program: Marie Redergard, Gjermund Granlund and Lars Håberg from Norway, and Christine Lavani from Sri Lanka. They worked at the JAI until late April 2010 on several issues and different tasks that helped achieving the YMCA-YWCA JAI objectives.
Three of the volunteers have blogs where they share their stories and reflect on their stay:
The GoCY exchange program is among the YMCA-YWCA JAI Palestine, YMCA-YWCA of Norway, YWCA of Kenya, YWCA of Sudan and YMCA of Sri Lanka. It is a Go and See the Y, or Go and See why is this situation like this at that country, and aims at enhancing youths' participation and involvement in promoting peace, justice and reconciliation through youth exchange, intercultural understanding and intergration.