THE WORLD STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION (WSCF) is a place of meeting and dialogue for young Christians from all different backgrounds, churches and denominations.
In the Middle East, WSCF has been active since the 1960s. Despite the conflict and turmoil of the last decades, WSCF-ME has continued to thrive and grow in its ministry to students in the Arab world, and have spoken out for unity, peace and justice. WSCF-ME assert its identity as Arab Christians.
The JAI worked on creating a WSCF youth group, while we work in coordinating their work and local activities, regional and international participations, and promoting the group for further Palestinian participants. The JAI trains and works with the group on advocating for their Palestinian cause from a Christian perspective and addressing regional and international students.
Mira Sahouri and Haya Bannoura from the JAI-supervised Palestinian Youth Ecumenical Forum (PYEM) have participated at two successive sessions in Cairo-Egypt from the 8th to the 16th of September 2014, organized by the World Students Christian Federation – Middle East. The first session was on "marginalization of women at the church and society", and the second on "Ecumenical upbringing, accepting the other", and the sessions were attended by 37 participants from Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan.
Mira and Haya presented and discussed the position and status of women at local churches in Palestine, and how it could be developed. They also participated in exercises and games on accepting the other, illustrating ideas, communication skills, and human rights.