An 8-day program in Palestine, from the 24th of October until the 1st of November 2022, was organized and hosted by the JAI for 15 students of the Global class, with 2 lteachers, from our partner Norwegian YMCA-YWCA related Rønningen Folkehøgskule. Their trip followed a visit by 2 JAI-trained youth 2 staff, to their and another partner Folkehøgskule, as well as Y (YMCA-YWCA) Global in Norway, between 18 and 25 of September 2022.
Their program included guided tours where they were shown the Israeli apartheid wall, land confiscation, and colonies (settlements) in the Bethlehem area, as well as Bethlehem University, inside Dhaisha refugee camp, into the Walled-Off Hotel museum, at and through the Bethlehem-Jerusalem checkpoint with the EAPPI (Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel) team, with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolition (ICAHD) around Jerusalem, Bethlehem old city and Church of Nativity, Jerusalem old city and into Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Hebron old city with the Israeli colonies (settlements) and checkpoints inside it and into the Shuhada street.
They had briefings by the EJ YMCA Rehabilitation Program, and the YWCA of Palestine in Ramallah, while presentations were also given to them by the JAI on its advocacy work, Olive Tree Campaign with geopolitical background, Badil Center for residency and refugee rights, and the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) Campaign.
Sessions with Palestinian youth were organized for them at the YWCA center in Ramallah, Bethlehem University, and with the JAI youth at the YMCA, which included ice-breaking games and activities, as well as chat groups. They helped a Palestinian farmer and his family pick their olive fruits at their threatened field in Wad Fukin village, west of Bethlehem.
