July 1-3, 2021: As part of the environmental and climatic justice course, we began a wonderful journey with a group of brave and courageous men and women who have elected to step out of their everyday busy schedule and their comfort zone for a better, shared future.

They came from all around the country: ten Palestinian Israelis (5 men/5 women) joined 13 Jewish Israelis (7 men / 6 women) for the course. The team from the School for Peace included Ms. Faten Abu Ghosh, who took care of the logistics and ensured the comfort of all the participants. Harb Amara and Dr. Noa Barkai-Kara were (and will continue as) the facilitators. Professional interpreter Ibrahim Agbaria accompanied and translated the entire workshop consecutively or simultaneously, as needed.

The workshop began on Thursday afternoon and continued till late Saturday afternoon.

During the workshop, we began to develop the bi-national discourse. We heard a fascinating lecture by Prof. Danny Rabinowitz on the “PNCC,” the post-normal climatic condition, and then a similarly fascinating lecture by Dr. Adel Manaa, who presented the history of the Nakba by means of his own personal story. We well understood the importance of each uni-national discourse.

In the last part of the workshop, we experimented with a simulation that allowed participants to experience the difficulty, complexity and responsibility of negotiating truly burning issues – the nature of the state, security and natural resources. By the end of the three-hour session, they managed to reach understandings and agreements on certain topics in a brave and inspiring way.

It was a fascinating, challenging, exciting, moving, instructive and inspiring 3 days. We all emerged from the experience with many questions and insights that we will need time to process – at least until the next session. And most of all, we came out – participants, and facilitators – with a great sense of anticipation for the continuation of the course, and for joint action.

We are very thankful for the privilege that we were given, or took advantage of, to take part in the meeting with participants from both sides.

Report by Noa Barkai-Kara