peacecamp 2018

If you meet a stranger talk to him
peacecamp 2018 in Lackenhof and in Vienna
July 3rd. – 13th, 2018

peacecamp 2018 will bring together teenagers from two conflicting groups of the Middle East (Jews and Palestinians) and youngsters from two European nations (Hungary and Austria), including minorities (Romes, refugees). They will be given preparatory assignments meant to trigger thoughts about the relevant social and political issues which impede peaceful coexistence within their communities and to encourage them to think about how people, groups or even themselves could contribute and enhance peaceful coexistence within their countries.

The contemporary social and political issues relevant to the participating groups will thus be brought to the encounter by the participants. These topics will be elaborated and worked through in various ways - through reflection, art and action and in different - playful, cognitive, introspective or other modes.

A number of workshops led by experts (artists, historians, teachers, psychologist, group analyst) will be offered to allow insights, learning, experimenting with, and experiencing new perspectives about oneself and others.

A final show4peace on stage will demonstrate the power of cooperation and of the resources inherent in multiculturality and joint action.

At the end of the encounter, within a formal act, all participants will be awarded the certificate “ambassador of Peace”

peacecamp 2018 will be filmed; each participant will take home a video to be shown to family, friends and peers. The film will be shown on several occasions (show4peace, Jewish film festival, schools, etc.).

peacecamp 2018 will be evaluated and assessed by external researches – a statistician and two clinical psychologists.

November 2018
Evelyn Böhmer-Laufer
Initiator and director of the peacecamp project

Emila and Pia, two participants of the Austrian group at peacecamp 2017, presented the project at their school's Open Day to the interested public.
(Nov 10th, 2017)

peacecamp 2018
The Familiar and the Foreign: An Encounter of Cultures
July 3rd – 13th, 2018 in Lackenhof and in Vienna

peacecamp 2018 will take place from July 3rd to 13th, bringing together teenagers from 4 nations – Jewish and Palestinian youngsters from Israel and youth from Hungary and Austria.

The encounter starts and ends at Vienna Airport and takes place in Lackenhof/Lower Austria (9 days) and in Vienna (1 day).

Registration for peacecamp commits to participation through the entire program in all its activities.

Participants acknowledge and agree to peacecamp being filmed and the video shown in different contexts related to the peacecamp project.

Participants are 16 – 18 years old high school pupils from
- the Jewish-Israeli Zvulun School of Kibbutz Yagur
- the Arab-Israeli Hagalil School in Nazareth
- the Hungarian Laslo Szent Gymnasium in Budapest
- a mixed group from schools in and around Vienna plus a small number of youth seeking asylum in Austria

Our Team comprises
1 group psychoanalyst
2 artists/art therapists
4 accompanying teachers (one per group)
1 video filmmaker
2 teachers/historians – experts in (contemporary) history and social education
1 assistant – a former participant of the Palestinian group, now teacher in an Arab school in Israel
1 psychologist/psychotherapist – director of the peacecamp project
1 organizational director

The peacecamp program is structured with 90 minutes’ pleasurable and challenging workshops such as
- I feel good workshop: morning session consisting of music and movement, getting to know exercises, nonverbal communication, challenges
- large group led by the group psychoanalyst, with all young and adult participants
- art workshops allowing for a creative working through of the issues and themes of the peacecamp, leading to a final show4peace
- talks4peace – a workshop which triggers thoughts and reflection upon social and political issues relevant to the participating groups
- 4 culture evenings enabling each group to present their cultural, religious, political connection with their own group of reference
- show4peace/Lackenhof with “Ambassador of peace” award given to each participant
- show4peace/Vienna in a theatre in front of a real audience

Preparations
All participating pupils will be given preparatory assignments to bring or to send before the peacecamp begins.
individual assignments
- questionnaire 4 questions4peace
- life story book/family album
group assignment
- preparation of a culture evening
- poster and/or small video with themes to reflect upon in the talks4peace

Evaluation and assessment
After the peacecamp, all participants will be asked to provide three documents
- 4questions4peace (again)
- feedback questionnaire
- essay “This was peacecamp for me”

Information: https://peacecamp2018.antville.org
https://peacecamptexts.blogger.de/ (summary of all peacecamps so far)

Contact
Evelyn Böhmer-Laufer - bohmer@utanet.at
Ronny Böhmer - ronaldo@utanet.at

Vienna, October 2nd, 2018
Evelyn Böhmer-Laufer
Director of the peacecamp project