| Kids4Peace is an inter-faith education program dedicated to encouraging children of different cultures and faith traditions to explore their differences and similarities, and to learn understanding, tolerance and respect, while fostering sustainable friendships across the lines of conflict. Kids4Peace is a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, nonpolitical education for peace organization. Our programs focus on Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious communities in the United States and the Jerusalem area, including Ramallah and Bethlehem. Each year, Kids4Peace North Carolina brings together twenty four children, twelve from Jerusalem, and twelve from the United States for a summer camp experience. Muslims, Christians and Jews celebrate their common ancestor, Abraham, as they learn about one another’s faiths and cultures. During the summer of 2011, Lake Logan hosted the fourth Kids4Peace North Carolina Camp. The Jerusalem children arrived on Sunday, July 17th and were joined by their American “Peace Pals” on the following day. Each brought a gift for their Peace Pal and, despite the language barriers, got quickly acquainted. Over the next ten days, the children lived, played and ate together. They built trust through activities like a creek hike and ropes course. They visited each other’s houses of worship, observing their friends in prayer. The American kids taught the kids from Jerusalem how to play baseball, and everyone went to an Asheville Tourists game and cheered on the home team. At the end of their time together each faith group wrote and performed a skit about their faith tradition as a part of the Abraham Tent Celebration. At the end of camp, Omri, one of the Jewish children from Jerusalem wrote, “In the beginning of the year, I did not believe that in my summer vacation, I will travel to U.S.A. and return with so many good friends, especially Christians and Muslims. It changed a lot about my opinions and thoughts on the subject – the faith issues in Israel/Palestine. I believe that because we are all the same, we are all human beings, we MUST!! Live in peace.” The 2012 Camp will take place July 6-17th. Campers should be currently in the sixth grade, or should be turning 12 during 2012. The cost of this 12-day camp is $750. Scholarships are available for those campers whose families demonstrate need. Click here for an application to Kids4Peace Camp. Please visit www.kids4peaceusa.org for more information. If you have any questions about the program, contact Pam Hatley www.pam.hatley@episdionc.org. |
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