Talking with Zoughbi in the garden at Wi’am
We’ve arrived! We went to the heart of it first thing today by visiting Wi’am , the Palestinian Conflict Resolution/Transformation Center in Bethlehem and one of Pilgrims of Ibillins peace partners. Wi’am means agape, unconditional love and was founded by Zoughbi Al Zoughbi as a way to help his community. Zoughbi said his hero’s and models for giving back included his strong and faithful mother, MLK Jr, and Mother Theresa. He believes that everyone is capable of being evil or good and he believes that a method to bring change is using what he calls beautiful creative resistance.
Zoughbi talked to us about the situation today under occupation and how this grass-roots organization practices restorative justice and mediation. They practice Sulha mediation here using a 3rd party mediator for conflicts (Wi’am staff and volunteers). With current challenges of the occupation, economic depression (as a result of occupation and the pandemic), high unemployment in their community, land confiscation, and economic deterioration their programs offer some hope and help for anxiety, depression, and conflicts that are exacerbated by the current situation in Palestine. Programs include children’s programs, nonviolent resistance workshops, women’s groups and youth groups for local youth. Zoughbi gave us background of the history of the present situation as we sat in the beautiful garden next to the staggering ugly wall next door that is twice the height of the Berlin Wall. I was really impressed by our groups thoughtful questions, insight and compassion.
The morning also included a tour of the Aida Refugee camp that was established in 1950 as a temporary solution (tents) which now contains small cramped permanent dwellings for over 6,000 people in a 10 acre area. This camp was also considered the most tear gased area in the world and sadly the camp where a 7 year old boy collapsed and died of a heart attack just a few days ago after he and his brother were chased and detained by soldiers for allegedly throwing stones.
Within the camp there were several bright and hopefully places. One is another Pilgrims Peace Partner, a Seraj Library that provides a beautiful calm space for children to read, play games, and gather after school (photo below on left).
Another is the Alrowwad (Pioneers for Life) Cultural and Arts Society within the camp that provides beautiful and peaceful ways through performing and visual arts such as theater.
Our deep dive day also included seeing some sites! We toured the ancient Nativity Church in Bethlehem where it’s believed that Jesus was born (photo above right). We were pleased we missed the crowds later in the afternoon and were awed by the newly cleaned mosaics from the 12th century and the newly restored columns.
Brenda Mehos