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Nablous fieldtrip and workshop
A meeting between Christian
and Muslim students from the Bethlehem area
On the 9th of June
2009 an AEI high school group of thirty-two
Christians and Muslims from different schools of
AEI’s Bethlehem school network (private and
government) participated in a trip to Nablus.
The journey started with
Islamic and Christian prayers pronounced by two
students. After the prayers, the AEI general
director as well as the new secretary and youth
coordinator Roger Salameh welcomed all attendees
and presented the programme of the trip. They
explained the importance of such educational
fieldtrips, which are vital educational tools in
AEI's "do" methodology for teaching
interreligious subjects.
The road to Nablus lasted
more than two hours. After leaving Bethlehem we
headed to the east and passed by the Shepherds
Field where the angels announced the good news
of Jesus’ birth. Then we continued through the
Valley of Fire – the Wadi Al Nar bypass road -
east of Jerusalem, heading towards Jericho. On
the way we passed by different settlements,
especially Maale Adoumim and the Islamic
historical site of Nabi Mousa (Moses burial
monument) and the Red Inn (Khan Al Ahmar) where
the Biblical parable or story of the Good
Samaritan was thought to have taken place. We
also passed by some of the Jordan Valley
villages famous for their oases of palm trees,
fruits, vegetables and bananas. At last we had a
lovely rest at Wadi Al Bidan at the outskirts
of Nablus. It is a green, calm and shady valley
with a narrow brook or water stream. The
swimming was very relaxing. The friendly and
quiet atmosphere made all teenagers stay until
4:30. Then we visited the Jacob's Well Church
and Joseph’s Tomb where we learnt from the
explanations which enhanced our knowledge on
one’s own and the other’s religion.
We had a short tour in
Nablus. On our way back to Bethlehem we passed
by a Kinafa restaurant (kind of delicious
typical Nablus sweets) where we enjoyed eating
and had a rest.
The whole journey was very
interesting and informative. It combined fun and
learning. "Such a trip has been a golden
opportunity for us as Christians and Muslims to
strengthen our brotherly relations". A quote by
Alex Salameh from Terra Sancta High School.
Milad Qumsiah said: "I was in a dream during
this nice trip". Another Muslim girl from a
government school said, "We felt relaxed and got
rid of our daily school routine.” Raed said,
"This trip was a good chance to discover and
learn about our common history". Hanan, a Muslim
girl, said: "Visiting such holy places is very
helpful in understanding one another as well as
respecting our religions".
These fieldtrips not only
allow students to get a feeling of connectedness
and rootedness in the land but also give our
youth a chance to breathe and to escape a
suffocating environment and the frustrations
associated with life. The trip helped our
students to combine learning with enjoyment as
they had a chance to swim as well as to study
about our commonalities as Christians and
Muslims.
During these trips the
explanations and discussions were
student-centered. Throughout the long journey,
participants experienced the system of
checkpoints, bypass roads, the separation wall
and the Israeli settlements which block all hope
to the future establishment of an independent
and viable Palestinian state. The greatest part
of the trip was spent by swimming, singing,
dancing and sharing food. These entertainment
activities created a very lively, interesting
and enjoyable break from traditional rote
learning school practices. The trip came also as
an incentive and motivation at the end of the
Summer School of Communication held between 25of
June -5th of July 2009. By combining
knowledge with fun we will help students in
strengthening methods of active learning. |
