Ok, so they won't fly you to Palestine for free, but it still sounds like a worthwhile program: Birthright Palestine.
A project of the Palestine Center for National Strategic Studies, Birthright Palestine "is meant to gather first generation, western‐born Palestinians (over the age of 18‐years old) in their ancestral homeland, so that they can reunite and witness firsthand how their brethren are living under illegal Israeli military occupation."
The program is made‐up of four major components, education, tourism, hospitality, and volunteering, and was created to maintain Palestinian unity on an international level and to make foreign‐born Palestinians feel at home in their homeland.As a Diaspora Palestinian myself, whose felt "out of place" (Oooh, did ya get the reference?) here and in my ancestral homeland, the program appeals.
According to their website, Birthright Palestine aims to assimilate Diaspora Palestinians into Palestinian society through cultural immersion. During the program's duration (anywhere between 1 to 3 months), participants will live with a host family, learn Arabic (yes you can get college credit), and intern at a local NGO. Participants will also attend weekly trips throughout the West Bank and take part in numerous activities -- including film screenings, cultural events, speeches, workshops, informative classes, special-issue debates, etc.
Though the program focuses on Diaspora Palestinians, anyone of Arab descent is welcome. Not including airfare, it'll cost $2,900 to participate for three months (cheaper for those staying less).
Given that this year marks the 60th anniversary of al-Nakbeh, it's quite fitting that the program launches this summer. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial (If I haven't already), sign up today! TODAY! TODAY!
17 comments:
Yesterday at tennis practice, I overheard a locker room conversation between two teenage boys about taking the 'Birthright Israel' trip. One of them was like, 'I don't know if I should go... Matt went over break and he said it was like, real boring'.
I wonder what someone else (who was actually born there!) would give to experience 'boredom' in his ancestral homeland! The whole thing made me really angry, they were a group of four guys in my tennis group who were telling each other "come on, you should go, it's free" and conspicuously never looking at me the whole time. Granted, I didn't have clothes on. But still, I'm glad something like Birthright Palestine has come around so that I can make other people uncomfortable with my ethnic exclusivity. And I think that would also be the problem with any Arab birthright program. Wouldn't it be more powerful, to differ from Birthright Israel, to declare that anyone in the world has the right to experience life under occupation?
Very good program, maybe if people start donating they can lower the price or make it free so all first generation refugees can make it over.
Mack-attack, you raise a good point. But there already exist programs like that...
Palestine Summer Encounter [www.palestinesummer.org] caters to everyone -- regardless of ethnicity.
Birthright Unplugged [www.birthrightunplugged.org] caters to Jewish students who go on Birthright Israel and want to experience the other side of the story.
I think what sets Birthright Palestine apart is that its ultimate goal is to re-connect diaspora Palestinians with their ancestral homeland -- kind of like getting a head start on damage control. Re-assimilation perhaps?
Personally, I think the initiative is extremely valuable. I hope it succeeds.
Participants will also attend weekly trips throughout the West Bank and take part in numerous activities -- including film screenings, cultural events, speeches, workshops, informative classes, special-issue debates, etc.
Wait a second, all this stuff goes on in the world's biggest outdoor prison?
Can't be.
Seriously - it sounds like a worthwhile program.
As for the costs, this is exactly the kind of thing Palestinians should try to get money from Saudi Arabia to fund so that it can be free for diaspora Palestinians, - instead of having them give all their money to Hamas.
thanks buydatti,didn't know about those
Anonymous,
Gaza is the "world's largest outdoor prison."
The West Bank is more like "Prison Break." It's still a prison, but if you're smart enough (and have the right connections) you can break out. At least for now you can.
what does it mean for people to be first generation western born palestinians? i'm first generation western born but my dad was born in lebanon, so we're two generations removed from palestine.
They just mean diaspora Palestinians. There's no difference between generations - diaspora is diaspora.
wow, some of you guys are grasping for straws. It's actually kind of sad.
Can't beat em, join em I suppose.
It's a great idea, but until the rich Arabs and Muslims -- and maybe Arab govts -- that supposedly care so much about Palestine cough up some money, it will frankly be a kind of sad shadow of Birthright Israel. Zionist propoganda camp is free. People who care about Palestine could learn from this. Until a program like this is free there's a good chance it will be mostly rich kids visiting distant fam in Ramallah. Important, but not groundbreaking.
Well it's obviously a new organization. Give them time to fund raise.
The West Bank is more like "Prison Break." It's still a prison, but if you're smart enough (and have the right connections) you can break out. At least for now you can.
I guess the West Bank is violent enough to ensure their own survival. Hopefully Gazans can step up the violence so that they, too, can improve their prison's conditions.
Yes Roy. That's exactly what I said. Thanks for clearing it up. You're so childish.
very cool .. im gonna sign up :)
That's exactly what I said.
Nice ego, assuming I was referring to something you (whoever "you" are) said. I wasn't.
I was mocking a terrorist-apologist from another thread who insisted that continued violence is essential to Palestinian survival.
I do, however, appreciate your agreeing with me that it's an idiotic viewpoint.
Not that you would have agreed if you'd known what point I was making.
Holy Land Trust also has a program by the same name (ours came first!)
Our Birthright Palestine trip is different in that it two weeks in duration. We have a lot of experience arranging alternative tourism trips and are excited to work with this new demographic of Palestinians from around the world.
Help spread the word! http://travel.holylandtrust.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=94
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