A bit over two years ago, I took a monumental risk. In hindsight nevertheless, that risk has time again shown itself to have been of one my worthiest decisions. Moving back to my home country, Israel, for the final and most important two years of my high school I enlisted in a newly-founded school priding itself on its mission for “Making education a force for peace and sustainability in the Middle East”. As the Gaza War persisted, the school boldly unveiled a blueprint to fighting the “us” vs. “them” discourse, opting to bridge between Israeli and Palestinian youth rather than pit one against the other. Through a shared education and a common boarding experience, we were tasked together with not only outlining, but being the solutions of tomorrow in an area characterized by conflict; focusing on peace-building and sustainable development, the two greatest and most necessary aspirations of the region. Furthermore positioning ourselves in “The Green Village”, an interdisciplinary youth centre for environmental leadership, we’d immersed ourselves in the ideal ecosystem to harness the entrepreneurial and creative demands of such complex questions.
In a testament to our school mission, we launched the “Youth Organized Collaboration on Peace and Sustainability” (YOCOPAS) conference. Taking part in workshops and listening to guest speakers, the event actually strikes a stark resemblance of our Global Landscape Forum. Yet what is extraordinarily unique about the conference, was that student attendees were treated just for a few sole days, to the beauty of truly unrestricted diversity. Flocking to the conference were youth from Jordan and The West Bank, and even Gaza, enabling students a rare opportunity to gain insights into the world of those “on the other side” and a platform to get passionate and curious about each other, with each other.
However, a critical element in the establishment of any effective framework of sorts rests on the role facilitators’ play. Juggling between creating an atmosphere of comfort, and instilling a sense of urgency and importance to the topics is imperative. Ensuring a sturdy foundation for disputes and clash of ideas is the cornerstone for grinding progress and innovation. This is where I hope to contribute the most to our conference.
Coming from a background of organized facilitation between youth from conflict nations, I dedicated a significant part of my high school to implementing the proverb of ‘putting one in another’s shoes’. Through the medium of Model United Nations, our first-year joint Israeli-Palestinian team against all the odds was awarded the most prestigious MUN recognition in the country. So, in that fashion, the 2016 Forum and the affiliated COP 22, offer an excellent opportunity for me to explore the processes of dialogue and negotiation between governments and NGO’s in the scope of climate change.
The distinctive nature of climate change, and the ensuing questions of nature’s effective preservation and the fair allocation of its fruits, holds tremendous and often overlooked potential. The sweeping consequences of climate change know no borders, nor do they care for political boundaries, and the prospect of a shared land’s degradation could hold the key to sustained partnership in prolonged conflicts. And thus, particularly in a volatile region such as the Middle East, the need for sustainability and environmental leadership has emerged an ever-pressing and crucially important matter; the very gap that The Landscape Forum and the facilitators seek to address.
So on that final note, I want to wish everyone an enjoyable and productive conference; and so long until Marrakesh!
Tom Sagiv is one of the 10 young professionals who will facilitate a session at the 2016 Global Landscapes Forum in Morocco. Learn more about this year’s Global Landscapes Forum’s Youth activities; meet our 10 youth facilitators, and discover the Youth in Landscape Initiative!
