Upside Down – Let’s go to the other side. Youth for solidarity in Palestine

Palestine, 25th of april – 16th of may 2023

About the project:

After more than 5 years of international volunteering experience in Italy, Giosef Torino in cooperation with Palestinian partner is porting the project Upside down – let’s go to the other side!.

The project is a volunteering team activity funded by the European Solidarity Corps program in the frame of Euro Mediterranean cooperation. It will take place in Palestine in the period between April 25th and May 16th 2023.

The project foresees the participation of youth people (age 20/30), to live together with a grass root volunteering experience and learn from each other. 

Objectives of the project:

  • to stand in solidarity with Palestinian people and Palestinian struggle thought volunteer in local NGO’s;
  • to provide an intercultural exchange between Palestinian and Italian youth with and intersectional approach to identity;
  • to provide a learning space for Italian youth to discover the Palestinian situation  and palestinian societies and become aware activist;
  • to activate future cooperation action in the field of youth that started directly by youth engagement in activism.

Methodology

The project methodology is based on intercultural land experiential learning; participants will have training with non formal education methods before the international mobility and during the volunteering in palestine.

In all phases of the project, there is a big focus on learning and competence (knowledge, skills, attitude/value and behavior) development, which will be supported by reflection, evaluation and assessments.

Partners

  • Giosef Torino (leader);
  • Tanween Center (Nablus);
  • Jordan Valley Solidarity movement (Tubas and Gerico).

The group will be accompanied by 2 palestinian youth workers and 1 activis of the nonviolent movement from Italy.

Profile of participants

8 italians and 8 palestinians

  • young people from Italy and from Palestine;
  • age 20/30;
  • active in their local community;
  • willing to live a grassroot volunteering experience.

Preparatory meeting in Italy:

  • Palestine and ethnicity there (samaritan population in nablus);
  • Olive trees and mediterranean cultural heritage; 

Activities

25th: arrival in Palestine;

26th – 27th: create the group and train the group; 

Build common solidarity: olive trees and Mediterranean cultural heritage.

28th of April – 4th of May: 7 days (Jordan Valley)

  • Educative program: the law israeli use in region with lawyer;
  • general presentation of Jordan Valley and hike in the valley;
  • woman: culture cooking food, and had making stuff; 
  • work with farmers in the field: harvest and land renovation;
  • build the house – work in build school.

OUTPUT: interviews and collection of story diary.

4th of may – 9th of may: Arrival Neblus (5 days)

  • training about knafeh;
  • tour of Nablus;
  • meeting with student in university;
  • food lessons;
  • meeting with local organization and institution
  • women cooperative (agricultural and food manufacturer)
  • Family law protection;
  • Samaritan people meeting;
  • Balata camp.

10th -12th of May 2023: Hebron to Bethlehem

12th – 13th of May 2023: Ramallah 

14th – 15th of May 2023: Jerusalem

16th of May: Departure from Palestine

Contact

Mary Shaheen:
Email: [email protected] – Mobile: +39 3517148694 

Annamaria Simeone:
Email: [email protected] – Mobile: +39 3201926727