Mossawa Center concludes summer human rights workshops with youth participation from 22 towns

The Mossawa Center recently concluded its highly successful youth legal workshops, which drew significant interest from youths aged 14-17. Despite receiving around 150 registrations, the Center could only accommodate 70 participants from 22 Arab towns across the Galilee, the “Triangle”, and the Negev.

Over a period of four days, these participants engaged in a series of interactive events and programs. The workshops were meticulously organized by a dedicated youth team of 15 members, coordinated by Sofia Nasra and Costa Jarjoura. Notably, the guides and assistants in this year's workshops were alumni of previous years' programs.

The summer youth workshops, themed "Support Your Community," aimed to foster a sense of belonging and teamwork among participants. These workshops led to the creation of several initiatives, including the "Municipal Work Pioneers" program, designed to integrate the youth in municipal activities and contribute to local community development. Another initiative, "My community is beautiful " focused on marketing the towns and highlighting lesser-known advantages to Arab society. Alaa Agbaria, a media campaign expert, emphasized the importance of positive marketing.

The program included legal awareness workshops on identity led by educator Ali Ali Al-Saleh. Participants also learned about Mossawa’s parliamentary, legal, and international advocacy departments. 

They visited the Knesset and engaged in conversations with  Knesset members such as Dr. Ofer Cassif, Dr. Ahmad Tibi, Ms. Iman Yassin, and Mr. Yousef Al-Atawneh. Simultaneously the other group visited the Supreme Court of Justice, attended a court session, and both groups met with Swedish Deputy Ambassador Adam Raibo at the Swedish Embassy.

Field trips were organized to the historic cities of Acre, Haifa, and Nazareth, educating participants about the political, social, and cultural histories of these cities. In Acre, activist Tayseer Khatib and guide Ashraf Amer provided insights into the displacement of Acre's residents during the Nakba and the ongoing challenges faced by the Arab community, including attempts to Judaize Arab neighborhoods. Participants also heard various personal stories from the people of Acre, including local artists.

To introduce the youth to Haifa, the staff organized a “Search for the Treasure” competition. Participants explored the Wadi Nisnas neighborhood, learning about its significant sites and the political, social, and cultural history of the city, highlighting the discriminatory policies people of Haifa live through. 

In addition to field trips to mixed cities, the youth groups embarked on a tour of Nazareth, guided by Hanan Qasem. The tour covered the social and political history of Nazareth focusing on the city's pivotal role in confronting discriminatory policies. During the tour, discussions were held about volunteer initiatives by the city's youth. The tour also included an exploration of Palestinian architecture in Nazareth, examining its evolution and impact on political and social changes.

The workshops shed light on the media advocacy's significance in representing Arab voices and community issues. Firas Khatib, director of Radio Al-Nas, and media figure Mohammed Majadla, provided participants with hands-on media experience, emphasizing media's role in positive change. The youth toured a radio studio, observed a live program, and gained insights into union work and young workers' rights from labor union lawyer Carlo Reschersh.

Mr. Majed Qaraqra, Marketing Manager for the Arab Community at Mercantile Bank, conducted a financial management workshop for youth, aiming to enhance their economic awareness and equip them with skills for effective and sustainable financial management. Topics included personal budgeting, saving and investing, debt management, and future financial planning. Costa Jarjoura, the Community Programs Coordinator at the Mossawa Center, praised the participants and volunteers, expressing a desire to organize similar future events to further youth initiatives and build a better future.

At the end of the workshops, the youth groups presented their projects, including an animated marketing video for the cities of Nazareth, Haifa and Acre, based on filming the field trips that took place during the workshops in cooperation with the artist Slava Ilyaev and his family. 

At the conclusion, certificates of appreciation and participation were distributed to the participants, in appreciation of their efforts and commitment during the workshops. The participants shared their experiences in the workshops, stressing the importance of participating in such initiatives to empower them and providing them with the necessary skills to achieve positive change in their communities.