Students at the Eastern Mediterranean International Boarding School (EMIS) have achieved what senior global diplomats have repeatedly failed to accomplish: a peace agreement to end the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.
More than 70 Israeli and Palestinian 11th graders, together with students from 17 countries at EMIS, reached the peace agreement last week in a 24-hour simulation of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
EMIS Students Visit New York
TOP L-R: Marion Martin Fernande, Rachelle Schilo (Development Director), Trang Nguyen, Gili Roman (Principle), Keren Saban, Bottom L-R: Sebastian Valdiviso, Shana Hazboun & Beniamin Strzelecki
On February 26th, six EMIS students arrived in the US for 6 days to participate in the UNIS-UN 2018 Conference organized by the United Nations International School. The conference's theme was UNDR CRTL (Under Control) Technology, Innovation, and the Future of Work. During this week, they have been involved in several activities where they met EMIS partners such as the Charney Resolution Center that has always supported EMIS projects and initiatives, the Beracha Foundation, which is an organization that thrives for Jewish-Arab coexistence and supports the EMIS for the past years, as well as diplomatic representatives from the EU, Poland, Israel, Ecuador, and Spain. They also had informative meetings with Steve Forbes from Forbes Magazine, Richard Plepler who is the CEO of HBO, and with a representative from the company WeWork. All of this was taking place while they were also participating in several student debates at the UN General Assembly. These were about the effect technology has on security & privacy, and the risks that Artificial Intelligence poses to humankind. Also, they attended lectures about technology in different fields such as politics, media and the management of Big Data as well as workshops of practical uses of technological advancements such as smart guns to decrease violence.
On the 3rd night of our visit, we were very excited to meet up with Tzili Charney, the founder of the Leon Charney Resolution Center who is a very important partner in the development of the EMIS school. We all then attended a theatrical performance by the "Blue Man Group”, a performance art company that combines many different types of music and art. They also involve a lot of participation from their audience during their shows. Afterward, we all had a nice dinner at the restaurant Balthazar in Soho and discussed the political situation and what life is like in the US. The following day, we visited Leon Charney’s office in Times Square, Manhattan where we met with his good friend Steve Forbes. We were all very impressed with how eloquent and knowledgeable Mr. Forbes was. We decided to ask him hard questions about the economies from our home countries as well about Economy issues like financial crises and taxation.
All in all this was a very profound and educational experience that we were excited and honored to be a part of.
L-R: Keren Saban, Hannah Cook, Sebastian Valdiviso, Marion Martin Fernande, Tzili Charney, Beniamin Strzelecki, Anna kraftner, Steve Forbes, Gili Roman, Shana Hazboun, Trang Nguyen, Rachelle Schilo
Content Provided by Sebastián Valdivieso
Student of Eastern Mediterranean International School, Ramat Hasharon, Israel
2018 Students Peace Congress Photos
February 21, Day 1
February 22, Day 2
i24 News: Peace Talks
Tzili Charney Talks with i24 News about Charney Resolution Center Peace Talks Simulation
Students Rebuild Corner Stone Art by Nati Shamia Opher
The work is a cornerstone, offering a new point of view of the full reciprocity between two nations forced to share the same territory. A semblance of a Sabra. An unresolved paradox of nationality. A mute testimony to the borders of deserted villages. The metaphoric evolution of the plant into the figure of the Hebrew pioneer. A representation of symbolic healing. The patchwork of cactus leaves brought by the students from the various regions in which they dwell. The leaves carry the concrete genetic stores of ancient bushes, as well as the symbolic evolution of the subjects they represent.
Read moreUmm El Fahem Gallery Visit Report by Emanuelle Slater
On the 23rd of January 2018, the visual art students of EMIS woke up bright and early and got into a bus driving straight to a rainy Umm Al Fahm (alternatively spelled Umm El-Fahem), an Arab town in the Haifa District of Israel. Upon arrival, the students were welcomed in the Umm El-Fahem Art Gallery with warm smiles and a delicious Arab breakfast. After getting settled in, the students took a walk around the exhibition, Selfie: I Was Here by Ashraf Fawakhry, an exhibition
Read moreUmm El Fahem Gallery Visit with Artist Abu Shakra
opened Mediation course in partnership with "Gevim"
Today a personal dream for the Charney Resolution Center came true: we opened a mediation course with 26 EMIS students.
Mediation is a language in and of itself and is a crucial tool for reaching win-wins in conflict resolution. Our vision is to eventually open a meditation center in the school, where the course's graduates will help their peers to resolve conflicts and disputes in an effective and respectful way.
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