Diyar 2009

Life Abundant in Palestine Dar Annadwa Dar al-Kalima Dar al-Kalima (The International Center of ) Community Development Academics

Bethlehem Media Center Health Clinics Dar al-Kalima College

Cultural Events Community Building Continuous Education

Civic Engagement

2 Dear Friends, New programs were accredited at Dar Al Ka- Salaam from Bethlehem, lima College, including music performance Table of and contemporary fine Arts. In addition, the 2009 was another special year, not because finishing works at the new campus were start- of any political developments, but because of ed, giving final shape to the vision started in Contents the endless energy and creativity that contin- 2006 with the establishment of the College. ues to flow in and through Diyar. Last but not least, the Kairos Palestine docu- Diyar 2009 ...... 3 Several new initiatives were launched, tested ment that was launched at our center Dar Bethlehem Media Center...... 4 and started to blossom in 2009: Annadwa in December 2009 started a pro- Ad-Dar Events...... 6 cess that is gaining momentum both locally Exhibitions...... 10 Two new groups were established. The first and internationally. Civic Engagement ...... 12 is the Diyar Dance Theatre, which produced ...... 12 its first show called “Portraits of Fear” and I would like to express my deep gratitude and Religion & State...... 14 the second is the Diyar Women Soccer Team, appreciation for all our supporters, both or- Youth Vote 2009...... 16 which won the 2nd place in the National Pal- ganizations and individuals, and here in Pal- Youth Leadership...... 17 estinian Soccer Championship. estine and abroad. It is your help that sustains Dar al-Kalima Health & Wellness...... 18 us and allows us to keep providing life-giving Dar al-Kalima Community Building...... 20 The first TV show in the Arab world focusing programming to our community. Bright Stars Program...... 20 on elderly holistic care was produced at our Azwaj...... 21 Bethlehem Media Center and now broadcast Sincerely, Ajyal...... 23 on SAT-7. Dar al-Kalima College...... 25 Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb Dar al-Kalima College Construction.... 28 A new initiative in civic engagement was President Authentic Tourism...... 30 launched, called “Youth Vote”, focusing on Diyar Consortium The Cave Gift Shop...... 31 training teachers of civic education in gov- ernmental, UNRWA and private schools. The aim of this initiative was to mobilize young people to engage in democratic elec- tions and political participation. 3 monitoring system was established in order information, fitness and nutrition tips, ex- to gather feedback from production experts plorations of Palestinian proverbs, and re- Bethlehem and ensure that BMC productions meet re- ports featuring elderly people who are active gional and international standards of aesthet- ic and technical quality. The BMC expanded Media technical capabilities through the purchase of advanced production equipment and staff capabilities through increased specialization Center and intensive training. In all of its efforts, the BMC has sought to increase the level of pro- fessionalism in its operations while providing The Bethlehem Media Center (BMC), opportunities and training to talented young based at Dar Annadwa in Bethlehem, had crew-members, writers and actors. a year of unprecedented success in produc- ing new and innovative media for a variety of purposes and audiences. Over 800 min- in the community. A program for the entire utes of polished television and film were pro- family, the Ajyal TV Show challenges the duced in 10 genres and broadcast on satel- mainstream mentality that life ends at age lite channels reaching millions of viewers 60, and gives a platform for elderly people in Arabic, English and Spanish. A quality to voice their concerns and talk about their interests. Considered to be the first television program on the elderly in the Arab World to be produced in Palestine, the show is set to be broadcast on the pan-Arab SAT-7 satellite channel in 2010. New genres and production formats kept the BMC staff working throughout the year. Other productions included the educa- One of the major achievements in 2009 tional and social marketing spots created to was the completion of 14 episodes, each 45 accompany the Youth Vote project and cur- minutes long, of the Ajyal TV Show, a va- riculum. Five videos using 3-D animation riety magazine program presenting health explored topics such as responsible citizen- 4 In addition to improving the overall qual- productions and see whether the desired out- ity of BMC productions, other goals of 2009 come and effect was achieved. included increasing distribution and improv- ing audience relations. Instrumental to suc- cess in these areas were the newly-relaunched BMC website (www.bethlehemmedia.net) and the new Facebook and YouTube pages. Through these online portals, the BMC is able to reach new audiences and gather feed- back from viewers, which the BMC can then ship and the freedom and responsibility of use to improve and guide further projects. the press, while 5 live-action spots explored This way of gathering responses is especially articles of the International Declaration of important in Palestine, since there are no es- Human Rights. Thirteen news reports on tablished pathways for measuring audiences Christians in Palestine were broadcast on the and gathering feedback. The BMC is also pi- “Nafitha Around the World” program and oneering the use of focus groups both to test praised for their catchy style and diversity in ideas and see what particular audiences re- topics and images. The BMC’s “Celebrating spond to and are interested in, and to review the Faith” is a series of 10 videos exploring Palestinian Christian feasts and holiday ob- The BMC is an integral part of the Diyar servance, which have been translated into Consortium, providing technical and media English and Spanish and are available on resources for a variety of events and projects. DVD with the bonus feature, “It’s Pales- The BMC partners with another of the Di- TIME,” a promotional video encouraging yar organizations, the Dar al-Kalima (DAK) authentic tourism in Palestine. The BMC College, to train and mentor students and re- also produced a promotional film about the cent graduates of the documentary film pro- new music performance degree offered by duction course. Through this partnership, Dar al-Kalima College, and provided media DAK College students receive experience services to the Diyar Consortium and other and income from their work, and the BMC groups for special event documentation and is able to recruit and offer advanced training production. to young media professionals. 5 ing sessions for the Palestinian Christians: Strengthening Identity, Activating Potential Ad-Dar project, the DAK College graduation cer- emony, and two nights screening the popular Egyptian film “Omar and Salma 2” brought Events 3,588 audience members and participants to Ad-Dar – the largest monthly total in the center’s history. National and international conferences, musical concerts, theater shows, film and Greater cooperation with local and inter- documentary screenings and festivals, and national organizations contributed to the in- training workshops were among the 109 creased numbers of audience members and events that brought a record number of au- events in 2009. Through concentrated net- dience members and participants to the working and coordination efforts, Ad-Dar Ad-Dar Cultural and Conference Center was able to both reduce costs and increase in 2009. Audience numbers totaled 20,128 the variety and diversity of events offered by people, exceeding 2008’s total by over 25%. co-sponsoring events with other groups. In a The peak month of August, with the week- small town such as Bethlehem, where Ad-Dar long 2009 Intercultural Conference, train- is now the primary cultural center, forging and maintaining these relationships is very important. To this end, in Ad-Dar’s monthly “Where 2 Go & Things 2 Do” booklet there is a page devoted to highlighting the valuable work of another local organization, designat- ed as the “Center of the Month”

Due to the hard work of the events staff and with the unfaltering support of the Min- istry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ad-Dar had a hugely successful year, hosting events in a variety of genres. 6 Film festivals have become a staple part of Ad-Dar’s offerings, with four stand-out fes- tivals in 2009. The Palestine Film Festival, which took place over 3 weeks in February, with support from the General Consulate of France, showed 6 feature films, includ- ing “Lesh Sabreen?” by the Bethlehem Me- dia Center’s Muayad Alayan. In March, 12 films from Syria were screened as part of Syr- ian Film Week, held in cooperation with Al Kasaba Theatre and the Cinematheque. In September and October, the final projects from the documentary film production class- es at Dar al-Kalima College were shown at Ad-Dar, thrilling the students who saw their work being displayed on the same big screen that shows feature films from their cinematic heroes. Later in October, Ad-Dar hosted 6 films from the Al Kasaba International Film Festival, including “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Amreeka”, a feature film by up-and- coming Palestinian woman director, . tinians with barriers, road blocks and travel Easter and in October. In July, at the fifth an- Cooperation with Palestinian groups from restrictions. Cultural events that revive tra- nual Dandanat music festival, hip-hop group Israel was another hallmark of 2009 for Ad- ditional Palestinian dance, poetry and music DAM from Lyd and rock group Khalas from Dar. Maintaining connections between Pal- are especially important, since they introduce Akka were invited to perform as they did at estinians in the West Bank and Palestinian younger generations to their artistic heritage. the first Dandanat festival in 2005. communities in in what is now Israel (an area One theatre group and one dance group, which many Palestinians refer to as “’48”) is both from Nazareth and both inspired by the Local and international conferences have crucial, as Israel seeks to further divide Pales- writings of poet Khalil Gibran, performed at also taken a prominent place among the most 7 memorable events of 2009. The highlight of Faith and Hope from the Heart of Palestin- nity to see cultural diplomacy in action, as the year’s conferences was the 5th biennial ian Suffering” was an important and histori- the activities helped to enhance and improve Intercultural Conference, “The Invention cal event. The document, authored and en- Danish-Arab/Islamic relations that had been of History: A Century of Interplay between dorsed by a group of Palestinian Christian strained by the “cartoon” incident in 2005. Theology and Politics in Palestine”. Held theologians, church leaders and community in August, 60 local and international theo- activists, presents a united Palestinian Chris- logians, academics, politicians, sociologists, tian voice and calls for an end to the Israeli archaeologists and others gathered to discuss Occupation. and debate the interaction between theology and politics, and how this relationship affects current realities in Palestine. 2009 marked the first year that participants from Latin America, specifically Puerto Rico, were in at- tendance.

A series of conferences and workshops in 2009 focused on Palestinian young people, empowering them to become engaged and active in their communities and providing a forum for their their voices to be heard. In Cultural weeks have become a signature July, an intercultural exchange between Pal- event at Ad-Dar, and in 2009 the Danish estinian and Danish youth sought to chal- Cultural Week celebrated building “Bridges lenge misconceptions and strengthen ties to Mutual Inspiration and Understanding”. between the young people through work- During the week of events there were a num- shops, music and dance, and joint visits The Kairos Palestine conference in Decem- ber of cross-cultural discussions and debates, and tours. Between July and September, the ber, which included three days of discussions workshops for music, art and painting, an “Sahiroun”conferences focused on leadership and workshops and the official signing and exhibition of posters and shared meals incor- training and capacity building in 30 young launching of the Kairos Palestine Document, porating traditional Danish foods. For some, men and women from Bethlehem, entitled “A Moment of Truth: A Word of Danish Cultural Week was also an opportu- and . Around the same time, the 8 “Palestinian Christians: Strengthening Iden- ater Group, called “Tik Tak… Christmas is tity, Activating Potential” program was work- Coming”, about Christmas preparations and ing to equip 18 young Palestinian Christian a competition to win the title of “Best San- men and women with the skills they would ta.” The event was attended by 338 children, need to start up cultural, social and sports-re- and sponsored by churches from Puerto lated initiatives in their hometowns. A two- Rico. Through their generous donation, each day conference entitled “Religion and State child who came to the celebration received in the Palestinian Context” attracted 43 peo- a Christmas package of school supplies and ple, over half of whom were young women, fun activities. It was a huge success, and the to discuss possible models of the relationship smiles on the faces of the kids who attended between religion and state in Palestine. Last- showed that the Christmas spirit was alive in ly, in December, 45 young men and women Bethlehem. from all over Palestine gathered to discuss “The Role of Young Palestinian Christians in Palestinian Society Today” and how their peers could be motivated and encouraged to be more proactive in their communities.

Finally, it is important to mention the kids’ events hosted at Ad-Dar. In a place with few opportunities for recreation and entertain- ment within the confines of the city, Ad-Dar feels especially called to minister to the chil- dren of Bethlehem through special events just for them. The Palestinian National Theatre presented a theatre play called “Ghandoura and Friends”, and the Palestine Circus School and local magician Elias Hzeineh wowed kids with their shows. The biggest kids’ event of 2009 was the Christmas celebration held in cooperation with the local Al-Harah The- 9 the visual arts department at Dar al-Kalima Exhibitions College. Ms. Mitwasi’s show, titled “Home... Exile...” placed the viewer between two video Since 1999, the Cave Galleries have been screens on opposite walls, each showing con- both a meeting space for local and interna- tradicting scenes of openness and closure, tional artists, and a showcase for Palestinian home and away, dream and reality. artistic talent. Because Palestinians are isolat- ed from the rest of the world by the machi- nations of the Israeli occupation, it has been incredibly important to the spirit of culture in Bethlehem for there to be a place where Palestinians can see and experience art from all over the world, and where international visitors can get to know Palestinian art and take in what Palestinian artists have to say.

Nine of the exhibitions featured Palestinian artists, including a photo exhibit showing the history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), the end-of-year exhibition for art students at Dar Eighteen world-class art exhibitions were al-Kalima College, and the annual Christmas hosted in the various gallery spaces through- exhibition by painter Taleb Dweik. The inter- out the year, beginning with Palestinian art- national artists featured represented the US, ist Faten Nastas Mitwasi, who is the chair of the UK, and countries of northern Europe. 10 Ad-Dar Events by Category

7% 11% 10% Concert Theater Play 12% 4% Special Event 4% Film Exhibition Kids' Event 18% Dance Show 20% Workshop/Conference Cultural Week/Festival 14%

11 In 2009, the Palestinian Christians project The PCSIAP project is run by the Diyar published a study and trained 18 young men Consortium, and its aims are to strengthen Civic and women to develop and implement com- the social fabric of Palestinian society as a munity-based initiatives in their hometowns. whole, actively maintaining the Christian The Religion & State project examined the witness in Palestine and stemming the out- Engagement relationship between the two concepts in four ward flow of Palestinians from their ances- national contexts. The Youth Vote project tral lands. As a preliminary step to addressing trained 111 teachers and produced classroom Civic Engagement is a group of projects materials that are being used throughout desitned and implemented by Dar Annadwa Palestine. And the Youth Leadership group that aim to help Palestinians, and especially continued to expand their horizons through young Palestinian men and women, to be- workshops, conferences, and meetings with come more active participants in society and international figures, including former First government. As over half of the Palestinian Lady Rosalynn Carter. population is under the age of 19, one of the primary goals of these projects is to educate and build leadership capacity among chil- dren and young adults. Palestinian Christians the needs of the Christian community, it was first necessary to survey the community and Following on the successes of 2008, the gather information on how many Christians “Palestinian Christians: Strengthening Iden- lived in which areas of Palestine, and what tity, Activating Potential” (PCSIAP) project support and resources they had available to in 2009 published a comprehensive report, them. Through mapping the Christian com- supported the launch of the historic Kairos munity and investigating their concerns and Palestine document, and witnessed the im- needs, the causes and consequences of those plementation of a number of community needs, and their impact in both urban and projects conceived by the young men and rural contexts, an accurate picture of the dy- women who received PCSIAP leadership namics of Palestinian Christian life emerged. training. The results of this study so far, along with an 12 index of contact details and basic informa- Bank), establishing a fitness center in Aboud for more than a year, and was authored and tion about prominent individuals, churches (a village near Ramallah, in the center of the endorsed by a group of Palestinian Christian and church-relat- West Bank), and enriching the lives of young theologians, church leaders and community ed organizations people in Taybeh (another village near Ra- activists, and partners including Dar An- (CROs) in the West mallah) through culture and sports. nadwa, the Jerusalem Inter-Church Center, Bank, were com- the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology piled into a book- These community initiatives create change Center, the al-Liqa Center, Bethlehem Uni- let and published in people’s lives every day, helping them to versity, and Wi’am. The document presents in May. The book- live more abundant lives in the face of nu- to the world a united Palestinian Christian let was distributed merous pressures and obstacles. Addressing voice, with a sincere expression of the con- both locally and these pressures and obstacles, though, re- cerns of the community and their view of internationally, to quires change on a national and internation- what is happening at this moment in history, different groups al level. PCSIAP activities on these levels led and communities, interested individuals and to the discussions that gave rise to the Kai- organizations, churches and CROs, and even ros Palestine document, which was signed the Pope, whose visit in May coincided with in December at Dar Annadwa, during the the booklet’s publication. three-day Kairos Palestine conference. The document, titled “A Moment of Truth: A Having gained some understanding of the Word of Faith and Hope from the Heart of needs of Palestinian Christians, the focus of Palestinian Suffering”, had been in process PCSIAP turned to addressing those needs through a variety of means and on several levels. Creating change on the individual and community levels were groups of young vis á vis Palestine. It calls for an end to the Palestinian Christian men and women from Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and to all over the West Bank, who were trained to all forms of discrimination, identifying these build and run their own community-based conditions as the only way to a just and last- initiatives. The 16 trainees from 2008 imple- ing peace. The document also presented what mented three projects: starting a dabke (Pal- Palestinian Christians strongly hope will be estinian folkloric dance) troupe in Zababdeh the ecumenical strategy for Christian engage- (a village near Jenin in the northern West ment in Palestine. 13 theater and contemporary dance, and the planning in 2010 to produce a film about the troupe has already performed at the Olive captain, Honey Thaljieh, who is the captain Harvest Festivals in Beit Sahour and Ramal- of the Palestinian women’s national soccer lah and the Rock to Bethlehem festival at team and a member of Christmas Lutheran Christmas. The group plans to debut the full Church in Bethlehem. version of its show, “Portraits of Fear”, in the spring of 2010, and it also hopes to be able to form two new dance groups, one for children ages 6-12, and another for youth ages 13-17. Religion & State The Diyar Women’s Soccer Team involves 13 athletes from the Bethlehem and Jerusa- Creating a healthy relationship between re- lem areas, from different backgrounds and ligion and state first requires an understand- religions, competing on a national level. ing of both “religion” and “state”, which is The aim of the team is to show by example the focus of the initial phases of the multi- that women can be active and empowered year “Religion & State” project being un- through sports, and that they can excel in dertaken in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and many fields, including the male-dominated Egypt by Dar Annadwa and the Olof Palme soccer field. To further promote the team and International Center, in partnership with In 2009 another cycle of 18 trainees in its message, the Bethlehem Media Center is the Al-Quds Center for Political Studies in the PCSIAP project developed initiatives Jordan, the Forum for Development, Cul- to strengthen Palestinian identity and help ture and Dialogue in Lebanon, and the Cul- other young people to become active in tural Development Division of the Coptic their communities. The two most outstand- Evangelical Organization for Social Services ing proposals from this cycle were the Diyar (CEOSS) in Egypt. Dance Theater and the Diyar Women’s Soc- cer Team. The Diyar Dance Theater troupe In 2008, the concepts of religion and state is made up of 40 talented, enthusiastic and were discussed on a regional level, but in committed young men and women between 2009 the discussion took place on the na- the ages of 17 and 32. The dance style com- tional level, investigating the particular in- bines traditional dabke dance with modern terpretations and approaches to these ideas 14 in each country and context. Over the course cused on enhancing the understanding and Islamic practices being imposed on large of the year, four major national gatherings involvement of young people, since they are populations by state apparatuses. The study took place under the aegis of the Religion the future leaders of the Middle East, and was carried out by two journalists, Ms. Naela & State project, one in each participating their understanding of religion and state as Khalil and Mr. Ghazi Beni Odeh, with sup- country, with a collective total of 257 partici- concepts and the dynamic relationship be- port from Dar Annadwa. pants, 47% of whom were women (in Pal- tween the two will shape the future of the estine, 59%). The participants were mostly region. young leaders and representatives of different NGOs and civil society organizations, teach- In addition, a study titled “Palestinian Me- ers and college/university instructors, youth dia and ‘Religion and State’ Issues: The Impo- and women activists, parliamentarians and sition of al-Hijab and the ‘Virtue’ Campaign politicians, ministers, government officials, as Examples” looked at how the relationship judges and lawyers, community and religious between religion and state is treated by the leaders, journalists and media professionals, Palestinian media. The two examples cho- and intellectuals. The project is especially fo- sen involved controversies over conservative

1. “Religion & State in the Palestinian Context” Bethelehem, Palestine – December 17-18, 2009 34 participants, including a female member of a municipal government 3 2. “Towards a Healthy Relationship between Religion and State: The Case of Jordan” , Jordan – October 31, 2009 2 1 70 participants, including members of the Jordanian parliament

3. “Religion & State National Conference” 4 , Lebanon – November 21-22, 2009 90 participants, including government officials, judges and community leaders

4. “Future of the Relationship between Religion and State in Egypt” Alexandria, Egypt – October 27-29, 2009 60 participants, including university professors and Muslim and Christian leaders 15 The primary aim of the Youth Vote proj- Youth Vote 2009 ect was to increase civic participation among young people in Palestine, thereby empower- With hope for Palestinian national elec- ing them to help build the democratic insti- tions in 2010 and in recognition of the need tutions and elements of civil society that will for better civic education for Palestinian stu- serve Palestine in the future. Emphasis for dents, the Youth Vote project was initiated 2009 was placed on the importance of vot- in 2009 to help build an updated civic edu- ing, democratic elections, and political par- cation curriculum and train teachers how to ticipation. The classroom materials produced implement it in their classrooms. In just 9 reinforce these ideas as they explain the elec- months, Youth Vote trained 111 teachers of toral process, the rights and responsibilities 8th-10th grade classes from public, private of citizenship, and how young adults can be and UNRWA schools in different areas of proactive in their immediate situations. Palestine. Also in that time, Youth Vote pub- Creating teaching aids based on the recom- lished a book in cooperation with the Pal- The books and DVDs of the video clips pro- mendations of focus groups of teachers and estinian Central Elections Committee, and duced by the Youth Vote project are being students is groundbreaking in Palestine, as is produced 10 video clips with the Bethlehem distributed beyond the participating schools using creative media, such as the latest 3D Media Center, for teachers to use as classroom to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, animation technology, to produce classroom resources. This work was done with support UNRWA, and local youth organizations, resources. It is also important to note here from the Federal Republic of Germany. who can use the resources to further spread that local actors, script-writers and animators awareness about the concepts and impor- were employed to produce the video clips, tance of good citizenship. one of which won Best External Promotional and Best of Show at the 2nd Annual Interna- Youth Vote is an excellent example of a Di- tional Christian Communication Arts Festi- yar project that involves and benefits several val in Concordia University Texas at Austin, different groups of people at the same time. Texas. Through Youth Vote, students are receiving high-quality civic education and learning to Parallel to the Youth Vote project, two be pro-active citizens of Palestine, and teach- research studies were conducted that are al- ers are receiving professional continuous ed- ready informing and shaping the ICB’s civic ucation and support. engagement strategies. The first study, “Civic 16 Education and the Promotion of Civic Val- training and personal development sessions, dia”, and the other on “The Role of Young ues among Palestinian Youth in the West community service activities, and intercul- Christian Leaders in Palestinian Society To- Bank and East Jerusalem”, looked at the gap tural exchanges, the Leadership Program is day”. The “Youth and Media” conference between theory and practice in civic educa- nurturing creativity and talent among these was held in Jericho in late March, with 27 tion in schools, and also surveyed attitudes young adults, boosting their self-confidence young media professionals participating in and values among Palestinian young people. and helping them learn how to use their discussions about how the media influences The second study, “Political Awareness and particular talents in leadership roles in their youth, and how media can be used as a tool Participation of Palestinian Women: A Pre- communities. in shaping future leaders. The second confer- liminary Comparative Study between Three ence, on young Palestinian Christian lead- Women Generations from the Bethlehem ers, was held in Bethlehem in late December District”, surveyed 150 women in 3 age with 34 diverse participants between the ages groups (born in 1930-1949, 1950-1969, and of 18 and 27, from different denominations 1970-1990), from a variety of localities and and a variety of Palestinian locales. Speakers backgrounds, investigating levels of politi- at the conference presented facts and figures cal awareness and participation. The results of these studies challenge assumptions about the levels of political awareness and interest among women and young people, and dem- onstrate a need for greater involvement and open discussion of social issues that affect these groups. The kinds of leadership roles being per- formed by members of the Leadership Pro- gram are as diverse as the interests of the members themselves. A broad range of top- Youth Leadership ics were discussed in the weekly meetings in 2009, according to monthly themes like The Leadership Program for young adults youth and media, Palestinian contextual the- seeks to motivate and equip the next gen- ology, social issues, and management and eration of Palestinians to be proactive and leadership skills. Further expanding on these effective leaders in all sectors of Palestinian topics were two conferences organized by the society. Through weekly gatherings, special Leadership Program, one on “Youth and Me- 17 regarding the current situation of Palestin- gram (three men and four women) partici- ian Christians in both Palestine and Israel, pated in an educational and cultural leader- and participants were given opportunities to ship training seminar. Dar al- work in groups to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing their communities. Par- The Leadership Program began in 2008 ticipants also had the chance to meet some by offering leadership training to 26 young Kalima important Christian leaders, including those people, ages 21-30. In 2009, in addition to who worked on the Kairos Palestine docu- receiving further training themselves, those ment, which had been launched at Dar An- original 26 young leaders used their acquired Health & nadwa earlier that month. leadership skills to develop new leadership groups, recruiting a total of 89 new members. The Leadership Program is also training It is the hopeful vision of the Leadership Pro- Wellness young people to be ambassadors – ambas- gram that generations of young trainees will sadors of hope to their communities, and continue to train others, spreading through- ambassadors of their country on the region- out Palestinian communities and ensuring a The clinics and wellness programs of the al and international levels. Members of the better future for everyone. Dar al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center Leadership Program traveled extensively in continued in 2009 to provide essential health 2009, overcoming travel restrictions imposed care and life-enriching services to people of by the Israelis inside the West Bank to visit all ages, from Bethlehem and beyond. Jericho and the Christian villages of Taybeh (near Ramallah) and Zababdeh (near Nab- The audiology clinic served 3519 patients lus). Several members represented the Lead- in 2009, most of whom came from the Beth- ership Group in several national and interna- lehem area but who also traveled in from tional conferences, including two in Beirut, Hebron, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and other cit- Lebanon, and one in faraway Thailand. In ies further away. The endocrinology clinic addition, two intercultural exchanges took served 448 patients, and the diabetes care place in 2009, one in Palestine with a group group had 25 members this year. Members of of Danish youth who came to participate in the diabetes care group receive regular blood the Danish Cultural Week being held at Dar sugar checks and counseling on how to stay Annadwa, and one in Bremen, Germany, healthy while living with diabetes. where seven members of the Leadership Pro- 18 program. The Wellness Center and the whole therapy. Twice in 2009, the Azwaj program Diyar community will miss Beate when she for young families made the Wellness Cen- returns to Germany at the end of the year, ter their destination for recreation. In March, after 3 years serving in Bethlehem. for Mother’s Day, the ladies of Azwaj gath- ered to use the swimming pool and sauna Since 2007, the Fit For Life program has and receive a 20-minute massage from the been helping women of all ages to lead healthy Wellness Center’s resident massage therapist. lifestyles through both individual- and com- In June, Azwaj families came to enjoy a day munity-targeted activities. The activities in- of swimming and play, topped off with an volving individual women revolve around hour of salsa dance instruction for the cou- group meetings, where women can exercise ples. Having a place like the Wellness Center, and relax, release stress and take time for with fun activities and room to run around self care. The activities of the Wellness Cen- and stretch, really makes a difference in the ter’s nutrition clinic have been incorporated lives of these young families! The psychotherapy clinic served 93 clients, into the Fit For Life program, where women including professionals in the field of psycho- can receive health assessments and nutrition Several improvements were made to the social therapy and social work who received counseling. In all, 213 women participated Wellness Center in 2009, including the pur- coaching and supervision from Beate Nie- in the program in 2009, mostly married, chase of additional exercise equipment for dermeier, the Wellness Center psychothera- non-working mothers who live around the the fitness room and the repainting of the pist. Activities carried out through the clinic Bethlehem area. The community-targeted entire center, using colors that are calming included group therapy sessions for families activities were mainly in the form of me- and contribute to a relaxing and healthy en- and mothers on how to use relaxation tech- dia campaigns, through the radio, through vironment. There is much anticipation for niques to improve family relationships and posters distributed to local clinics and com- the opening of the Wellness Center exten- enhance emotional and cognitive develop- munity centers, and a monthly newsletter sion, which is currently being built as part of ment in children. Psychosocial care was also with articles and advice on how to build and the construction on the Dar al-Kalima hill- integrated into the Ajyal program in the maintain a healthy lifestyle. top campus. With greatly expanded facilities form of monthly yoga sessions for the whole for gym equipment and fitness classes, the group of seniors, and weekly yoga sessions The wellness section served approximately Wellness Center will be able to serve more for a smaller group of interested women. The 3000 people through various programs and people, including the DAK College students younger women of the Fit For Life group also services, including swimming and yoga class- who will be studying close-by. enjoyed weekly yoga sessions as part of their es, the Fit For Life program, and massage 19 and Citizenship” was the theme of the 2009 Cultural Week at Dar Annadwa. Bright Stars Summer Academy, which was Dar al- held from June 22 to July 24 at Dar al-Ka- In response to one of the major events lima School. The activities focused on teach- of 2009, the war on Gaza, the Bright Stars ing children how to use their talents in areas Program and held an art competition that Kalima drew submissions from over 1,000 students at 36 schools and community centers in the Bethlehem area. The aim of the project was Community to encourage children from all of the Beth- lehem-area schools to express their feelings and memories of the war through art. The Building response was overwhelming, and for several weeks in February, student art covered every wall in the lobby of Dar Annadwa. There Dar al-Kalima Community Building is the new name for the cluster of ministries includ- ing the Bright Stars Program for children and youth, the Azwaj program for young couples and young families, and the Ajyal elder care like drama, drawing, animation, music, and program for Bethlehem-area seniors. journalism to advocate for children’s rights and engage as active citizens of Palestine. Par- ticipants visited the Dheisheh refugee camp, the Battir village outside Bethlehem, and the Bright Stars SOS Children’s Village orphanage, to meet children in these places and exchange ideas Program on how to make their voices heard in their were pictures depicting scenes from the TV communities. news, with destroyed buildings and people In addition to the regular after-school and The Summer Academy often welcomes lo- wounded or dead in the streets. There were Friday clubs for children, the Bright Stars cal and international volunteers. This year’s pictures of desperate parents trying to pro- Program welcomed 150 area children for a guests included several Danish musicians tect their children, and pictures of children special Summer Academy “Children’s Rights and actors who were visiting for the Danish in hospitals with limbs missing. There were 20 also pictures with messages of support for the people of Gaza, and messages of hope for all Azwaj of Palestine. Christian families are emigrating from Pal- The opening of the exhibit was covered by estine at a dangerously high rate, citing stress the Al-Arabiya news channel, giving several and lack of opportunities due to the Israeli students a chance to explain their artwork to occupation and the resulting economic de- a wider audience and highlighting the value pression. of art as a therapeutic way of dealing with trauma.

To recognize those students whose art was the most expressive and original, an awards The families of Azwaj are diverse: they come ceremony was held at Ad-Dar Hall, and six from Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, students were awarded scholarships to par- and from a variety of Christian denomina- ticipate in the Bright Stars art club. tions. Some are newlyweds, and some already have young children. Some families leave and others join, according to their different needs at different phases of their lives. Yet all of these families join together to offer sup- port, learn from one another, discuss ideas, and share their experiences of family life in Palestine. The Azwaj program for young couples and families, however, is working to help Chris- Azwaj helps support the physical, so- tian families stay in Palestine and live fuller, cial and spiritual health of young families more abundant lives. Azwaj activities not through group activities ranging from edu- only help strengthen and improve family re- cational lectures and wellness days to com- lationships, they also help reinforce the bond munity field trips and recreational outings. and sense of belonging families have to their Some of the activities are for the whole fam- communities and their country. ily, though others give parents a chance to 21 gather as a group while their children enjoy things. One community field trip was to the special activities just for them. The approach newly-opened Arab Dental Center in Beth- of Azwaj recognizes that part of maintaining lehem, and another was to the Ghiras Center healthy families is maintaining a strong mari- in Bethlehem, which is a cultural center that tal relationship between spouses, so to this specializes in working with children from all end there have been a number of “couples- backgrounds and offers a special program for only” events and lectures, including one very children with learning difficulties or disabili- popular lecture by psychiatrist Dr. Samah ties. A hiking trip to a village north of Bethle- Jabr who spoke about how young couples hem called Battir was led by a knowledgeable can express their sexuality and have more local guide who offered information on the fulfilling sex lives. Other lectures on the local plants and trees that grow in the area. marital relationship included one on gender Bingo was a popular activity at social gath- at a planning meeting in January, and an roles by specialist Ghaida Rahil, one on com- erings, and the most highly-attended events evaluation was done in October. Azwaj fami- munication skills and relational priorities by in 2009 were the daylong conference in July lies consistently reported that taking part in psychologist Galina Bargouth, and one on and retreat in October, both to Jericho the program added some color to their lives, marital problems and solutions facilitated by and parents expressed much appreciation for therapist Marwa Nasser Metzler. the hiring of two highly qualified care-givers who mind the children while the parents are Family events focused on giving parents having activities of their own. More than just and children opportunities to get out into the baby-sitting, the two women incorporate art, community and learn and experience new singing, games and story-telling activities into their care, which is received with great joy by both the children and their parents.

2009 was a year of transition for the Azwaj program, saying goodbye to Marwa Nasser Metzler and welcoming Raida Mansour One of the strengths of the Azwaj program as program manager. Marwa had been the is the high degree of member involvement in manager since August 2008, and her spirit planning and organizing the activities. Sug- and dedication to the group will always be gestions for the year’s events were gathered remembered with much appreciation. 22 are able to attend some events on special oc- velopment, whereas Rural group activities Ajyal casions but mainly stay at home and receive are primarily health-related. However, both nursing care and follow-up, and 32 “no-go”s, the Central and Rural groups engage in the Between the two branches of the Ajyal El- people who are home-bound and depend on following core activities: joint meals, health der Care Program, Ajyal Central and Ajyal family and outside help for daily needs. Rural, 500 Bethlehem area seniors received care for their physical, social and spiritual The Ajyal Rural branch serves 168 seniors health and wellbeing in 2009. living in 8 villages in the Bethlehem gover- norate, most of whom are “slow-go”s and The Ajyal Central branch is made up of 332 “no-go”s. members living in the urban areas of Bethle- hem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. Of these, 220 Because of the different activity levels of are “go-go”s, active seniors who are able to the Ajyal Central and Ajyal Rural groups, the travel to Dar Annadwa regularly for group Central group activities tend to focus more activities, 80 are “slow-go”s, members who on social gatherings, recreation and self-de-

Ajyal Activities, Planned and Implemented 70

60

50

Central-Planned 40 Central-Implemented Rural-Planned 30 Rural-Implemented

20

10

0 Joint Meals Health Lectures & Screenings Open Medical Days Home Visits (in tens) Special Occasions Trips & Retreats 23 lectures and screenings, open medical days, ed by both distance and cost. Ajyal’s mobile The strength of the Ajyal program is that it home visits, celebrations for special occa- nurses check blood pressure and blood sugar, has grown into the program it is today over sions, and trips and retreats. monitor any known medical conditions, and a period of three years, responding to the offer information to members and their fam- needs and interests of the people it is serv- ilies on topics such as foot care for diabetics. ing. The program leaders and the steering The nurses also deliver essential supplies, in- committee of dedicated members have three cluding adult diapers, wheelchairs and walk- years of experience organizing activities and ing aids, catheters, urine bags, neck braces, ministering in their community, and unlike and blankets. many other programs in the Bethlehem area, it is the goal of Ajyal to be self-sustaining through member fees and income-generat- ing projects instead of being dependent on short-term grants.

With its excellent leadership, clear vision In addition to these core activities, mem- and dedicated community of members, the bers of the Ajyal Central group enjoy yoga Ajyal program is poised to be one of the main classes (monthly for the general group and sources of health and social care for elderly in weekly for members who are interested), the Bethlehem area for years to come. educational classes in subjects like comput- ers, English, Bible study and first aid, lectures from local clergy on religion and spirituality, and picnics at local parks.

As the above graph shows, the Ajyal Rural branch has been responding to extreme need in the villages for home-based medical care, performing almost twice as many home visits as planned. These home visits are important in maintaining the health of rural seniors whose access to medical care may be limit- 24 Dar al- Kalima College

The fact that 17 out of this year’s 22 grad- uates are already employed in their fields of study is a testament both to the hard work of the students themselves and to the level of education and practical training they receive at Dar al-Kalima (DAK) College. By expand- ing the number of full-time degree programs and short term continuous education (CE) courses offered, adding equipment and fa- cilities to the college’s infrastructure, hiring and training specialized staff to oversee these Ramallah, Hebron, Jerusalem and Bethle- 163 CE students, due in part to the opening things, and implementing a Quality Assur- hem, and even one in Fall 2009 from Bel- of the Contemporary Fine Arts and Music ance project to ensure that every aspect of the gium. Some students enter DAK College Performance degree programs. college meets international standards of ex- directly from high school, but others are cellence, DAK College is making a name for mature students earning their first degree or A number of factors contribute to the itself nationally, regionally and around the re-training for a new career. In the Winter quality of instruction offered at DAK Col- world. and Summer 2009 semesters, DAK College lege. One factor is the emphasis on practi- welcomed 63 diploma-track students and cal learning. In order to introduce students The student body at DAK College isdi- 147 CE students; in the Fall 2009 semester, the opportunities and expectations of the job verse, with men and women coming from these numbers rose to 75 diploma-track and market and allow them to earn some income 25 promotion of vocational educational training Talk” series was another opportunity for stu- in Palestine. DAK College’s CE department dents to dialogue with visitors to the college, was approved to run a training program in among whom were the famous Palestinian filming and editing for high school dropouts filmmaker Rashid Mashharawi, who dis- who had completed the 10th grade. DAK cussed his film “Tension” and responded to College took an active role in the national students’ questions about his work and the awareness-raising campaign that promoted realities of working in Palestinian cinema. the project, and participated in the open day Dean Dr. Nuha Khoury and chair of the vi- and exhibition at the Polytechnic University sual arts department Ms. Faten Nastas Mit- in Hebron on October 19th and 20th. wasi traveled to Sweden, Belgium and Ger- many to meet with departmental leaders at A second factor is DAK College’s relation- a number of schools, with whom they hope ships with international experts and partner- to arrange future exchanges and cooperative ships with universities in Europe and the US. efforts. Memoranda of Understanding were Through these connections, DAK is able to signed with Concordia University in St. Paul, host visiting lecturers and trainers who share USA, and the International Film School in their expertise with DAK students through Cologne, Germany. master classes and workshops. Among the visiting artists in A third factor is the continuous improve- 2009 were Jannet ment of human resources and physical infra- while they study, the college helps students Carlson, director structure at DAK College. In 2009 the Con- secure commissions for pieces of artwork. of the Mullsjö Folk tinuous Education department was officially Students worked on projects ranging from a High School in established, with the hiring of a dedicated set of lampshades for a restaurant on Manger Sweden, who built staff member to run the department ensure Square to 40 fused glass tiles for a bathroom a Raku kiln (the that the needs of the community and the job in a house in Sweden. Vocational training first ever in Pales- market are taken into consideration when is becoming even more of a focus for DAK tine) and taught the formulating programs. Other staff, including College, with the expansion of its Continu- Glass & Ceram- a workshop technician, were hired according ous Education (CE) courses and its coop- ics students how to the expanding needs of the college, so that eration with the VET-League and Save the to use the special Raku firing technique to there are more people concentrating on more Children on a USAID-funded project for the produce unique works of art. The “Artists specific sets of tasks, increasing efficiency all 26 around. Also, the quality of the college’s li- of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and brary was enhanced materially (an increase threats through the well-established SWOT from 2,400 unique records in 2008 to 2,911 Analysis method was determined to be the in 2009) and spatially (adding new shelves, first step in the college’s strategic planning tables, chairs and other equipment), allowing for the coming years. Based on the findings it to better serve the college’s students and of the study, project consultants worked to faculty. organize training workshops for academic and administrative staff to help them become Guiding overall improvement in 2009 was aware of and follow Quality Assurance Stan- the Quality Assurance Project, undertaken dards for teaching, learning, project manage- in partnership with Talitha Kumi Commu- ment and best use of resources. nity College in Beit Jala and funded by a World Bank grant administered by the Pal- The excellence of the students at DAK Col- estinian Ministry of Education and Higher lege is evident through their work, which has Education (MOEHE). This self-assessment been shown at art and film festivals around

Program 1st Year 2nd Year Total 1st Year 2nd Year Total (W/S 2009) (W/S 2009) (W/S 2009) (F 2009) (F 2009) (F 2009) Documentary Film Production 11 14 25 11 9 20 Glass & Ceramics 5 8 13 6 0 6 Palestinian Tour Guides 23 0 23 8 22 30 Jewelry 2 0 2 3 1 4 Contemporary Fine Arts 7 0 7 Music Performance 5 0 5 Graduates Repeating Courses 0 3 3 Total 41 22 63 40 35 75

W/S 2009 F 2009 Total Continuous Education 147 163 310 (45 courses in 2009) 27 the world. Three student films were shown at were screened at the Ad-Dar Cultural and who can take advantage of continuous educa- the Boston Palestinian Film Festival in Sep- Conference Center on September 29th and tion courses, DAK College has been a source tember, including “I Am Not Just A Num- 30th, and the glass and ceramic works were of support and empowerment, and a gateway ber” by Tha’er al-Azzeh, “Razan” by Hiba displayed in the lobby of Dar Annadwa for to material and social stability that had been Nasser, and “I Want To Live” by Ahmad Ha- the month of July. unimagined before. mad. For the exhibition “My Life” held in May in Sacramento, USA, 39 students and artists related to DAK College sent postcard- sized paintings expressing their daily lives as Dar al-Kalima Palestinians, and all 39 paintings were sold. Ten graduate films and eight final glass and College ceramics projects were produced; the films Construction

By the end of 2008, the skeleton works As part of the Quality Assurance Project on the Dar al-Kalima construction site were carried out in 2009, three focus groups of nearing completion, with concrete formwork students were interviewed to gain feedback rising 5 stories into the air and the charac- about their experience at DAK College. The teristic white limestone facing being installed consensus was that DAK is providing unique on the building exteriors. educational opportunities not available else- where in the Palestinian educational system. The intellectual space and freedom ofex- pression found at DAK has contributed to a dramatic change in the way these students are able to look at and analyze social issues, which in turn will help them become lead- ers in a strong, pluralistic civil society. For so many young men and women, especially those who could not enter a university but 28 Tuck-pointing and cladding on the outside the site, building the retaining walls for the in place and prepared for finishing, and floor of the buildings continued in January 2009, landscaping around the college site, finishing tiles were selected. Floor surfaces were pre- using decoratively chiseled local limestone. the parapet walls and coping stone on the pared and tile was installed beginning in No- Also in January, the foundation slab for the roof, and working through the “snag list” of vember and continuing through December. auditorium was poured and finished, and the things that needed fixing. In late June, the walls for this final area went up. The audito- roofs were prepared for waterproofing with rium, which drops three levels below ground the application of a lightweight screed (con- level, features a large performance stage and crete mixture), which will help with the rain seating for several hundred people. In Feb- catchment system. ruary, the shell of the circular rooftop res- taurant was completed, with its pigeon-hole windows, exit to the grounds of the Janneh Nature Reserve, and 360-degree view of the Bethlehem area.

Due to the global economic crisis, the con- struction budget was reviewed and some dif- ficult decisions were made. Many aspects of the finishing work had to come under strict scrutiny to ensure that the work could be By the end of July, the exterior work was completed with no corners being cut. finished and, after a week of “mobilization” for the finishing contractor to move equip- The work is due to be completed in14 ment and materials into place, interior fin- months, by October 2010, but the college ishing work began on August 1. In August will be made a priority so that staff and stu- After the concrete for the floors and pillars and September, room outlines were laid out dents can use the building by the beginning of the upper levels were completed in March, with concrete cinder blocks and then the of the 2010-11 academic year. College con- the remaining work was mostly concerned walls themselves were constructed, with al- struction is set to be completed on August 1, with the cladding and pointing on the build- lowances for plumbing and electrical and 2010, with the opening celebration planned ing exteriors, cleaning up the debris from network wiring. In October, the walls were for September 15. 29 Authentic Tourism

The Diyar Consortium’s Authentic Tour- ism program seeks to give visitors to the Holy Land a deeper, more enriching experience by introducing them to the “living stones”, that is, the people, of Palestine. Groups who visit the Holy Land through Authentic Tourism, instead of being simply bused into Manger Square and back out again, typically spend half a day touring Bethlehem and the minis- tries of the Diyar Consortium, with lunch at the Il ‘Iliyeh Restaurant at Dar Annadwa.

In 2009, 529 tourists in 25 groups visit- ed the ministries of the Diyar Consortium through the Authentic Tourism program. The vast majority of the groups (21/25) came from the United States, but Diyar was glad Holy Land for financial reasons. The Diyar program; in reality, many more visited with to welcome two groups from Germany, one Consortium lost 6 groups who had planned other tours and independently. from Austria, and one mixed group of people to visit, but, compared to other organizations from many different countries. in the area, Diyar still had a relatively good Diyar is hopeful that, through new adver- year for tourism. The number quoted above tising methods and improved communica- Because of the worldwide economic down- only accounts for the number of tourists tion with past and potential visitors, 2010 turn, many groups canceled their trips to the who visited through the Authentic Tourism will be a great year for Authentic Tourism. 30 Shop also sells books and DVDs from 12 menting with new products, including a re- different authors and producers, including a versible stole with two different colors and The Cave book on Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour, patterns stitched back-to-back, a beautifully by Faten Nastas Mitwasi, the 2008 study on embroidered chasuble, and glasses cases and Palestinian Christians, published as part of mobile phone pouches. Gift Shop the “Palestinian Christians: Strengthening Identity, Activating Potential” project, and “Celebrating the Faith”, a DVD of 10 short Sometimes when visitors come to Dar An- features on Christian feasts as celebrated in nadwa they like to take a piece of Palestinian Palestine, produced by the Bethlehem Media art back home with them. With the grow- Center. ing popularity of the Cave Gift Shop and the Cave’s cooperation with art students and graduates from Dar al-Kalima (DAK) Col- lege, there are now 46 artists producing over 600 unique art items and supporting their families and education through the income they receive from selling their work. All of these items and more are displayed In addition to art pieces, the Cave Gift on the Cave website and select items are fea- tured in the 2009-10 Gift Shop Catalogue, which was published in September and dis- Every month there are new items being tributed to visitors at Dar Annadwa and in- produced by Cave artisans. 2009 saw the ad- ternational supporters abroad. Cave products dition of a new line of gold jewelry to the and artists have received attention through Cave’s jewelry collection, and the creativity trade expos in Jordan and Sweden, television of the DAK art students shows in the new reports for international media, and artistic glass and ceramic designs they produce. The partnerships through projects such as the women of the embroidery group, who have Hiroshima Project from Japan, which seeks been producing stoles and other church tex- to make Japanese pan flutes from Palestinian tiles for several years, have started experi- olive wood. 31 Special thanks to our friends, supporters Diyar Board of Directors and donors who believe in what we do. Bishop Dr. Munib Younan (Chair) Dr. Ghada Asfour-Najjar (Vice Chair) Berliner Missionwerk Mr. Jalal Odeh (Treasurer) Bethlehem Venner Dr. Khalil Nijm (Secretary) Bright Stars of Bethlehem Mr. Zahi Khouri Church of Scotland Ms. Diana Butto Church of Sweden Ms. Pia Rantala-Engberg Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst Mr. Albert Aghazarian Diakonisches Werk Mr. Ghassan Kasabreh ELCA Dr. Bernard Sabella Ev. Missionwerk Hamburg Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Federal Republic of Germany Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb (President, ex officio) FELM Foerderverein Bethlehem Dar al-Kalima Academie Healing Across the Divide KARIBU For more information on the work of the Diyar Consortium, MEATRC please visit our new suite of websites. From the Diyar website, Ole Kirks Fond/LEGO Foundation you can sign up to receive email newsletters from Diyar or its Pilgrims of Ibillin friendship associations in the US, Germany or Denmark. Save the Children/USAID The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Please also look for us on Facebook and Twitter. The Olof Palme International Center Willy Brandt Center www.Diyar-Consortium.org World Bank/MOEHE www.facebook.com/DiyarConsortium www.twitter.com/DiyarConsortium And many other donors who contributed directly or indirectly to our ministries.