Aquinostr. 7 - 11
50670 Köln
Germany
- Democracy and community development
- Human rights
- Youth and education
The Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy employs for the Human Rights work within Germany 3 political secretaries in Cologne. The Project “Vacation from War” is separated in office, staff and budget. One half-time secretary is employed, 4 people work voluntarily equal to half-time-jobs,. About 80 people in seven countries work for 2 weeks in the summer-camps and dialogue semi-nars each summer voluntarily (pocket-money) 2. 350.000 € a year Private donations, benefit events, collections in schools, pasrishes etc. Peace summer-camps and dialogue-seminars for youth from war and crises areas. The so called enemies from Former Yugoslavia countries meet on the Mediterranean coast . (ca. 250 part.). Young people from Israel and Palestine come to Germany (ca. 250 part.). Since 18 years more than 22.200 participants from war and crises areas came together for encounters with their ‘enemies’ Grass-roots initiatives in Israel, Palestine, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Mazedonia Serbia,
The idea is that children and young people lose prejudice and hatred if they can come to know their so called enemies in a carefree surrounding. We try to support young people on both sides to break the escalation pattern of violence in the hope that the next generation will live in respect and peace The difficult process of dialogue handles the threats and fears of everyday life, but also the hopes and visions. The participants get to know the perspective of 'the other’ regarding the causes of the conflict as well as the political and economic interests of the warring parties. They are able to expe-rience up-close the fact that the question of guilt is not as easy to settle as the local propaganda on either side would have it As the official negotiations failed, we believe a new common grassroots-movement on both sides could lead out of this impasse.
Altogether, in 18 years, about 22.000 children and young people from the former Yugoslavia have been able to recover from their war traumas and lack of basic needs. With the beginning of the Second Intifada, we decided to spread our practice in civil conflict solution on a grassroots level to another complicated conflict area Most of the 1600 young adults from Israel and Palestine (West Bank) who participated by today - had never before met people from the "other side" because it is legally impossible for the participants to meet each other in Israel or Palestine itself. Therefore the seminars take place in a third country, Germany On both sides the young people were taking a big risk, for they could be denounced for collaborating with the enemy or as traitors of the fatherland, facing very serious consequences
Since 18 years we have experience in intercultural dialogue processes on a grass-roots level under the worst conditions - even during bloody wars - and can give advice to others if requested.
Vacation from War became a huge project and since many years we all work voluntarily. Therefore we avoid all additional contacts and work. But with our nomination for the EuroMed Dialogue Award' we came to know ALF. The democratic procedere and the real chance for small grassroots initiatives convinced us.We are very proud and honoured that we were elected for the third place. We discovered that some of our partner-organizations are already members of ALF. We have some problems to organize and finance follow-up activities for very motivated young people in the Middle East as well as in the Former Yugoslavia. We need some basic infrastructure but no burocracy. perhaps we can share it with others.