Let the diamond within us shine

World events are depressing; wars are destroying entire countries and robbing people of loved ones as well as of their prospects for life. Many media outlets in our countries barely report on what is currently happening, for example in Gaza or the West Bank; or they only report on it in a way distorted through propaganda. How do we talk to our children about these things? How do we prepare them for the future?
  Our younger generation is being distracted in various ways from their life’s tasks and the reality of life. This is not fair, because in every child and young person lies – sometimes somewhat hidden – the desire to make a positive contribution to human coexistence. Dr Sumaya Farhat-Naser, a peace educator from Palestine, has for years been making an extremely important contribution to showing all children and young people in her country a path to a shared, peaceful future. Our adolescents also have open ears and hearts for this message, as demonstrated at a peace workshop at the Toblerstrasse School and the Mutschellen Private School.

Ever heard of Palestine?

“Sumaya means ‘little heaven,’ ” Farhat-Naser said, as she introduced herself to the youngest group of children at the peace workshop that day. None of them had any command of written Arabic, and they were amazed by the beautifully handwritten characters spelling out this first name from right to left on the blackboard. “Ever heard of Palestine?” this skilled peace educator asked. Yes, and someone even knew that Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, lies in this land. Some also knew of Jerusalem, and they now learned that this city is important for three religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. These people all have equal rights and need a state where they can live together in peace. And she also encouraged the children to take care of Switzerland, previously a land of peace.

War is against humanity;
everyone loses in war

The intertwining thread between Sumaya Farhat-Naser and the children was quickly spun – with the younger ones as well as with the groups of older children and young people, to whom she spoke about the story of her life. She talked of her first visit to Switzerland, when she was in ninth grade, of her encounter with Gertrud and later Rosmarie Kurz of the Christian Peace Service, and also of her educational journey, which explains her excellent German skills.
  In her talk, which was finely tailored to the age of the children and young people, she introduced them to the history of her country, its inhabitants, and their living conditions. Many a child’s or young person’s view of the world may have become somewhat confused when they heard that Sumaya Farhat-Naser is a Christian Palestinian; perhaps it also prompted reflection on what it means to grow up – like Sumaya Farhat-Naser – in a country where war has been raging since one was born.
  Many of them also heard for the first time that children in the Gaza Strip have not been able to go to school for two years, while those in the West Bank need several hours for a ten-minute commute, because they have to make long detours and are held up for hours at checkpoints. “War is against humanity; everyone loses in war,” she said. “We have to be able to meet, to get to know each other, and to learn that the other person is a human being like me. Only with benevolence and humanity can we keep humanity alive in others.”
  With this deeply ethical approach, Sumaya Farhat-Naser has carried out her work as a peace educator in her own country for more than twenty years, and this is also how she organised the day with the children and young people of the two Swiss schools.

It’s about love,
reconciliation, and peace

The children continued to listen spellbound—even those who are usually rather more restless—to what Sumaya Farhat-Naser had to tell them, for example, that the three religions in her country agree on many points and differ only slightly. The important messages in all three religions are the same: love, reconciliation, and peace. Because these shared characteristics call for peace, the small differences are not decisive and have never been a reason for war. “And yet there is war in my country,” she said. “My son was shot, too, when he was a teenager. But we have learned to forgive, even if we don’t forget; because anger doesn’t get you anywhere. And that’s why you first have to learn to make peace with yourself, to speak, think, and deal with yourself non-violently.” But how? This presented the children with a challenging task.

We are all equal and yet different

The peace educator used the following observation to introduce the children to her topic:
  With the birth of every child, a person comes into the world who is equal to all others. No one is worth more... and yet everyone is different and unique... and we all carry a wonderful core, a diamond, within us.
  This was an effective and comforting starting point for further conversation and was appreciated by the children (for those listening with “adult” ears, the reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law was obvious).

All people are equal

“No one is worth more than anyone else, even if they put on airs or act important. You have to know that,” she said, “even if someone tells you you’re stupid or dumb. There are no people more valuable than others, even if they are different. Don’t you sometimes find someone a little strange because they think, feel, or act differently – and you don’t realise that you’re a little strange sometimes, too?” More important food for thought!
  “It’s a form of enrichment that everyone is different. How boring it would be if everyone were like cloned tomatoes,” Sumaya Farhat-Naser said. But sometimes you find someone strange. You don’t understand them. This can lead to misunderstandings and arguments. “And what do you do when someone provokes you?” was therefore an obvious question.
  The children’s suggestions ranged from provoking the other person in return, to telling them to stop, ignoring them, running away, or going to the teacher. “And what is the quickest reaction?” the peace educator persisted, knowing that conflicts between children often take a different course. “Hit, with words and muscles!” they finally suggested. But that is not really a possibility, the children know that. So what now?

Ignore or hit –
caught in the cycle of violence

“Is it a good solution to ignore a provocation, to pretend you don’t care at all about the other person’s comments?” The peace educator’s question was in the air and needed to be clarified. “Does the anger go away afterwards? Do you feel confident and good? Or isn’t it more likely that you go home and are annoyed that you didn’t react, that you feel unfairly treated, and are left with the painful feeling of not having defended yourself and of being weak – coupled with the fear of being further humiliated in future?” The logical conclusion is that ignoring a provocation usually does not achieve the desired result. These are challenging considerations that children and young people enjoy learning to reflect about.
  “And what about hitting? It seems like the easiest and most visibly effective solution. Is that really so?” Here, too, honest reflection is required, because otherwise we get caught up in negative thoughts; we seek revenge, and perhaps we even have a stale sense of triumph. “But I take away my own strength and energy by internally preparing the next violent scenario. Because no matter how hard I hit back, it won’t really satisfy me. I’ll remain trapped in the cycle of violence!” Then what? Important food for thought, too, these questions Sumaya Farhat-Naser sensitively confronted the children and young people with.

Making the diamond shine

“You and I are different and yet the same,” the peace educator said at the beginning of the conversation, using a beautiful image: “I have a diamond in my heart, and so does the other person.” This provided a new starting point for solutions: The other person is like me; they, too, were born with a good core. And I must first start with myself, and make my own diamond shine every day.
  “Knowing that I’m a good person and valuable, gives me strength.” Standing in a conflict situation with this feeling empowers me to find different solutions. “I’m beginning to be more aware of my negative thoughts and am learning to remain calm and to see myself as a person with strengths and weaknesses. My experiences with the beautiful things I carry within me give me the courage and strength to dare something new.” These, too, were demanding and challenging ideas that Sumaya Farhat-Naser conveyed to the children in an age-appropriate manner. They understood and listened intently – even those who seemed “cool.”

Have the courage
to take the positive path

“It’s for my own protection that I learn to take a step back,” the peace educator explained to the children. “That way, I can allow the good within me to flourish. This enables me to put myself in the other person’s shoes and also to consider that perhaps the other person didn’t mean any harm, as I thought. These are reflections that strengthen me and make me proud. Perhaps I’ll even make it possible for my counterpart to rethink the situation in a positive way, if I say: ‘Maybe you didn’t mean it that way, did you?’ ”
  In this way, an apology and resolution of the problem might be achieved more quickly – and you could be happy that your big heart made this possible, Sumaya Farhat-Naser encouraged the children. “And what if the other person sticks to their opinion and would like to insult me even further?” That, too, is no reason for resignation, because I can empathise with his mood as I am no longer caught up in my own.
  Perhaps I then say to him: “I understand your reaction, and I’m sorry. I’m glad that I have come to know your feelings. But there was a misunderstanding, because I didn’t mean to upset or hurt you. It was a slip-up on my part, and perhaps we can talk about it tomorrow or the day after.” Even if the other person cannot respond and tells me that they don’t want to talk to me or see me again, I may be proud of having recognised the cycle of violence and counter-violence and having tried to stop it. “That is what makes me strong,” she said to the children with a smile. Who would not want to be strong?
  Given the state of the world today, gaining this strength, seeing each other as fellow human, is all the more urgent. But how do you gain this inner wealth? The children and young people in her country carry terrible images of everyday life with them, explained Sumaya Farhat-Naser. Something good for the soul was needed: enjoying folk dances together (as is traditional in Palestine), playing an instrument, or going on excursions into nature.
  For example, the children and young people would learn about the great wealth of plants in Palestine, where there are over 2,800 plant species. Migrating birds that stop in Palestine on their way from north to south or vice versa, leave plant seeds in their droppings and thus bring new plant species. “Looking at the trees and flowers, enjoying them, smiling at them, brings strength and spiritual richness. It makes the inner diamond shine. Everyone has their task in this world to fulfil wisely,” she said.
  She then gave the children, young people, and their teachers a poem to take home that she uses in her workshops in her own country. It is a poem by the German-Israeli rabbi, journalist, and religious scholar Shalom Ben-Chorin, whose name means “Peace, Son of Freedom.” It forms a basis of their work for peace, like other Jewish texts:

Those who seek peace,
will seek others,
will learn to listen,
will practice forgiveness,
will leave behind preconceived notions,
will take the risk,
will believe in human change,
will inspire hope,
will meet others halfway,
will acknowledge their guilt,
will persevere patiently,
will themselves live on the peace of God.
Are we seeking peace?

This is a beautiful poem with an image of humanity in peace. It expresses what we should wish for all children and young people in the world, as a basis of their living and their learning together, so that they can make their inner diamond shine. •