The Spirit Of The Mystic Walls

  Palestine

Jerusalem

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: August 15 - August 26, 2008

Description: Spafford Children Center is situated on a hilltop in the north east corner of the Old City of Jerusalem overlooking the Mount of Olives and with a beautiful view of the Al-Aqsa mosque grounds.

Spafford is a community centre serving one of the poorest and most marginalized communities in Jerusalem. The centre provides a variety of services to a wide spectrum of the society, ranging from nursery and a kindergarten for poor children to leisure, cultural, artistic and sports activities for adolescents, youth and adults. The Center met this challenge by developing a psycho-social- special Education and Cultural department to help the children and mothers cope with the situation. Its programs were gradually expanded and diversified and are still developing and changing to meet new situations as they arise.

Operating through turbulent times in this volatile region, the Spafford Children's center has always adapted to changing political situation and needs of the local population.

A cultural department has expanded slowly and is fast assuming the characteristics of a community club for children, teenagers and even mothers. It offers different activities, ranging from art with different media, library, folklore dancing, theatre, music, sports and games, and may help the children and the young people to develop talents and skills.

The aim of the international volunteer project is to start a new type of activity which is to spread more feelings toward the old city of Jerusalem by:
1. cleaning the historical walls of the old city of Jerusalem in different areas; painting and drawing inside the Spafford center walls.
2. organizing activities for the students and local community, organizing sport competitions and activities, designing a challenge track.

Free time: The afternoons/ evenings are mostly occupied by lectures, parties, documentary films and field visits. Cultural activities will be directed towards learning about the Palestinian History and culture. Besides, cultural trips will be organized during the project to the different historical and important places inside the Old city of Jerusalem, Jerusalem and other areas in the occupied territories such as Ramallah and Bethlehem. Beside, a round table will be organized by the workcamp organizers and leaders with the local community and the local youth in Jerusalem in order to establish a dialogue to have a better understanding towards the Palestinian daily life and culture.

There is an extra fee of 150 Euro for participation in this project, intended to support the hosting organization.

Cost in US$: $290 US

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: motivated to work voluntarily within an international youth team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative young person with adventurous spirit

Age Range: 18 and over

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Palestine Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement: CADIP is an independent, non-governmental, non-religious, not-for-profit Canadian organization based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Through various youth initiatives, Cadip promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: " To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution " To strengthen the international contacts among young people " To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings " To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world " To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills " To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning " To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.