Monday, August 3, 2015

PFU: Volunteering with ICS

By Barakat Azar

I am really glad to have joined the ICS program, which has given me an opportunity to get to know other cultures and learn new ways of life from different people. I have enjoyed this opportunity, especially because one of my interests is to know about other cultures and explore them in depth. I am not afraid of seeking the unknown and facing new adventures. Also, I know that the human experience is different and versatile, it is not based on one colour and all of those experiences enable the human being to explore the meaning of life. This is why I was encouraged to do my duties as a volunteer.

My specialty in the placement is with journalism and media. I have worked with the Palestinian Farmers’ Union on a number of things. One of those things was producing and editing a film in Arabic about the three million trees campaign. I also commenced working on the English version of the three million trees film. This campaign was implemented by the Union, which aims to cultivate tens of thousands of fruit trees and support the steadfastness of farmers, especially in areas threatened by confiscation by the Israeli occupation.


I also started working on the design of a newsletter for the Union. I used computer software to create the design from scratch. The newsletter will cover the past four months and will mention the implementation of many projects, courses and other events and activities carried out by the Union in partnership with several local and international institutions.


We also visited the Tent of Nations in Bethlehem, which is an organic educational farm. This was a wonderful story of steadfastness that enabled me to understand what is going on behind the scenes. It showed me how Palestinian farmers stand alone in the face of the Israeli occupation and how farmers try as much as possible to preserve the land of their ancestors. I found it interesting to learn that the Israeli security forces may still confiscate land, even if you have registered your land.


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