Children have proven to be one the most successful demographics at achieving reconciliation. Children more easily recognize the humanity in their fellow peers and develop lasting relationships that change the way they perceive the conflict.
We believe that children need to be provided with possibilities to bridge religious and societal divides, especially in this region where we “other” our neighbor and rarely if ever engage with those who are different than us.
We have seen that children who grew up attending Musalaha’s camps tend to be more successful at reconciliation in their youth and in later years.
Musalaha runs an annual summer camp that brings together hundreds of children to start the process of reconciliation. Our camp focuses on the first stage in the reconciliation process: Building Relationships. It is an excellent opportunity for children to make new friends of both similar and different ethnic, religious, and geographical backgrounds. They share cabins, mealtimes, engage in arts and crafts, and participate in a variety of water games, sports, competitions, and more.
In addition, we provide daily reconciliation teachings based on biblical principles designed to help break down stereotypes of the “other” from a young age.
