OneVoice Movement

Siaseh Café: Coffee and politics in Palestine

A Siaseh Cafe in Nablus on March 3, 2014.

Once a week, OneVoice Palestine activists gather over coffee. The brew is strong, much like the opinions of the Youth Leaders, who talk politics and the peace process in cafés across the West Bank. These Siaseh (or Politics) Cafés provide a forum wherein young Palestinians are able to debate their peers openly and evaluate decisions made by Palestinians leaders and the international community.

“We send the Youth Leaders a different topic from the news ahead of each session,” said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP’s Youth Leadership Training Program Director. “We also send invites to the Youth Leaders and ask them to bring friends who haven’t engaged in conversations with OneVoice in the past. The results are usually very interesting.”

Bringing different views to each conversation creates a unique discussion around Palestinian national interests and how the community addresses them. On one recent occasion in Nablus, activists discussed the ongoing negotiations with the Israelis and the role of the grassroots in reaffirming Palestinian national principles. While the majority showed ample support for non-violent activities, some questioned the prospects for progress in the window that remains for a final agreement. The activists questioned the sincerity of Israel’s participation in the negotiations in light of continued settlement construction in the West Bank and the recently proposed Knesset bill to annexbill the Jordan Valley.

“While the majority of participants support the two-state solution as a means to end the occupation and conflict, resolve the final status issues, and establish an independent Palestinian state, there is a common feeling of frustration among the participants,” said Ezzeldeen Masri, Director of OVP’s Gaza office. “More than 20 years have passed since the commencement of the peace process and yet Palestinians are not witnessing any progress.”

The Siaseh Cafés are part of OVP’s larger “Wake Up! What is Your Role?” campaign launched in November 2013. Through “Wake Up!” OVP is energizing the centrist, Palestinian mainstream to take their future into their own hands and support the negotiators. Through youth initiatives, TV and radio shows, town hall meetings, and issue-based discussions, the campaign aims to break the state of apathy about negotiations and demonstrate that non-violent resistance can be successful in securing Palestinian rights while connecting every day Palestinians to their leaders.

OVP asks Palestinians to “Wake Up!” and change the status quo

OneVoice Palestine is taking to the streets of the West Bank and Gaza to bolster support for the peace process by emphasizing that everyday Palestinians have a part to play in ending the occupation and establishing an independent state.

The “Wake Up! What is Your Role?” campaign, launched last year in the midst of the U.S.-led negotiations spear-headed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, is energizing the centrist Palestinian mainstream to take their future into their own hands and support the Palestinian negotiators. To launch the campaign, hundreds of activists gathered in the Jordan Valley to raise a 1,000-meter banner stitched together by OVP chapters in Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jerusalem, and Jericho. Written on the banner were the core national principles that are the basis for Palestinian negotiators. The PLO's Chief Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, addressed the activists while Jericho Governor Majid Fitani and Lieutenant Colonel Atef Naser looked on during an impromptu public meeting.

The “What Is Your Role?” campaign has five components: youth-led initiatives on campuses and in communities; public town hall meetings with Palestinian influencers; TV talk shows on Palestinian national television with live studio audiences and street interviews; radio shows on popular stations in the West Bank; and Siaseh (or “Political”) Cafés where activists get together to talk politics. Each medium reinforces facilitates open, candid discussions between average Palestinians and their leaders and provides a vehicle for non-violent activism and public engagement in the political process –making OVP’s campaign a unique and important part of the grassroots efforts needed for a successful outcome.

Portrait from Palestine: OneVoice Activists in Nablus Paint Mural, Aim to Promote Public Participation in State Building

OneVoice Palestine youth leaders and community members from Nablus in front of the mural.

On Saturday November 23, 40 OneVoice Palestine (OVP) activists in Nablus organized an artistic initiative to support the Palestinian leadership and emphasize the importance of a peace agreement to achieve Palestinian national aspirations.

OVP's chapters in Nablus designed a mural reflecting on two important events in Palestinian history, according to OVP Youth Leader Alaa Salous. The first was the anniversary of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s death on November 11 and the second was Palestine's Independence Day on November 15.

“Today we honor our leader by walking in his footsteps and supporting the two-state solution,” Salous said, “and we also want to promote young Palestinians’ roles in ending the occupation and building the independent state.”

The mural shows the faces of the late President Arafat and current President Mahmoud Abbas. The Youth Leaders wrote “Palestine, the 194^th State” on the mural, referring to the name given to the diplomatic campaign by the Palestinian National Authority last year in an effort to gain statehood in the United Nations, which OVP supported through a national campaign in the West Bank and Gaza.

As the young leaders raised the mural on the wall of the Center, they were satisfied and very proud of the work they accomplished.

OneVoice staff was also happy of the outcome.

“I think this is a clear image of non-violent activism at its best,” said OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf. “We encourage our volunteers to organize these types of activities to protest the occupation and the Israeli government's policies against our people.”

Examining the political scene in Palestine: positive dialogue about the conflict

*By Wasim Almasri

OVP activists Raya Fatayer and Alaa Salous approach a young woman at the Nablus quiz night. See below for more images.

Every year OneVoice activists in Palestine celebrate Muslims' holy month of Ramadan with joy, kindness, and community work. Most of the activities OneVoice Palestine (OVP) implements during Ramadan (and the rest of the year) are generated by the youth leaders themselves, with their in-depth knowledge of their own communities. They believe in upholding and harnessing local traditions, in helping the other, and in building trust within their communities. So when several youth leaders came up with an idea to organize debates and quiz nights discussing the political issues of the day in Palestine, OVP was very supportive in bringing the vision to life.

OneVoice’s chapter in Nablus took on the first event by organizing a political quiz night in a big mall in the city. The idea was to ask the public questions and engage them in discussions about the conflict and the recently announced negotiations. OneVoice activists Alaa Salous and Raya Fatayer (shown in the picture above) asked local people questions about the conflict and gauged their view on numerous issues that were being debated that day. The outcome was surprisingly positive, giving the nature of these events and the state of apathy and cynicism that we have increasingly witnessed among young Palestinians.

People asked questions about the Movement and were intrigued to know more about OneVoice and the work we are doing across the West Bank and Gaza. The youth leaders handed out fliers and explained OneVoice activities and policies toward ending the occupation and the conflict and building the independent Palestinian state. The youth leaders were able to generate momentum and build solid arguments about negotiations and peace building.

The next day, it was the OneVoice chapter in Bethlehem’s turn. OVP's Executive Director, Samer Makhlouf, and the Youth Leadership Training Program Director Abdallah Hamarsheh joined 40 youth leaders hailing from six different villages and cities near Bethlehem.

"Every individual has to play a role, and this role is important like a small piece in a big puzzle," said Makhlouf. "We empower youth to contribute to building the de facto Palestinian state, ending the occupation, and creating a better future for the region. Now is the right time for action. The momentum being created with the renewal of peace talks gives us an even larger platform to demand a settlement freeze behind the Green Line, so we give these talks a chance."

Hamarsheh explained the importance of non-violent activism. He encouraged the youth leaders to be active in campaigns to boycott settlement products and debated the current negotiations. Hamarsheh also brainstormed ideas with the youth leaders for the International Youth Day on August 12. The youth agreed on organizing a peace marathon that runs through Bethlehem and shows support for the Palestinian leadership as they begin the negotiations.

Ramadan nights continued in Salfeet, as OVP joined the Abdul Qader Cultural Center in organizing an event on political and cultural debates. The event took place in Alzawieh, a town south of Salfeet, in partnership with a number of local organizations in the city. Over 60 people attended.

During the event, a documentary about the separation wall and expansion of settlements in the West Bank was shown to the audience. The organizers also reserved time to discuss the political scene and the current negotiations.

In Hebron, the numbers were significantly larger than we expected. Over 1,500 people attended OVP's event in Noba Public Park. OneVoice’s chapter in Hebron organized the event, entitled “The Reality of the Occupation and the Dream of the State,” with Hamarsheh, who spoke first about the Movement and emphasized the role of Palestinians in supporting the leadership during the negotiation process.

It was a night of celebration, politics, and folklore. The highest earned GPA graduates - whom scored a 99% in their governmental high school exams – were in attendance and they expressed interest in joining OneVoice. OVP offered congratulations to the families and the students and offered to accept them into the Youth Leadership Training Program once they sign up for college.

As chapters organized events to build consensus for ending the conflict and supporting negotiations, OneVoice activists in Jenin organized a Ramadan-themed charitable activity to strengthen the generosity spirit of the community.

“Generous Lanterns" - as lanterns are traditional symbols of Ramadan in Muslim cities - is what the youth leaders decided to name the initiative. They distributed Ramadan items, water, dates, and yogurt in the old market, along with the Movement's fliers to support the Palestinian leadership's negotiation efforts. These items show kindness toward fellow Muslims who are fasting during the holy month. The youth also wished the pedestrians a generous Ramadan and a happy Eid.

The Ramadan events were a wonderful opportunity for us and the youth leaders to connect with the community. We had the chance to discuss political, social, and economic issues and the negotiations. While most of the people we've met were skeptical about the progress of the current negotiations, we found most intrigued to learn more.

OneVoice recognizes that negotiations are key to an agreement that brings an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the occupation. With the possibility of talks on the horizon, our belief in this remains steadfast. After 20 years of on-and-off negotiations, we must recognize that any talks must be based on clear parameters (1967 borders and international resolutions) that will lead to the ultimate goal: an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, bringing security to the whole region. When Ramadan falls next year, we are looking forward to the hope of breaking our fast on the first Hilal as citizens of an independent country called Palestine.

*Wasim Almasri is the communications officer for OneVoice Palestine.

The Ramadan quiz night in Bethlehem focused on the political scene in the Palestine.

In Hebron, over 1,500 people congregated in Noba Park for the event entitled, "The Reality of the Occupation and the Dream of the State."

Youth leaders take part in the "Generous Lanterns" initiative in Jenin. 

Swings, Roundabouts, and the Occupation: OVP protests land confiscations in Jericho

Zubaydat's citizens joined OVP to peacefully protest land confiscation near their village.

The children of Zubaydat want a playground. A slide, a pair of swings, maybe a climbing frame; not a big ask for 500 children, perhaps. But while they just want to play, the kids of this West Bank village also find themselves living under military occupation. 

Zubaydat is at the nexus of a territorial conflict that – quite literally – insists on coming between the kids and their playground. Now, OneVoice Palestine (OVP), a movement of Palestinian youth, have decided that it’s time to play their role in ending the occupation and giving the village’s children their freedom to play, literally.

“The kids used to play in a small area just west of the village,” said Wasim Masri, communications officer at OVP. “But the Israeli authorities declared the area a closed military zone and told the villagers to keep their kids away from the playground.” 

In 2009, the villagers requested permission from the Israeli authorities to build a new playground, but this request was denied, according to Masri.

The occupation is about more than just playgrounds and it impacts more people than children alone. The Oslo Accords classified 99 percent of the village as area C, Masri explained.

The ‘C’ classification grants Israel full civil and security control over the area which, for residents of Zubaydat, means frequent raids by soldiers, repressive building restrictions, as well as constant water shortages, because the occupation prevents villagers renovating or digging new wells. Furthermore, the demands of Israeli settlers – keen to expand their territory – lead to continued confiscations of Palestinian land, including Zubaydat’s old playground.

As part of a program of activism to prevent further confiscations and save the viability of a Palestinian state, OVP activists in Jericho marched to Zubaydat to protest settlement expansion. Land around the village continues to be seized for the nearby Israeli settlement of Argaman.

The activists, joined by locals, civil society organizations, community leaders, and Jericho’s governorate office, marched to the separation wall south of Jericho, carrying trees and Palestinian flags to plant in an area threatened by confiscation.

Townspeople and youth leaders from different cities in the West Bank set the village of Zubaydat, north of Jericho, as a the starting point for the activity. According to OVP youth leaders, their initiative comes in response to the Israeli policies, which prevent farmers from reaching their lands in areas where agriculture is the main source of income, such as Zubaydat.

OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf expressed the need for these types of actions.

“Palestinians will continue carrying out non-violent resistance against the occupation and settlement expansion in the West Bank in order to deliver a message to the world that we are the owners of this land,” said Makhlouf. “Settlements are the biggest obstacle facing the two-state solution and the peace process.”

The youth leaders and townspeople, cheering and showing support for one another, proceeded to plant many trees near the separation wall.

“Our goal is to support the citizens of Zubaydat,” said OVP’s youth leader and the village’s own Hamza Zubaydat.

Indeed, the OVP youth leaders have promised their campaign won’t stop until a viable and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital is created. Only when the occupation is ended will the villagers of Zubaydat gain the freedom to farm on all their land, dig the wells they need for water, and rebuild their children’s playground.

OVP’s activists and townspeople of Zubaydat marching to the land south of the separation wall in Jericho.

Zubaydat's location in Area C.

OneVoice Palestine’s “Women of Influence” project to nurture new leaders

Malaka Samara, center, meets with Sahar Qawasmeh, head of the Adwar Organization for Development, and senior OneVoice activist Ibrahim Mubarak to discuss her “Women of Influence” project.

On International Women’s Day – a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness and commemorate the advances women made in their societies – a new initiative takes hold in Palestinian communities looking to do the same.

Led by OneVoice Palestine’s Malaka Samara, the new Women of Influence (WOI) project aims to emphasize the importance of Palestinian women and their essential social, economic, and political role in community-building to end occupation and the conflict.

Clearly, one cannot build peace by leaving half of a society out, and women have been sidelined in peace building for too long. Only 2.5% of signatories to peace agreements since 1992 have been women. Since 2000, 16 peace processes had minimal involvement of women, and in five cases, no women were involved at all.

The WOI project seeks to train, empower, inspire, and energize Palestinian women to be active, to contribute to the improvement of their communities, and to ensure that women are involved in Palestinian state building, and the peace process, at all levels.

The UN has acknowledged the vital importance of women’s involvement. Women’s participation in conflict resolution and building peace is called for in Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), but its real impact is yet to be felt by women in conflict zones such as Palestine.  

“We are living under occupation, having daily challenges in our life at all levels,” said Malaka. “Women are mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, so it is very important that they raise their voices and be part of the development of their communities and help end the occupation by delivering their messages to national and international decision makers.”

The WOI is the brainchild of Malaka’s prolonged efforts and interest in Palestinian women’s issues and her time spent volunteering with OneVoice Palestine as a youth leader. The project has several phases, the first of which concluded last month. Six introductory meetings in Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya, Hebron, and Jericho – the WOI target cities – occurred with women leaders and heads of local organizations. These meetings sought to introduce the project and establish a network of partners for future women’s initiatives through the WOI project.

Upcoming phases, spread out over the year, include introducing the project to small groups and discussing the challenges of Palestinian women in positions of influence, with emphasis on women in political life. Women from each target city will receive six months of training before implementing the project. Prominent and influential female leaders from across Palestinian society will serve as guest speakers in public meetings, sharing their personal stories and advice on topics such as family, community, traditions, religion, and politics.

Malaka envisions that each candidate will have the desire to make a change in life, believing that women have a vital role in changing their communities, and can be critically important actors in ending occupation and building a Palestinian state that values the role of women.

Malaka also hopes to be able to channel the young leaders in the program toward opportunities in partner organizations and in the private sector.

“Ultimately, we want these women’s experiences to be transferable – from theoretical to practical,” Malaka explained. “This way, they can be part of the change in themselves and their communities.”

 

OneVoice Palestine launches youth leadership training program for 2013

Long-time OneVoice Palestine youth leader and current staff member, Mohammed Asideh, during an introductory training session in Nablus in January. 

OneVoice Palestine launched the 2013 Youth Leadership Program with an ambitious plan in mind: to reach 1,000 youth leaders by the end of this year.

Designed by OVP's youth leadership department, the program plans to engage new participants from 11 different cities in the West Bank through three newly created regional offices in Nablus, Jenin, and Bethlehem.

The program is designed to determine the readiness and willingness of the participants to move up in the program. Of the projected 1,000 new youth leaders, 500 will advance to receive basic leadership training, 100 will receive the advanced leadership training, and 40 will train as senior advanced leaders – the highest volunteer position – throughout 2013.

The program will provide basic leadership training through the first six months of 2013, focusing on topics such as communication skills, leadership skills, working within a team, and campaigning. There will also be an introductory session on the history of the conflict and the work of OneVoice since the Movement's inception. The youth leaders will benefit from these workshops, building their leadership skills and shaping their personalities to become active leading members in their own communities.

In January, OVP reached 191 new youth leaders – a one-month recruiting record. Citizens from all participating cities in the West Bank joined the introductory sessions and learned about OneVoice's message and the two-state solution. The sessions, conducted by OVP's senior youth leaders, also aimed to engage new recruits and create opportunities for OVP senior volunteers to lead introductory sessions.

"We are seeking to mobilize leading Palestinian youth through our progressive program," said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP's youth leadership program director. "The aim is to establish a nonviolent resistance base against the occupation and the Israeli settlement policies."

During the second half of 2013, OVP will move into advanced training with 100 volunteers from the basic training phase, tackling one topic each month until the end of the year. Topics will include public speaking, media, negotiation skills, and the conflict as seen through the Palestinian narrative.

January already proved to be a fantastic start to what appears to be a successful year for the youth leadership department in OVP. The team is very excited to move forward with the program and promote nonviolent activism among the Palestinian youth in the West Bank and Gaza. 

  

Portraits of Palestine: Connecting ordinary citizens with decision makers in Jenin

OneVoice Palestine held a public meeting in Jenin to discuss the U.N. bid’s and Israeli election’s impact on Palestinian society.

Over 100 volunteers, citizens, and representatives from the Palestinian security forces packed Jenin’s City Call on January 23 for a OneVoice Palestine public meeting entitled, “The U.N. Bid: Reality and Challenges.” 

Jenin’s governor, Major General Talal Dweikat, sponsored the meeting, and OVP’s Jenin chapter organized the discussion. This event is part of OVP’s public meetings program, which seeks to link Palestinian leadership with the masses in order to promote confidence between them in cities in the West Bank and Gaza.

“The public meeting program provides a fantastic opportunity for the people to connect with the decision makers in a transparent and direct way,” said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP's youth leadership program director.

Notable speakers included Dr. Mohammed Almasri, director of the Palestinian Center for Research and Strategic Studies, who stressed the importance of the peaceful popular actions to end the Israeli occupation and build the independent Palestinian state. Othman Abu Gharbieh, Fatah movement’s Central Committee member, served as the event’s keynote speaker, and spoke to the Palestinian leadership’s take on citizen safety and security, the upcoming Palestinian elections, and the popular non-violent resistance against the occupation adopted by the leadership in light of political changes.

The focus, however, was how the U.N. bid and current Israeli policies create a challenging environment for Palestinian political aspirations.

Abu Gharbieh demonstrated how the Palestinian leadership capitalized on the support of the international community while at the U.N. and how the worldwide support provided an opportunity for the Palestinians and opened new horizons “we didn’t expect.”

But Gharbieh also stressed the importance to continue the non-violent popular resistance, but not at the expense of international support.

The reality and the future of the illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank were also on the agenda. Gharbieh stressed the importance of the Palestinian struggle under the political changes in the region and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state where sovereignty, dignity, and full independence are national demands in the face of the continued occupation. He used the recent Israeli elections as a frame.

"The numbers in the Israeli elections show a clear confusion, as it represents the political, social, and economic reality in Israel," said Gharbieh. "The State of Israel lives in isolation from the international community caused mainly by the arrogance of the Israeli leadership and their settlement policies."

Abu Gharbieh also took time to talk about the Palestinian reconciliation and the need to recover the “people’s spirit,” as he described it, through national Palestinian elections in Gaza and the West Bank. Abu Gharbieh also pointed that a Palestinian reconciliation must not be built on political quotas and should represent a clear image of a Palestinian international political agenda, avoiding the Palestinians an economic crisis.

When asked if the meeting was a success, Mohammed Asideh, OVP's field coordinator and senior youth leader, said he was pleasantly surprised at the meeting’s level of attendance.

"I didn't expect many to attend, but given the nature of these meetings and the subject at hand, I think the people of Jenin are clearly interested in investing their time to know more about the future of the Palestinian independent state and ending the occupation," Mohammad explained. 

Palestinian security forces were among those present for the meeting.

2012: The Challenges, the Mission, the State

By Wasim al-Masri

If I was asked to recall one memorable moment from 2012, the first thing that would come to mind is Palestine's United Nations bid and the series of events that led to the historic vote in November.

Every event, workshop, initiative, and campaign my colleagues and I at OneVoice Palestine (OVP) launched in 2012 – 35 workshops, 9 youth-led initiatives, 12 town hall meetings, and two major campaigns – was building to the day of the vote.

I was watching the vote in my living room with my family. And although the early polls showed a majority in favor of a Non-member Observer State of the U.N., like most Palestinians rallying in the streets of Ramallah and watching the vote on the big screens that night, I was anticipating the moment a Palestinian state was officially acknowledged by the international community and the rest of the world, bringing the state of inequality to an end.

That night, I had to go down memory lane and revisit some of the key moments in OVP's campaign to support Palestine's U.N. bid. We launched the campaign in early 2012 with little support and expectations from the local community.

We had a plan: to mobilize the people and advocate the importance of the U.N. bid for building the independent Palestinian state and achieving peace in the region. First, we launched a series of workshops to explain the U.N. bid, and then we organized town hall meetings to connect the people with the politicians. Finally, we mobilized the youth leaders on the ground nearing the date of the vote. Our plans seemed fairly easy from the drawing board. But they weren't.

Our first campaign in 2012, although praised locally by Palestinian officials, was sadly overlooked by the Israelis and the international community. We needed to convey a message to the Israeli government to cease settlement expansion in the West Bank and return to negotiations. "The land is ours, leave us be" was a bold statement in the face of, what we believe is, the greatest threat to the two-state solution and the peace process: settlements.

Over the course of three months, we planted trees threatened by confiscation in Area C (east of Bethlehem, south of Hebron, and west of Jenin). We also rallied hundreds of youth leaders and activists to support the Arab Peace Initiative and send messages to the Israeli public inviting them to adopt the initiative and revive the peace talks. Above: Over 300 activists gathered near Jenin in April, flying balloons containing copies of the Arab Peace Initiative -- translated into Hebrew -- over the Wall and into Israel. Below: OVP's activists rallying with the people of Bethlehem to plant trees in an event we named, "The Future Garden of Peace."

Back in my living room, President Abbas was wrapping up his speech in the General Assembly. "The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine," said Abbas. "This is why we are specifically here today."

By the end of June, the image was clear. We've established a solid base in advocating the importance of the U.N. bid. People started to ask questions and we provided answers through our town hall meeting program, focusing entirely on the topic of the U.N. bid and the options of the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the vote, connecting ordinary citizens to the Palestinian leadership. The first town hall meeting organized by OVP's youth leaders in Hebron attracted over 300 participants, with decision makers responding to the public's questions and concerns.

Through our community events, whether we were hosting or co-sponsoring, we made sure that the message of the U.N. bid and the two-state solution was conveyed. We wanted the public to be aware of this rare opportunity to end the conflict once and for all. The message was present through each and every event we organized. A good example would be the day we celebrated the International Day of Peace. The youth leaders called all nations to support the Palestinian leadership at the U.N. and help bring justice by ending the occupation to build the independent Palestinian state.

We were counting the hours to the day of the vote, promoting peaceful mobilization and inspiring people to take actions along the way. Hundreds of new recruits were joining the Movement through our introductory workshops, community events, and public campaigns. And on November 18, hundreds joined us to plant the foundation stone for the future garden of peace.

Activists, community leaders, and the citizens of Bethlehem joined hands to paint an image of effective public engagement by creating positive facts on the ground. We couldn't be happier.

A week prior to the vote, we launched the final stage of the campaign: a U.N. bid website. Our youth leaders and staff members were on the streets of every major city in the West Bank handing out fliers and posters; interviews occurred, and our office in Ramallah was a circus. We were hyper from coffee and pure excitement!

One particular Tuesday comes to mind. As I was driving to the office, I was thinking that I had obviously spent too many hours staring at our campaign's blue logo, because I was seeing blue everywhere. Once I arrived to the office, I was greeted with the image of our logo featured on the front page of a hugely successful local newspaper.

The logo we used to promote the campaign was a hit! “Palestine at the United Nations” logo was a huge success among news agencies and local media outlets, and on that particular Tuesday, it was everywhere, and represented the peak of our campaign.

"Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 131 (67.9%) have recognized the State of Palestine as of November 2012. Their total population is over 5.5 billion people, equaling 80 percent of the world's population."

The day after the vote there was much work to be done. The team was exhausted. We were having coffee and discussing the crazy rollercoaster we've been on for the past 12 months. The question on everyone's mind was the obvious: what comes next? For OVP's team, it was clear that walking down the path of the two-state solution and promoting the Arab Peace Initiative through peaceful mobilization would continue. The path of ending the occupation and building the state has just begun. We have ambitious ideas for 2013, but that's another story to be told.

Portraits of Palestine: OneVoice youth leader finds inspiration in Leadership Development Program

Above: Alaa Salous, upper right, with the students of Rosary Sisters School in Nablus. Below: Alaa in an advanced training workshop in Ramallah.

It was graduation time for the first and only Student's Council in Palestine. Proud parents beamed at their children. OneVoice Palestine Executive Director Samer Makhlouf handed out certificates to the new graduates while extending his congratulations to OVP's ever-growing Youth Leadership Program membership.

And surrounded by the 16 graduates from the Rosary Sisters School in Nablus, Alaa Salous, a OneVoice Palestine trainer, recalls his very own first basic training session.

"I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect," said Alaa, 23. "Having my friends around did help."

Alaa was among the first OneVoice Palestine activists to participate in a basic training session in Nablus. He has come a long way since then.

OVP launched the Youth Leader Training Program in 2008. Hundreds of young people in the West Bank and Gaza join the program every year, taking advantage of OVP's character building advanced courses and meeting new people who share the same interest in ending the conflict and building the independent Palestinian state.

"We have launched the program with the intention of making a difference," said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP's Youth Leadership Program director. "Along the way we've made modifications to the program, based on what we are looking to achieve and the feedback we've received from our youth leaders."

OVP's training program starts with introductory sessions for all new recruits, explaining OneVoice's message and goals for ending the conflict and achieving a sustainable peace agreement based on the two-state solution and the 1967 borders.

The introductory sessions are followed by basic training workshops. The youth leaders can vote for the subject of training based on what interests them on their personal and professional levels. Basic training courses can vary from teambuilding activities to communication and leadership skills.

Once OVP's youth leaders start to develop a sense of commitment to the program, they are introduced to some of the advanced workshops. Subjects in these workshops are usually more focused and oriented in terms of skill development and self-awareness, and include public speaking, media, and negotiation skills training. Highly trained professionals with immense experience in their respective fields develop the workshops.

Alaa was among the select few senior youth leaders in the West Bank to participate in OVP's recent project with Generations For Peace (GFP). This "training the trainers" program builds a small team of highly trained youth leaders capable of providing a successful training experience.

"OneVoice and GFP provided me with the tools to build a basic training project," said Alaa. "I have been working closely with members from my community in Nablus to implement some of the ideas I've learned and deliver a better understanding of the conflict and the two-state solution."

Alaa and fellow youth leader Rameh Mesmar worked on a series of basic training workshops for the students of Rosary Sisters School in Nablus. According to Alaa, they were developing "an original training experience involving the students in the conflict in a positive way."

This training consisted of character-building exercises based on his training with GFP. The students were also responsible for organizing the entire graduation ceremony, sending out invites, setting up the hall, and more. This was their "final test."

Alaa is currently working with OVP's chapter in Nablus, delivering OneVoice's message and goals within Alnajjah University's campus and providing new recruits with basic training based on OVP's youth leadership and development training program.