The goal of the Amherst Middle East Education Committee (AMEEC), an affiliate of the Traprock Peace Center, is to foster cultural understanding and non-violent resolution to conflict by bringing Middle Eastern students with a history and interest in peace and non-violence to the Amherst area to study. We also aim to support these students while they are pursuing their studies here in the United States by helping to defray educational, legal, medical, travel, and living expenses.

 

We believe that one way to encourage non-violent resolution to conflict is by exposing students to our multi-cultural, democratic society, so that they will have a thorough understanding of these principles when they return home. AMEEC works to place students with families in western Massachusetts that support the ideals of cultural understanding and non-violent resolution to conflict. We help students take advantage of opportunities to learn about mediation, facilitation of dialogue groups, participatory democracy, and other skills essential for non-violent conflict resolution. Students from the Middle East may participate in whatever ways meet their personal and educational needs or may pursue other studies leading towards similar goals.

 

The Amherst Middle East Education Committee, which has hosted Palestinian and Israeli high school students who have shown a commitment to working for mutual understanding, has decided to host Faraj Adnan in Amherst and support him while he studies at Amherst Regional High School.

Faraj Adnan is now 17 years old and comes from Deheishe Refugee Camp near Bethlehem in the West Bank. He was filmed over a period of three years, from 1998-2000 for a documentary film project called "Promises," about Palestinian and Israeli children in the Jerusalem area. The "Promises" documentary has been shown on PBS, and was nominated for an Academy Award. Anyone who has seen this film will understand what an amazing personal outreach to Israeli children Faraj and his family have made.

Faraj is now in the United States, unable to return to his home for almost a year because of the violence on the West Bank. Faraj's desperate situation has required that we move to help him.The Amherst Middle East Education Committee has encouraged and supported a host family for Faraj. We plan to raise the $10,000 tuition required for a year of study at Amherst Regional High School or another fine school. Please send contributions to Traprock Peace Center. Note in the memo line of the check your support for the Amherst Middle East Education Committee (AMEEC), which will help with tuition, legal and visa fees, health insurance and medical bills, and a portion of the basic living expenses the host family lays out for Faraj. Donations have started to arrive for this work! We are grateful.

 

Past Projects

AMEEC was formed in 1989. Since then, we have hosted young Israelis and Palestinians for short and long term educational stays in Amherst and have advised students applying for the education and training needed to work effectively in their home communities. 

 

Sadek, sponsored for a year at the Amherst Regional High School, continued his education with a scholarship at Hampshire College and a post-graduate degree in peace facilitation at the School for International Training. Sadek is now a counselor for psychologically ill Israeli and Palestinian children.

 

How You Can Help

To make a donation to AMEEC, please write checks to

“Traprock Peace Center” with

“Amherst Middle East Education Committee” or “AMEEC”

written on the memo line of the check.

 

Send contributions to:

Amherst Middle East Education Committee

P. O. Box 134

Shutesbury, MA 01072

 

Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.

 

To volunteer your services or for more information, 

contact AMEEC at riddlecer@excite.com

 

The Amherst Middle East Education Committee (AMEEC) is sponsored by Traprock Peace Center in Deerfield, Massachusetts, and its supporters. Traprock is a not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1979 to promote nonviolent solutions to local, national and international conflicts, promote social and economic alternatives to violence, and promote disarmament. For more information see <www.grassrootspeace.org> or contact Traprock Peace Center, 103 Keets Road, Deerfield, MA 01342.

charlesjenks@gmail.com