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Seminar for Student Activists in Jersualem | The Faculty of Law

Seminar for Student Activists in Jersualem

Seminar for Student Activists in Jersualem, Jerusalem, January 14-15, 2010
The Seminar for Student Activists in Jerusalem was organized in partnership with the Student Union of the Hebrew University and the Jerusalem Foundation, and held at the Jerusalem Cinematheque and other locations across the city. The seminar brought together student activists, or those interested in becoming activists, and various Jerusalem social change organizations.
The Jerusalem seminar provided a setting for learning about the social, economic and political situation in Jerusalem, and aimed to provide broader background to the specific social engagement of students in the city. Students participating in the seminar got to know another side of Jerusalem through learning about particular social problems. In this way, the seminar further exposed students who are currently not engaged to social issues, with the aim of provoking them to become engaged. The seminar also allowed students to become acquainted with various organizations working in the city. We hope that the inter-organizational relations formed as part of the seminar become a platform for cooperation on various levels.
This year's seminar attracted over 120 students from institutions of higher education across the city, including the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, the Hadassah College, and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Many of them had not participated in similar activities previously, and in this sense the seminar was particularly successful.
The first day of the seminar opened with an improvisational theater workshop to break the ice and create a warm, accepting atmosphere. Following the workshop five panels were held concurrently, facilitated by students, faculty, or NGO representatives: Art and activism; gender and sexuality in Palestinian society, public transportation in Jerusalem, Religion in Jerusalem, refugees, and the environment. At night the film "Jerusalem: the east side story" was screened, followed by a discussion with the film's director, Muhammad ElAtar. The second day of the seminar included parallel tours, dealing with such issues as housing, art and social change, archeology, politics and society, and community gardens.
Student response to the seminar was positive and enthusiastic. Students noted that that the seminar was enriching, thought provoking, and exposed them to topics they would not otherwise have encountered.
For the invitation in Hebrew and Arabic, press here.