Palestine Summer Camp

The Britain - Palestine Twinning Network - "promoting twinning and friendship links"

- Alternative Tourism Group (ATG). www.patg.org. The Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) is a Palestinian NGO specializing in tours and pilgrimages that include critical examinations of the history, culture, and politics of the Holy Land. Established in 1995, ATG operates according to the tenets of "justice tourism", that is, tourism that holds as its central goals the creation of economic opportunities for the local community, positive cultural exchange between guest and host through one-on-one interaction, the protection of the environment, and political/historical education.

Birthright Unplugged. www.birthrightunplugged.org. "Birthright Unplugged offers opportunities for people to gain knowledge through first-hand experiences and to use that knowledge to make positive change in the world.

We reject the notion of a “birthright,” as embodied in Jewish-only fully-funded trips to Israel. Israel has ignored the internationally recognized right of return for refugees, but has created a “Law of Return” which extends citizenship benefits to any person of Jewish heritage, excluding millions of Palestinians born in the land that has become Israel.

Our programs attempt to address this injustice by facilitating access typically denied to the communities with whom we work. Jewish people often face obstacles of fear and lack of knowledge which can deter them from pursuing this kind of experience on their own. Palestinian people face movement restrictions and other human rights violations which limit their ability to visit places we travel to during our trip. As international people with a knowledge of Palestine/Israel, we are able to work with both communities to contribute to understanding and addressing these obstacles and restrictions."

- Holy Land Trust. travel.holylandtrust.org. The First Annual House rebuilding Summer Camp). We offer unparalleled opportunities to become acquainted with local culture, language and politics through our home stay programs and our extensive network of NGO affiliates. Visits to Palestinian and Israeli communities, traditional meals and candid conversations with local leaders and members of the community, tours of refugee camps, and volunteer opportunities will all help to put you in touch with the beauty of a country rich in culture and history.

- Middle East Fellowship. www.middleeastfellowship.org. The Middle East Fellowship is a North American nonprofit that supports indigenous churches and qualified non governmental organizations in the Middle East. We are committed to faithfully serving indigenous churches and organizations that strengthen their own communities through economic development programs, community projects, children's programs and emergency relief efforts.

- The Olive Co-op. www.olivecoop.com. Olive Co-operative promotes responsible tourism, trade and education in the Middle East. Olive Co-operative offers rewarding small-group guided tours around Palestine/Israel. We enable visitors to learn about the current situation first-hand and meet inspiring Palestinian and Israeli groups working for peace and human rights. To find out more about Olive Cooperative Tours, please see our website or contact the Olive Cooperative office at 0161 273 1970.

- Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies

Siraj is a non governmental organization based in Beit Sahour, Palestine. Siraj aims to create links in between the Palestinian people with people from around the globe through travel programs, interfaith, ecumenical dialogue and culture and youth exchange programs. Through its local links, Siraj has been able to work directly with the local community in the Bethlehem area and around the West Bank. Summer Camps 2008 www.sirajcenter.org

Experience Travel Tours - Mill Hill Lane. Brockham. Surrey RH3 7LS. Tel: 01737 843408. This is a group of charities and organisations working in a variety of ways towards peace with justice in Palestine and Israel. It promotes knowledge and understanding of the Palestinian people in their religious and cultural diversity, and encourages mutual support and dialogue. It works with both Jewish and Palestinian peacemakers to encourage tourists to rediscover Palestine and have a unique focus on the indigenous Palestinian Christian communities. www.rediscoveringpalestine.org.uk

- Zaytoun Olive Oil. www.zaytoun.org - Every year, Zaytoun coordinates a team of volunteers to go out and help Palestinian farmers bring their valuable olive harvest home. We coordinate the placement of teams with the International Women’s Peace Service (LINK), who have had a base in the West Bank village of Hares for several years. They speak to farmers’ representatives in the most threatened villages in the Salfit and Nablus districts and organise accommodation for the international teams. In the UK we ask interested volunteers to complete an application form which is followed up by a phone interview. A training weekend is organised where the team can work on their understanding and practice of non-violence in the specific context of Palestine. There is also a debriefing weekend once everyone is back in the UK. The application form is here.

Holy Land Trust Rebuilding Camp - The First Annual House rebuilding Summer Camp. The Holy Land Trust in consultation with The Israeli Committee Against House Demolition (ICAHD).

Purpose of the Camp

The main activity of the camp is to rebuild a home demolished by the Israeli military in a Palestinian area; this is one of the most important issues facing Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. In addition to working on rebuilding the house, Holy Land Trust will,

- Provide nonviolence training courses for the participants.

- Political tours in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Israel.

- Discussions and presentations by Israeli and Palestinians NGOs.

- Field trips to historical and religious sites.

- Weekend excursions and cultural evenings.

During this experience, participants will learn more of the culture, food and lifestyle of those who live here as they will work hand in hand with the local community.

Travel & Encounter (T & E), an exclusive program of the Holy Land Trust. As a licensed travel agency based in Bethlehem, since 2000, we have been unveiling the beauty and the secrets of the Holy Land. Our non-traditional programs and services focus on people, not just landmarks, distinguishing our programs from traditional tours of Palestine and Israel. Although we specialize in organizing tours in the Holy Land, our services extend also to Jordan and Egypt.

T & E provides travel opportunities of all kinds, for all people. We believe in presenting the Holy Land in a way that is quite unique, unexplored and uninhibited. Our tours are tailored to the individual or the group. You may choose to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, visiting ancient churches, mosques and synagogues, and exploring ancient Canaanite and Roman cities; or you can discover what lies behind the scenes in modern day Palestinian society.

We offer unparalleled opportunities to become acquainted with local culture, language and politics through our home stay programs and our extensive network of NGO affiliates. Visits to Palestinian and Israeli communities, traditional meals and candid conversations with local leaders and members of the community, tours of refugee camps, and volunteer opportunities will all help to put you in touch with the beauty of a country rich in culture and history.

Palestinian Summer camps

Increasingly groups are offering tours based around Palestinian Summer camps, involving children and olive picking.

- Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies

The Palestinian Summer Celebration. 14 June 2009 to 16 August 2009

June 14th July 12th 2009 (first month)

July 13th August 16th 2009 (second month)

Come and celebrate Palestine ! The Palestinian Summer Celebration is a unique annual program that gives people from all over the world the chance to encounter the life, culture, and politics of Palestine . Learn Arabic and study Palestinian history at Bethlehem University , spend time with local families and volunteer with a community organization.

The Palestinian Summer Celebration 2009 will take place in Bethlehem from June 14th†to August 16th. The program consists of two terms: June 14th†to July 12†th†, and July 13th†to August 16th. Program participants can choose to stay for one or both terms. The celebration is organized by Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies in partnership with Bethlehem University (www.bethlehem.edu) and the U.S.-based Society for Biblical Studies (www.sbsedu.org). Program participants will have the opportunity to meet and learn with accomplished speakers, experts, activists, and officials.

For more information please visit: www.sirajcenter.org

The Annual Olive Harvest Al - Mazzra’a Al - Qubalia. In Coordination with Bilin Friends of Freedom and Justice Society. The annual Olive Harvest will take place every year in a different village.

Twinning with Palestine