In cooperation with the Office of University President Assistant for Graduate Affairs, the International Youth Exchange Program (Zajel)-Public Relations Department successfully concluded in its 13th international volunteering camp which was dedicated, this year, for teaching English to university students.

More than 12 international volunteers participated in this year camp through training students in various areas such as English conversation skills, conversation skills for the beginners and advanced, English skills in media, communication skills, and reinforcement of competency amongst the students to acquire the necessary expertise to enable them to excel in the work field.

More than 200 students from different faculties joined the Camp and participated in events that lasted for 10 days during which they were introduced to different sites in Palestine including cities, villages and towns. Further events were organized that aimed to familiarize the internationals with the conditions that Palestinians experience in Palestine.

The Camp aimed to reinforce contact and communication between An-Najah students and other cultures from around the world and to educate them on the different habits of people from various countries.

Additionally, a number of field visits were made to several places in Palestine such as the Old City in Hebron where the internationals learned about the situations that the Palestinians experience and the various efforts that are made to support the people living there in the face of the Israelis’ threats.

In Bethlehem, the internationals visited the Old City and the Church of Nativity. Mr. Nidal Abu Al-Zuluf delivered a lecture in which he spoke about the advocacy efforts and campaigns being made in the various villages in the city. The internationals also visited the villages close to the city to educate them about the impact of settlements on the Palestinian land and people.

Moreover, the internationals visited the Old City in Nablus, Joseph Tomb and Balata Refugee Camp where they were introduced to the various services that are provided to the people living in this camp in addition to the challenges they face especially economic ones. The internationals also met with old people who witnessed the events of the 1948 Exodus and listened to their stories.

A number of visits were organized to several villages around the city of Nablus including Bourin, Iraq Bourin and Yanon where the internationals met with representatives of village councils who described the social and agricultural conditions and difficulties that those villages face. The visit included a discussion meeting and presentation about the financial market in Palestine which was administered by Mr. Ahmad Aweidah, Chief Executive Officer of the Palestine Exchange.

Mr. Aweidah spoke about the financial market and the involved companies, in addition to the challenges that the Palestinian economy has encountered and the achievements that have been made so far in this field.

Mr. Alaa Abu Dheer, Coordinator of Zajel, spoke about education in Palestine over the last four decades and the challenges that it went through. He also emphasized the importance of education for the Palestinians and the necessity to invest in this field. Mr. Sa’ed Abu Hijleh, Geographer and Instructor at An-Najah, spoke about the history of the Palestinian cause and the most significant stages of this issue throughout history.

Waseem Tahboub, one of the students in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, described his experience in the Camp as being a unique chance that enabled him to become acquainted with various cultures and people. He also reported that he has learned new things about the situation in Palestine and the conditions that other Palestinians face due to the Israeli practices.

He also said that through participating in this event, he was able to acquire new skills in the English language, event organization and self-confidence, in addition to communicating with others from various cultural backgrounds that came to share their thoughts and experience.

Such international exchange programs and events actually help local students get in touch with other people from all over the world, yielding more benefit for both sides.