| About fifty percent of Palestinians are under
the age of nineteen, and many of them are at school, college or university.
It is Panorama's belief that disseminating democratic principles through
education, and by extension two of the most central and fundamental Palestinian
institutions-- family and the school, is the best way of working
towards a democratic future for our society. The central aim of the
Pluralism in Action Project is to change the individual oriented and monopoly-like
decision making processes in these institutions.
Since 1995, Panorama, with the generous support of
the National Endowment Fund for Democracy, has conducted workshops throughout
the West Bank and Gaza Strip. During these workshops, youth between
the ages of 17-22 participate in activities that encourage them to think
about issues of accountability, transparency, democracy, rule of law, citizenship,
and respect for human rights. Some of these activities involve serious
discussions, but most involve role plays where the youth learn experientially
the difference between governance systems that are inclusive and representative
and those that are not. From 1995-7, approximately 7,000 Palestinian
youth participated in these workshops. This past July, Panorama completed
the third phase of its Pluralism in Action Project.
The results were once again encouraging. From
October 1997 through to July 1998 Panorama made over 168 workshops that
reached just under 6,000 people. In addition, Panorama conducted
many of these workshops in rural areas that were previously not reached.
Another important accomplishment of the Third Phase was the initiation
of vertical courses, more in depth and specialized courses that simultaneously
help Panorama to identify new trainers. These courses were held in
Tulkarm and Jerusalem.
Based on the success of these vertical courses, Panorama
in the next phase of Pluralism in Action, will increase its focus on offering
them. Two sets of these courses will be held in the West Bank, and
a third will be held in the Jerusalem Area. In addition, Panorama
will continue to offer workshops to schools and clubs throughout the West
Bank and Gaza with the assistance of trainers trained in the Third phase |
