Eight members of the NADI youth club, young people who had spent the year participating in the intensive Sadaka Reut youth leadership program, travelled to Italy in August for a ten-day summer program. In the picturesque town of Cava de’ Tirreni, near Naples, the teens and their chaperone, Dr. Walid Hassanin (board members and parent) were hosted by local families, giving them the chance to connect with their Italian peers.
The local partner was Asso Eugenio Rossetto, an organization that works with migrants and for cooperation.
The teens found themselves local celebrities: They met with two mayors and were featured in the local media, including newspapers and TV.
They also met with the leader of the local Palestinian community, as well as visiting the Garden of the Righteous in Battipaglia, a sister garden to the WASNS Garden of Rescuers.
But there was fun, too, designed to help the young people forget, for a moment, the situation back home and enjoy themselves like teens everywhere. This included going to the beach, a boat ride to Amalfi, and fun workshops on making pottery, as well as real Neapolitan mozzarella and pizza.
The trip was funded by the Italian Friends Association. By the end of the 10 days, the Italians they met said they had a better understanding of the conflict these teens are experiencing first-hand, and all reported the desire to repeat the experience in the future.
