The Annual General Meeting (AGM) almost didn’t happen this year. As rockets threatened from all directions and no ending to the war was in sight, the WASNS educational institutions leadership made the decision to cancel it once again.
That is when the British Friends Association stepped in and offered to host the AGM in London.
At first, we saw the challenges. For one thing, there would be the cost of flying a team to London and hosting them there, rather hosting our guests in the village. Even more crucially, we wanted, during the AGM, to officially open the rebuilt School for Peace building, to bring AGM participants into the Language Center in the primary school and the Friends Bustan for a remembrance ceremony. How would we accomplish the same thing from London?
And yet, the most generous British offer had advantages. For one, many might find it easier to travel to London than to WASNS. And Abir, director of the American Friends, has been banned from entering Israel. The London venue would offer her a chance to attend in person. Although the technical side, which is generally based on the village facilities, would be tricky, the director of the British Friends Association, Tal Arrowsmith, took much of the planning on her shoulders. In addition, the various Friends Associations pitched in to underwrite the cost of bringing the WASNS team to London.
Thus, for two days in November, a team of six from WASNS met with another 25 members of the Friends Associations from Europe and the US in the center of London. They met to talk about peace education in wartime; they met to celebrate 40 years of peace education in WASNS. For some who have been connected with WASNS for many years, it was a reminder of their long commitment to our mission.
Rather than visits to the educational institutions, the participants received postcards with photos of village scenery; watched videos clips of the primary school and School for Peace; saw presentations given by the team there on Zoom from those who stayed home.
Dr. Ariela Bairey Ben Ishay, Chairwoman of the Association of WASNS Educational Institutions opened the event with a presentation on the way we approach peace education in wartime. Others included Dr. Roi Silberberg, director of the School for Peace, Neama Abu Delo, principal of the Primary School, Samah Salaime and Nir Sharon, co-directors of the educational institutions, who opened and closed with talks on the past 40 years, vision, budget and plans. Judy Halper, of the Communications and Development team gave the participants a guided tour of the Rescuers project, while the village, Oasis Art Gallery, Spiritual Center and NADI were the subjects of Zoom talks.
A high point was the presentations from the Friends Associations. From these, we saw the wide variety of fund-raising tactics each employs. The session was an inspiration and raised ideas for further collaboration.
Dinner the second night was hosted by the Chairman of the British Friends Association, Laurence Brass, in the National Liberal Club. After the champagne, as we sat down in the private dining room. Samah Salaime, co-director of the educational institutions, presented a gold medallion to Sir Andrew Burns, the previous chairman of the British Friends Association. Sir Andrew talked a bit about how his diplomatic work brought him to the village and to supporting its work. Laurence Brass was presented with a certificate thanking him for the event.
The AGM participants have returned home, but they continue to write.
Abir wrote: “Since I joined the AFNSWAS in 2006, I used to wait for my colleagues and my board members to share with me all the stories and give me some insight about the IAGM, but this year it is the other way around. My board is waiting for me to share with them stories and give them report. I know that I left with so many good memories and I will have a lot to share with them But there is one thing that it is very important to me is the love and all the warm hugs and honest feelings I experienced in these few days. Thank you!”
Ulla, director of the German Friends Association wrote: “I’m still digesting and processing all the moving, encouraging and strengthening experiences with you all at our IAGM…May our joint efforts lead to encouragement and hope.”
