Peacecamptalks

1. Aleš Ločnikar
PEACE CAMP 2005

The most important thing for me was the resurrection of my soul. It was a big help for me, to escape the normal way of thinking and think and exist on a much more higher and emotional level. I really enjoyed it, that I was forced on an art-kind of way. It was really nice.
I think that nothing in the camp was a flop, because everything was a part of live and a part of existing in this world. I think this was live in the purest way. I have loved it.
The top of the camp was for me just the being with all those very nice people witch are my friends now. It was the living and existing between very nice people.


I would like to thank all adults in this camp, for giving us the opportunity to be a part of it. Thank you.



Aleš Ločnikar, Slovene group

Zame je bil eno veliko doživetje. Predvsem je bilo soočenje s samim sabo in z vso skupino ljudi zelo intenzivno. Bila je tudi velika možnost, ki jo je bilo treba izkoristiti, da spoznaš del sebe, ki ga jaz osebno prej še nisem imel priložnosti spoznati in doživeti. Mislim, da če bi z eno besedo moral orisati ta teden, bi rekel… pestro. Res je bilo pestro, tako v smislu samih dogodkov, kot tudi na čustveni bazi. Vse je bilo eno veliko doživeto čustvo, napolnjeno z vsemi pojmi, ki jih premoremo. Mislim, da vsak tak dogodek pusti nekje neke sledi v vsakem človeku. Veliko se lahko naučimo in se tudi smo naučili. Bil je lep način oziroma priložnost Odraščanja. Posebej za mlade ljudi, ki se v svoji mladosti najbolj intenzivno učimo in odkrivamo variacije življenja in kako se z njimi spopasti in kako na njih reagirati. Iz tega vidika je bil ta teden tudi ena od mnogih »stopničk« življenja. Sam sem zelo užival v vseh čustvih in mislih ter problemih, ki so se pojavili in ki smo jih bili sposobni rešiti ali pa smo jih odnesli s sabo domov, da o njih še intenzivneje razmišljamo in jih, mogoče, delimo še s kom. Na sploh pa se ta teden ni končal z odhodom domov. Tako čustveno stran, ki bo šele počasi zbledela, kot probleme, ki so se pojavili, bomo, mislim da, še kar nekaj časa premlevali in iskali rešitve ter ne prej nehali, dokler da ne bomo zadovoljni z rešitvami. Vesel sem, da je to naša narava, da želimo poiskati rešitve in ne obupati že pri majhnih težavah. Velikokrat pravijo, da življenje kali človeka; mislim, da smo bili deležni tega. Seveda je vse odvisno od posameznika, njegovih interesov in želj ter njegovem načinu razmišljanja, ampak skupno nam je bilo, da v razvoju nismo nazadovali, niti ostali na mestu. Mislim, da smo vsi naredili korak naprej. Zame se je ta kamp zelo izplačal in bil je smiseln ter koristen. Približal nam je fakt, kako težko je za človeško raso reševati probleme na human in miren način. Kako zelo težko je v množici ljudi z različnimi interesi, kulturo, vero, običaji in načinom razmišljanja ubrati mirno pot. Najlažje je reševati problem s silo. Tam ni potreben razum, nobena pot, noben način in noben kompromis. V vojni je vse dovoljeno in rezultat je očiten. Nekdo od poražencev »zmaga«. Tako je pot do rezultata enostavna. Posledice pa so ne samo zelo dolgotrajne ampak tudi globoko tragične. Poleg vsega degradiranja človeške humanosti, smrti, bolezni, brezdomja... Žal se vojna ne konča, ko se končajo spopadi, ampak traja še mnogo let in več generacij. Vse to je bilo vidno tudi v tem tednu. Zelo pozitivno pa je bilo, da smo vsaj udeleženci, katerih v primerjavi z vso populacijo, ni bilo veliko, vsaj imeli željo reševati probleme na human in miren način. Želja je bila prisotna. Žal je to že veliko, ampak nekje se mora začeti. Bil je lep teden v znamenju mira na svetu. Mogoče se ne bi smel nikoli končati, ampak bi moral zrasti čez vse ljudi na svetu. Ampak to so verjetno samo sanje nekega fanta, ki bi rad spremenil svet. Premalo nas je…
Aleš Ločnikar

Translation of Ales' comments:

PEACE CAMP 2005



It was one great experience for me. Facing with myself and with the whole group of people was very intense. It was also a great opportunity that had to be exploited to discover a part of yourself, which I had not had the chance to see and experience yet. If I had to describe this week with one word, I would say … fulfilling. It really was, because of the happening itself, and also on the emotional level. Everything was one great experiencing feeling, filled with all meanings that we know of. I believe that every thing as powerful as that leaves some important marks and traces in every person. We can learn from it and indeed we had. It was a nice way and an opportunity of personal growth and growing up, especially for the young, because our learning is most intensive in our youth, when we are discovering different variations of life, how to deal with them and how to react. From this point of view this week was one of the many steps in our lives. I personally enjoyed in every single emotion, thought and problem we were facing with, and which we were able to solve or maybe brought it back home to think about it even more, and also share it with someone else. Certainly this week has not ended with going home. So as with the emotional side, which will slowly fade away, we will also be dealing with the problems that occurred, for quite some time in the future, if not in our whole life, finding solutions for them and not stopping before we are pleased with what we achieved. I am glad that it is in our nature to find the solutions and not to give up as early as when facing some minor difficulties. It is said many times that life makes a person stronger, and I believe we were a part of that. Of course it all depends on the person, his or her interests, desires and way of thinking, but what we all had in common was that we had not gone backwards in our growth, nor we stayed in place. I think we all made a step forward. For me, this camp proved itself; it was reasonable and useful. It brought closer the fact, how difficult it is for a human race to solve problems in a humane, peaceful way.

Lord, the light of your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us
Set us free by the truth you now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me
Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light
Lord, I come to your awesome presence
From the shadows into your radiance
By the blood I may enter your brightness
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness
Shine on me, shine on me
As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me

dear evelyn,
here are my answers!!

1.would it make sense to have a second reunion of the Rechberg-group? if
yes, where and to what aim?
2.would it make sense to continue the peacecamp-project with new groups?
3.How could the peacecamp-project be improved?


1. I think that it would make sense indeed to have a second reunion of the
Rechberg-group. For me personally, because I miss every single one of them
very much and i would like to see them again.I think especially for those
who live in Austria and Slovenia it would be a great experience to have the
reunion in Israel. I don´t think that many people of us have been there(I
might be wrong) and I have heard that it is a beautiful country.
The aim would be to start where we terminated in Rechberg...to see each
other again, talk, have workshops together or if it was in Israel see the
country and its beauty,... The aim is to show ourselves and others that
peace isn´t anything national, but something international and
globally wanted.

2.It was great for me to make this experience, to take part in this
peacecamp in Rechberg and I believe that also others should have the
chance to meet "strangers" and become friends with them. So I would
suggest to continue with new groups.

3.Actually I don´t have any complains about the peacecamp as it was. Maybe
it would be good if it was for more than ten days because in those 10 days
you got to know many of them, but not all. For me it seemed to be far too
short and I would have liked to have more time to talk to them.
But all in all, if the new peacecamp-project is like the one I participated
in, it´s just perfect.


--

Hey ho..so this is my last week of working and I'll be back home next weekend. I didn't thought that I would really endure 6 weeks of working..but I did...

Just wanted to give short news what I am doing.

kisses and hugs Michaela

I hope you'll do well in the contest!
I'm sure your band is awesome!
So, good luck!

Yours,
Lihi.

I came back home from a 16 days vacation with my family in France and Monaco. It was alot of fun!

Now, from some reason I don't have everybodys ICQ numbers and Messenger, so please, give them to me, cause I miss you all and want to talk to you.

My ICQ number: 247410172
My Messenger adress: lihi606@hotmail.co.il

I hope you all have fun in these last few weeks of the summer vacation (I know I wont cause I have a book report to do about a boring book - and I didn't even start). So anyway, I love you all, and can't wait till I see you again.

Yours,
Lihi.

Q-1
sure!!, it would make sense to have a second reunion,i think it's very important to make second reunion because we miss each other very much and if we won't see our new friends again it's will be very sad. i think the second reunion should be in israel cause we (the jew and the arab groups) already saw their (the Austrian and the slovenian groups) country and now it's the time for them to see our country.

Q-2
yeah!, you must to continue the project with new groups, if you want make peace you need more new groups to make it.

Q-3
you need to improved the food, but just the food.

Shaul

1.I think that it would make a lot of sense to have a second reunion because we (the Israeli groups) have visited in Austria and Slovenia and now it’s time for the Austrian and the Slovenian groups to visit in Israel...and we all miss them and want to see them again…and I just think that it will fun to show them our little country and to see each other again!

2.I believe that you should continue the project with new groups because I now that we all had a grate time, and it’s very fun going some where with your friends and make new friends from other countries and spending time with them in such a beautiful place.

3.I don’t think that the peacecamp need to be improved because it’s grate just the way it is!

Q.1.well...i think yes...it will make sense to have a second reunion of the rechberg group,i my eyes it should be in Israel. the aims... there is very various and valuable aims and it is very significant to take about the aims in order to work hard to reach these aims and in order to bear the fruits of the particular idea " peace camp".now... as i siad there is very important aims like:

1.to express your identity:your self,your nation,your culture,your thoughts,your ideas and viewpoints...

2.to find the "magicil solution" of the big question " how can we improve our world in ordere to make it full of peace?"

3.to learn more and more about the other cultures and ideas .

i think the next peace camp should be in Israel cause in Israel there is more than one nation in the same country and there are three religions in the same country that will be very exiting and important for the participants because in Austria and Slovenia there is no issues like that.



Q.2. i think yes it will be better because in order to make peace you should not work with the same group you have to change in order to reach your goals and in order to begin bear the fruit of this project,when you will be in conversation about the peace with people who are outside your circle of peaple you know.

Q.3.the food...

1) yeah sure. it should be another peace camp with the same kids and it should be in Israel because we were in Austria and left to Slovenia to visit a school there and now all of us know about Austria and a little bit Slovenia but Israel there are a kids that don't know about it anything so it should be fair. there are another reason that you should come to Israel it's that Slovenian and Austrian lessened a lot for our problems so when they will visit us in Israel like in peace camp 2 they will see a lot of things and then when we all know the problems and saw it, they "I mean the Austrian and the Slovenian" can help us how to make peace, I know that it's hard but it will be easy . and I don't want to forget the important thing, it's to be with my great friends for a long time that I wish and to have a fun there.
2) yes, it should be because when we are taking about peace we talk between us like group and when there are a lot of groups that are talking about peace like what we talked in the camp then all of them will like to be peace and when there are a lot of people like it then it will be easy that peace come true, and I wish that.
3) I think that everything in this camp was great but there are a small things we should improve it like if we can make the camp more than 7 days in Israel, the food that Mrs. Foger did in Austria. Auhod lessons were poring not because we had nothing to say, it because every time he was saying what he wanted and he was the only who controlled about what we talked at his lessons, but really I liked him and I hope we can see him in Israel. the last thing that if you can make more free time because we all like it in order to meet each other more and more and to have fun.
thank you,
Shadi Matani