A youth meeting on

Gaza, Publication and Information Unit:
The situation of Palestinian young people does not differ much from that of Arab young people, but the Palestinian particularity lies in the existence of the political division and its catastrophic effects on everyone, particularly young people. For this reason the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution, within the team of the Coalition of Civil Forces for Civil Peace, held the first of a series of workshops due to be held in the coming days on "The effects of the Palestinian division on political, economic and social aspects and on young people", on the road to completing the Palestinian national project, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, with the participation of more than 25 university students and young community activists.
Hanan Al-Dalu, coordinator of the national reconciliation project at the Conflict Resolution Center, welcomed the young people present and stressed their important and vital role in influencing the ending of the Palestinian division. A filmed report was then shown of different young people and the effect of the division on them, setting out the material and living pressures and the difficult study and work conditions they face.

During the workshop many of the young participants raised issues that helped create a civilised dialogue, asking about the government's role in activating their political participation and about the effect of the division on their living conditions and their future. They focused their discussion on the need to end the division so that they can obtain their legitimate rights.
At the end of the meeting the young participants produced recommendations to help shape a new generation of Palestinian young people able to influence the course of the political process effectively, end the Palestinian division and set Palestinian steps back on the path towards freedom and peace.