Citizen Diplomacy in Jerusalem: Historic CRDC Field Study Trip
In late May and early June, Professor Marc Gopin, Aziz Abu Sarah, and the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) led a first of its kind 'Citizen Diplomacy Seminar' in Jerusalem, taking 15 students from George Mason, George Washington, and American Universities to visit Israel and Palestine. Following on the heels of the dramatically successful visit to Damascus the winter before (a course that was co-led by Syrian Hind Kabawat), this course broke new ground in its approach and impact. Based upon the foundation of Dr. Gopin’s book “To Make The Earth Whole,” this trip was categorically different from typical trips to the region. While students were exposed to a variety of perspectives on the conflict and learned a great deal about the history of the region, the primary focus of their studies were on how individuals can contribute to Conflict Resolution through positive incremental change. According to Dr. Gopin, “its insanity to leave everything to a few select people when we know through good science that progress is made by thousands of people experimenting.”
“States are not as powerful as they think they are,” Dr. Gopin says. “They don't make these critical shifts as much as we think they do. Or when they do, there is far more that is invisible, that is not linear, beneath the surface that has given somebody political permission to be visionary in a place of official power.” Dr. Gopin argues that biochemistry and physics are coming to the same conclusions of mysticism; that there is an interconnectedness of systems and the smallest of components are powerful and important.Comparing chemical reactions in the body to human society, Dr. Gopin realizes that change comes from surprising places that aren’t always recognized by the fields of Political Science and International Relations.
Each day of the seminar was divided between lectures, discussions on the practice of Citizen Diplomacy, and field visits with cutting-edge grassroots peacemakers throughout Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Staying in East Jerusalem and Studying at West Jerusalem’s Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, the group crossed boundaries every day.
Nearly all of the money spent by the group went toward peace and social justice. The organizers of the trip went to great lengths to do business with groups that focus on social justice. At a time when calls are rising for disinvestment from Israel, Dr. Gopin is leading the way in constructive investment in businesses that foster cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis, benefit the poor, and work for peace.