Georgianna Torres Reyes introduces the speakers of the night. (Keeton Holder/DePaul University)
Arab Aramin introduces himself to the crowd, sharing his journey. (Keeton Holder/DePaul University)
Guy Elhanan responds with accounts of his own experiences in Israel. (Keeton Holder/DePaul University)
The speakers discuss diplomacy and reconciliation. (Keeton Holder/DePaul University)
The room shares a moment of silence for those lost to the war in the Middle East. (Keeton Holder/DePaul University)
Arab Aramin and Guy Elhanan of the Parents Circle Families Forum shared
their powerful journeys from tragic loss to a commitment to reconciliation
with DePaul community members last Tuesday night at St. Vincent de Paul
Church.
The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF)
is an organization of over 750 Israeli and Palestinian families whose loved
ones have been killed in conflict and who have chosen dialogue and peace.
The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy and the Dialogue Collaborative hosted
Aramin and Elhanan as practitioners in residence for a series of events.
With Aramin and Elhanan, the American Friends of the Parents Circle
Families Forum led a training for student leaders, Listening from the Heart.
"Arab and Guy were such powerful examples of what citizen diplomacy
offers,” said David Wellman, director of the Grace School. “At a time when
many in the U.S. can scarcely imagine a Palestinian and an Israeli sitting
together, our guests went so much further, and in so doing challenged us to
ask ourselves why it is that we so often refuse to be in community with
those we disagree with."
The Dialogue Collaborative seeks to embed principles and practices of
dialogue across the DePaul community. Applications for the spring session
of the Dialogue In Action workshop are now open. Find out more on
the collaborative’s website
.