BREAKING THE ICE

THE STRENGTH OF THE GROUP

In collaboration with Beit HaGefen, multicultural center in Haifa

For the seventh consecutive year, ten students from the University of Haifa, Israeli Jews and Arabs, came for a trek-dialogue in our Alps, supervised as in other years by their facilitators, Olfat Haider and Asaf Ron, from Beit Hagefen. Selected at the beginning of the year from some sixty applications, five young men and five young women, half Jewish and half Arab, made up this group. Intensive preparation for the trip had begun last March, with a remarkable step in April: a meeting - organized by the participants - of their respective families, which all without exception had attended.

Arriving by plane in Geneva on August 25 in the mid-morning, the group was taken care of by the Civil Protection, stopped in Lausanne for a welcome and lunch at the Ecole Catholique du Valentin (thanks to the unfailing support that its director, Ahmad Abu Nijmeh, gives to Coexistences), then was transferred to La Fouly where, as usual, it was accommodated in the chalet of Danielle and Pierre Kohler. Two days later, departure on foot from La Fouly, with heavy bags (18 - 20 kg!), as it is necessary to carry tents, sleeping bags, food and kitchen equipment: the principle of Breaking The Ice is to walk in self-sufficiency, sleeping under the stars. Fortunately, the weather will almost always be dry and often sunny. Under the guidance of a professional mid-mountain guide (Marie-Jeanne Hugon-Mettaz for the first two days, then Nadja Schmid), the group progresses - via the Lacs de Fenêtre and the Combe des Planards - towards the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass, passes through Italy, crosses the Malatraz pass, passes through Courmayeur, camps in the Italian Val Ferret, faces the hard climb towards the Petit Col Ferret, where it crosses the border again (without any checkpoint!). ) to meet up at La Fouly on September 4th after nine days of travel.

strong emotions

I accompany the trek as an observer delegated by Coexistences. Each day consists of four to six hours of driving (exceptionally seven), in order to be able to walk quietly, without exhaustion, leaving enough time for dialogue activities. These activities are organized by each participant in turn, and are always supervised by Olfat and Asaf. The language is Hebrew. Essential themes are addressed: identities, Palestinian versus Israeli narratives. The discussions are lively, the emotions are strong. The group strikes me as much for the frankness with which the sensitive points are approached as for the capacity of listening, respect and empathy shown by each person. This non-violence would be - as all the young people will tell me at one time or another - unimaginable without the bonds of friendship/fraternity that have been woven between them during the preparation for the trip, and which the march together has further strengthened.

Some of the highlights of this walk: swimming in the Lakes of Fenêtre (2400m!) in the heat wave on the first day of the walk, welcoming Father Raphaël at the Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard, visiting the Fournoutse cheese dairy in the Combe des Planards, and on the last day of the trek, at 3000m, above the Refuge Fiorio, contact with the snow, the first of their lives for most of these young people, slides and boules battles guaranteed!

The day after the return to La Fouly, at the end of the day, an aperitif is offered to us by the municipal authorities, represented by Janine Mottier Obrist and two of her colleagues. This is followed by a fondue-raclette meal. Joined by some members of Coexistences, who had come to La Fouly on purpose. Conversations begin, and all the Swiss are struck by the warmth and friendship that the group radiates. Back at the chalet, the atmosphere is euphoric and the evening ends with dancing.

Tuesday afternoon, September 6: faithful to the station and punctual, the CP drivers take us back to Lausanne, where Ahmad awaits the participants for a presentation on Swiss political institutions, insisting on the culture of consensus that allows such diverse populations to coexist in relatively good harmony.

The return flight is scheduled for Thursday 8th. A big novelty compared to previous years: for their last two nights in Switzerland, the participants will be staying, in pairs, with five students from Lausanne. Léa, Olivia, Joan, Anaëlle and Samuel are waiting for them at the end of Ahmad's presentation and spend with them a beautiful evening by the lake, before bringing them back to Olfat and Asaf the next morning. At the farewell party on Wednesday evening at the CPO, the five young Swiss are there. They have visibly established warm contacts with their guests from Israel, and some of them are now ready to actively engage in Coexistences.

feeling a united group

Other highlights of the farewell evening: two of the participants present a beautiful slide show to tell their Swiss hosts about the trek. The enthusiasm of the two girls and the words they chose to comment on the pictures make it clear that this trip was an extraordinary experience for all the participants: to feel a united group where everyone was able to open their hearts to each other. In addition, the group prepared some delicious Middle Eastern dishes for us. The end of the evening, with music and dance, will remain a wonderful memory for everyone.

What are your plans when you return to Israel? Firstly, to organize a new family reunion, similar to the one that took place in April. Note that the group that came last year had already done the same: Asaf and Olfat now ensure that each edition of Breaking The Ice is used in this way to create contacts between Jews and Arabs. Second, the participants committed to another activity involving inter-community meetings; this could be weekends in the wilderness, or bar nights, offered on the campus of the University of Haifa.