From August 10th to August 13th, the First Volunteers’ Work Camp organized by the Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI), of which the EEC is a central member, took place in the West Bank town of Beit Sahour. The camp offered the opportunity to 300 youth participants, women and men aged 18-23 years old and coming from all over the West Bank, northern Israel and the Golan Heights, to get together, to share their different backgrounds and to volunteer in different area of the Bethlehem district.

While the youth, divided into several groups, spent the daytime accomplishing community work in the surrounding refugee camps and schools, helping local farmers in their job, and increasing people awareness toward the Boycott of Israeli goods (BDS Campaign), the evenings were devoted to lectures, workshops, and group discussions. Thus, the participants discovered the real meaning behind volunteering and were encouraged to continue their involvement in their own communities. At last, the camp gave them not only the chance to volunteer and build relationships with people from all over Israel and Palestine, but also the opportunity to meet with others to discuss the Palestinian situation and non-violent resistance.