The Crossing Borders seminars are intended to bring about dialog and understanding between different cultural and national groups. In spite of this there were obvious, outlined groups, but does these groups divide the seminar and mock its intention?

The Crossing Borders seminars are about solving conflict through contact and dialog. In spite of this it was clear to see that there were groups and that especially the Israelis and Palestinians avoided contact with each other. Jazbo von Magius Gross, a Danish attendant at the seminar, described the events as follow: “I experienced, in spite of the seminars and all, that the Palestinians and the Danish girls formed a group of their own and that the Israelis, us Danish boys and the Germans formed another group,” Jazbo emphasizes that this division happened only during our spare time, because during the seminars we were mixed. Thus he concludes that “the seminars in a way were capable of crossing our borders.”

When asked about why this division occurred Jazbo hesitates a moment before answering. “I could feel a certain respect concerning the groups, but it is hard to say specifically why this division happened, probably because of the same reason that Danes and immigrants in Denmark don’t interact socially. I don’t hate immigrants, but I am not in their group, simply because we belong to different cultures,” he says and sums up by saying that “these borders consist of culture gaps.” Dilay Fender, another Danish attendant at the seminars, believes that there are many important factors to take in mind. “First of all the Arabs where younger than the Jews, but the Arabs also knew each other beforehand,” Dilay says. Furthermore Dilay highlights the importance of the culture gap. “If you don’t know the others background and culture it is hard to have a conversation,” She concludes. Both Dilay and Jazbo state that there we no hostility at all during the seminars and in the spare time between the seminars.

When asked why this culture gap seems so huge, Jazbo points of the general lack of understanding between the groups.

“I think it all roots back to a lack of understanding or rather a lack of willingness to understand. It is really difficult to break these borders, I for instance wasn’t doing anything to avoid this division, so it really takes a lot.” Having this in mind it becomes apparent that these seminars are indeed needed, because of the general lack of understanding.

But it is important not to generalize, because there were also a lot of the Israelis who were very kind and helped us find the way back to the hostel. As they say, “When I am right no one remembers, but when I am wrong no one forgets”, and by only remembering the negative and wrong things this will make the hate grow. Being an “Arab” for one day I could judge the Israelis and say that all the Israelis are hostile, but that would be wrong, because not every Israeli is like that, actually it is only a small part of them who are like that. This is a typical mistake that people make, to generalize. By generalizing the humankind will never reach anywhere. Not everyone have the same thoughts, not everyone have the same feelings. Every person is unique and individual. But one thing the humankind has in common is that we all want peace.