I came back from the U.S. at the beginning of 2004. Immediately I focused my work on establishing a different approach, promoting the use of nonviolence by associating it with the Palestinian resistance movements. I developed a five-day nonviolence/conflict transformation training that focuses on the Palestinian culture and experience.
During the past two years, I conducted more than 50 trainings in several locations in the West Bank , training more than 2000 persons. I really believe that I managed to create a different understanding of nonviolence wherever I worked. My experience was that this unique and special approach brought many people from different villages to request these nonviolence trainings.
In the past two years, I assisted in planning and leading a number of non-violent activities, including one on Land Day, March 30, and another one on Palm Sunday. Both were based in Bethlehem . Both addressed the injustice of the Wall being built around Bethlehem and the land confiscated by the Israeli military force.
Besides conducting the nonviolence trainings, I worked on developing a manual for training of trainers. I just finished the first training of trainers program that lasted for a year. This will help to spread the knowledge and expertise needed to promote the use of nonviolence. Currently there are more than 30 qualified nonviolence/conflict transformation trainers from different areas of the West Bank .
One more interest: a group of Palestinians who had been Fulbright Scholars met and founded a Fulbright Alumni Association, and I was elected president for the first year. We plan to hold an annual meeting for networking and support.