“Julemarked”…Christmas Market…

Singing, playing games and quizzes, selling olive wood..and olive trees.. feeling Christmas time, Christmas Spirit although it’s still too early for Christmas  but Norway has started it’s celebration and while I’m here I’m celebrating it with them.. That’s different so anyway it was the Christmas market at Oslo KFUM on Friday 13/11/09 so the program has started with Information from KFUK-KFUK Global then devotion and entertainment by students of the Rønningen folk.

So it was opened an traditional market that people can buy good old traditions, such as jam handmade, stocks, Christmas cooking, but nothing beautiful and great gift as Olive Tree to be a gift, and to keep hope alive in Palestine!! It’s just a simply and one step will mean a lot for Palestinians as to plant thousands years of HOPE!!!How I like to see the people are sponsoring an olive tree and help Palestinians to plant olive trees at their lands as this year it will be in February, so hope we will be able to sell more to help us the Palestinians…so let's plant HOPE...



"KEEP HOPE ALIVE"
Olive trees are an important source of food and income in the occupied Palestinian territories. An average tree provides annual nine kilograms olives, equivalent to two liters of oil, which is used for food, production of medicines and soap. And the most important is that can live for over a thousand years.

Olive Tree Campaign aims to plant 50 000 trees. By purchasing an olive tree display of solidarity with the Palestinians that the occupation will be deprived of land and olive trees, and thus the livelihoods. For the Palestinians is the olive tree is an important cultural symbol, and is partly for connection to the earth, justice and peace.

And not to forget the Unbelievable Global Concert..Adoramus, Young Adult Drammen Choir and Major Choir..They were amazing..fantastic Choirs as I’m in Drammen Choir, and I really like it..so all the choirs have sang, and at the end all choirs together with one Great Christmas Song ,, I’m feeling sorry for anyone who has missed such this amazing and warm voice from all the Choirs together…how nice it was..Wonderful!!!

During the choirs we have had simply Global Quiz that was organized by some members of ICY” International Committee Youth”. ..
So this day has passed as a new, different and great experience with all the young and adults who have been there, talking..laughing..enjoying their time..gathering and even meeting new people..new friends..

Kongsberg Church...

Wonderful..Old ..Huge and Church..Kongsberg Church which was inaugurated in 1761and It has an austere red brick exterior, but a richly decorated baroque interior, as well as it remains one of the largest in Norway with a seating capacity of 2,400.
The church's original baroque-era pipe organ, made by renowned German organ builder Gottfried Heinrich Gloger in 1760–65, was fully restored by Jürgen Ahrend in 1999–2000 and reopened to great fanfare in January 2001. With its 42 voices, it is the largest baroque organ in Scandinavia. At the end of January each year, the Gloger Music Festival now draws a select crowd of artists and music lovers from all over the world.



So I have attended evening service at this church on Sunday 15/11/09..praying with nice songs..lighting candle and hearing Kongsberg Ten Sing..It was such a nice and simply service. And we have continued this evening by invitation from Elizabeth, the boss of Buskerud KFUK-KFUM at her place, they were adult people, some of them are members with KFUK-KFUM and some friends from different parts of Norway, they gathered together, laughing, having fun with each other, talking about different issues.. work..jokes.. memories days…asking me about Palestine and Norway and sharing opinions and listening to each other. They were kind and nice people really! The host people were amazing too.. it was great hospitality from Elizabeth and her husband.. They are great family! So I think it was good gathering from while to while as I felt that for them.
And the nice talking that I have had with Turid while our driving to Kongsberg and coming back, it was helpful, encourage, useful and great discussion about my life back home, and getting more information from her about her life as well, Norwegian life and KFUK-KFUM.

Angels Day…

Working with the glass, making beautiful angels in different shapes, kinds and colors and loving it while meeting new women’s, discussing, sharing, laughing with each other, women’s working together at the same interest, imagine how the atmosphere will be!!.. with love, comfortable, happiness and nice talking… It was interesting and great day that I have spent with 15 women’s from different parts of Norway who have came to work with stained glass on Saturday 14/11/09 at Buskerud KFUK-KFUM …
As well as this day was for Bangladesh and Palestine during the working, we have talked about both, and they were great how they support Bangladesh by buying from the Bangla Shop, and sure getting more information and discussion about the situation about my lovely country Palestine…asking and sharing in different issues!! But what’s a great chance to make such this day while I’m here and this work part of my life, as it’s my mom work! And her whole life is Glass working! And how the bad situation in Palestine effects at mom works with bad tourism so no tourists to sell for. So it was useful day to talk and work with glass and benefit from each other, but…wish if my mom was here to be with them instead of me! But I have enjoyed this day for me and her…
It’s not that easy work how to cut the glass and make such nice shape, but really the women’s have made beautiful and amazing angels, it seems that they know this kind of work since years ago, but no! Some of them it was the first time they do it and they were professional!! I feel that if they can still more and work they will! They don’t care.. they are loving making angels, enjoying time, having fun, encouraging each other and setting together, and I agree with them…I really do!!
At the end.. all of them have made many angels and took with them at their homes… how nice and great to hang your work in your homes or at your Christmas tree, something you have make it and be proud if it!

Some funny pictures from the shows at Ten Sing Festival which were organized by Bangla Group who has been in Bangladesh before 2 months ago..

Day at Hamar

Hamar, in the eastern central of Norway, enjoying my trip in my way to Hamar at the train while the travelers were sleeping, can’t describe the amazing, beautiful nature.. They look like paintings, but God's paintings…

Sunday 08/11 was Hamar Day as me and Tanya went to Hamar KFUK-KFUM which was gathering party for the branch there, and we have got the chance to visit them and participate in their party as we have presented about Y Global, GoCY and African Alliance..

Actually there wasn't many people there, there was around 15 people young and adults, but we have had fun with them, playing games, singing and meeting new kind people, it was luck chance, but we haven't that much of time to visit the city well, but we walked around and this city has the biggest lake in whole Norway.

As well as Hamar has a surprising numbers of attractions, so hope will get the chance and visit some of them..

Working in Conflict Areas

We have ended October month and started November month from 31/10 - 01/11 me, Tanya and Husam with some people from different parts of Norway, as well as different countries who have participated in "Working in conflict Areas" Course who has held by Foreste, Norges Fredslag in Oslo, and it is an Academy for Peace Building - is a project run by Norway's Fred Battles that will provide a continuing education for all who want to work in or with conflict. So we started the day of 31/10 by getting to know each other with some groups and games, and we started the serious :) as the trainer has gave us introduction about the Conflict in simply and interesting ways..that the conflict is a reality and exists in all levels of society. But conflict can be defined in different ways, so as academic it is a struggle between two or more tendencies of action that are either contrary or in the same direction but mutually exclusive.
And the violence definition as the Norwegian political scientist and peace researcher John Galtung, that the violence happens to human beings and between human between human beings, and it can be touched body or soul, and is connected to avoidable influences.
But about the causes of conflict, there are many reasons, so some of them like interests and needs, feeling and emotions, role and relationship problems, lack of information, problems of communications and different of values.
And we have heard about Nonviolence Peaceforce, it is Nonviolent Peaceforce is an international organization that provides civilian protection and support. NP, which is not an advocacy organization, only works on a nonpartisan basis at the invitation of local entities. Working in Sri Lanka since 2003, NP works with the government of Sri Lanka as well as a variety of civil society organizations.
As well as The Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) Presentation and this program seeks to support local and international efforts to end the Israeli occupation and bring a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a just peace, based on international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
And the next day was a lot of work which we have worked as groups for stimulation of kids international, which this stimulation is to give us the opportunity to understand the sensitivities of working in a post-conflict context, and develop creative thinking around tackling serious subjects.
So honesty it was really hard to do this stimulation, different work, but it was to demonstrate the applications of some practical skills that I have mentioned.
I think this course was essential, different work but helpful and a lot of information in short period, so it was important for me to know more about conflict from different people and resources.

Ten Sing Festival....

Dancing, singing, playing games, drama, gathering, learning and experiencing more and more,,,
What's an amazing, interesting, great days that I have spent with Ten Sing Festival which was organized by Buskerud KDUK-KFUM with around 250 participants from different ages... It was from 06/11 - 08/11 at Vikersund which it is the municipality capital of Modum, Buskerud. But actually I spent two days with them, so the first day was an amazing concert for all the participants...
But the second day, was unbelievable day really! There was a lot of activites, songs, having fun, gathering, learning and training..
So we, the leaders have started the day by doing differents posts for the participants, games, motivation and challenges activities, so it was well organized, everybody got involved and were satisfied with all of posts..



In the evening of this day we have made Solidarity Market with a support for Bangladesh as Buskerud KFUK-KFUM partnership with them, so it was great market with different activities, such as making pop corn, painting cards, painting by henna and here I come, I was writing the participants names in Arabic with henna, it was different thing to do, they liked it and were happy, and I felt happy too.. it was an special idea to do!

And we continue this evening by opening scene for the participants which were individual singing and dancing..choirs..jokes...interesting shows..

ICY and Changemaker....Interesting Networks...

ICY – “International Committee Youth” and its network to make the world better! IT takes hold in global issues through local involvement, by challenging young people to take responsibility, and develop relationships. As well as this group are in different countries: Norway, Kenya and Sri Lanka. And there is Middle East Committee which this committee is talking about conflicts in different ways in the entire world and I have been in their meetings both of them, so hope I will join and keep on with them to know, learn and share with them, as well as I’m one who’s living in a horrible conflict.

“Changemaker” Organization and the members are young people between 13 and 30 who wish to change the causes of poverty and injustice. They have members all over Norway, and sister movements in other countries.
So they wanted to show that it is urgent to make the words into action. At Town Hall Square in Oslo they collected in nearly 400 signatures in the rain on Sunday, and I have been with them as well. Norway, which is one of the worlds largest arms exporters, exporting weapons without ensuring that Norwegian arms and ammunition are not put in areas of war or conflict, or where serious human rights violations taking place. There is a big problem that weapon fall into the wrong hands and thus prolong and aggravate the conflicts and take innocent lives.
During the hours Changemaker action had gathered in just under 400 signatures. Those who have not collected signatures, plastered a big weapon as they sang songs weapons. With great effort from the young people from different parts in Norway, was a successful action in spite of bad weather.