WASHINGTON, June 16 (UPI) -- A documentary entitled "Seeds" suggests that to find a resolution to the long-standing Middle East dispute, one should turn to the next generation of leaders.
The documentary, which premiered Tuesday night, tells the story of the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine. The film opened the American Film Institute/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival at in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Seeds of Peace is an organization that teaches leadership skills to teenagers from areas of conflict in order to promote coexistence and peace in their region. Every summer over 400 teenagers come to participate in one of the three-week sessions. Through art, music, drama, and a variety of coexistence activities the campers learn mutual tolerance and respect for one another.
The program, founded in 1993, focuses primarily on the Middle East, but it has expanded to include other regions of conflict including the Balkans, South Asia, and Cyprus.
The documentary, made by first-time filmmakers Marjan Safina and Joseph Boyle, follows 10 of the campers over the 20 days to see whether they have the ability to overcome deeply ingrained prejudices within a short period of time.
As the film opens with the buses rolling into the Maine campgrounds with each group looking suspiciously at one another, it is not at all certain that the goal will be achieved. Many of the campers look into the camera and declare that they are more interested in defending their countries' position than in forging a bond with the perceived "enemy." However as the two weeks progress, the filmmakers depict friendships being formed, as well as the inner struggle many of the participants face throughout their time at the camp.
As one of the female participants told the filmmakers, "in order to make peace with your enemy you have to make war with yourself."
In an interview after the screening, Safina said that she wanted to make a film about the camp when she heard about it, "I (was) absolutely floored that such a simple process of getting to know a human being as a human being (can) have such an effect."
The documentary took two years to put together and during that time both filmmakers said that their respect and awe of the children continuously grew.
Boyle described the campers as "true warriors for peace" adding, "we feel we turned on the cameras and saw greatness in action."
Sami, a Palestinian camper who was featured in the film and who was flown in for the screening, admitted that he had many preconceptions of Jews before coming to the camp.
"All we see are soldiers (and) checkpoints," he said, but through living and eating together, "we began listening more and more to each other."
"I told stories about army and demolition, they told stories about bombings," he said.
Agreeing, Adir, an Israeli camper who was also at the screening said that he had come to the Seeds of Peace with very few expectations. He had been more excited at the prospect of a vacation and traveling to America. However, his finding out that he shared the same interest in music and in girls with the Palestinian participants started to open lines of communication.
Seeds of Peace President Aaron David Miller said that finding these commonalities is the purpose of the program.
"(For the) first time in their young lives they will hear a story of "the other" from...a friend whose humanity and decency they can no longer deny," he said. Miller, former Senior Advisor for Arab-Israeli negotiations at the U.S. Department of State, became president of Seeds of Peace in 2003.
However for many it was not camp that posed the greatest challenge but facing those at home when they returned.
"Going home was dealing with opinion (that) before getting to camp was my opinion," said Adir.
Both teenagers spoke of how some at home regarded them as traitors and did not understand what they were trying to accomplish. However, they are committed to bringing a message of peace to their region. Each now runs a youth program about peace and the boys meet often at the Seeds of Peace Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. Campers also stay in contact through e-mail as well as through the alumni published newspaper, "The Olive Branch."
Most campers featured in the film credited Seeds of Peace for helping to shape their opinion and worldview.
"There are two ways -- either peace or war and eventually you will have to choose one," said Sami, "I consider myself a messenger of peace."
The "Seeds" screening was sold out in advance and attendees included celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, and Caroline Rhea.
This is the second annual joint American Film Institute and Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival. The festival runs from June 15-20 and includes 75 films from around the world.
