Hi everyone
We're coming to half way through the Connect Program and I see that you are beginning to feel more comfortable with the medium and your groups, and that sessions are beginning to go a bit deeper. For this week you have some readings to do about religion, can you please make sure you read them before your sessions, reflect on them and think about whether you have some questions to ask your group members - in your diaries some of you mention things that you find difficult to understand about your group members-in your discussion be bold, ask questions, even if they are difficult!! As I said in the meeting last week, some strategies to help you asking difficult questions are eg. saying - "Some people believe that .... " or "some people find it difficult to understand that/why/ how ..." or "I read that ..... ".
My advice for you this week is to take the plunge, try to push the discussion in the direction you would like it to go, volunteer difficult opinions or personal experiences - once somebody in the group opens up others will follow suit.
Please keep up your diaries - and enrich your descriptions of activities with examples, quotes, reflections on things that have been said!!
Have a good week :-)
Francesca
PS - Remember also to finish your video projects for the 16th November, and that we will meet to watch them before you discuss them with groups - (did we decide on THursday 17th at 12.00 or Monday 21st at 10.30???)
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I really enjoy this section. Yesterday and the day before was a celebration day in Muslim countries and Merna, an Egyptian girl, explained us how she have celebrated this holiday called ‘Eid Al Adha’ with her parents. After this we all said ‘hi’ in our different languages and so we learned something about other people in our group.
RispondiEliminaThe follow activity was really nice because we divided into two group of three people each one and we went in another different room trying to talk to know better each other. I was in the group with Natalia and Merna. The conversation was immediately very fluent, thank to Natalia who started first to make a lot of question to Merna about Egypt culture. She is from a moderate Muslim family, she is free to study abroad, to be single and live alone but for now she wants to stay home with her family because she feels more safe and loved with them and so until she doesn’t have her own income she’ll stay with her parents. I was agree with her, understand this was pretty good for me because I thought we had a culture too many different to see something in the same way, but it’s not like that. Natalia didn’t comprehended our perspective, she is much more independent and totally able to live alone even if she loves her family too of course. After this we talked about the veil, Merna asked us what we think about it and I said that I don’t judge women who wear it because it’s part of their culture but at the same time I think that women who wear the burqa, or a headscarf that cover all face, are most of the time forced to do that and so it became a symbol of oppression and it’s not fair. Also in this Merna was agree with me but the conversation was stopped because we had to go back with the others. I really liked this ‘pair activity’, in this way we were able to speak more freely.
Together we talked about religion, a very sensitive issue. The meeting before, we had decided that Natalia and Merna had to formulate some question about the articles we have to read. First Natalia asked us if we consider ourselves a religious person and then Merna made a kind of joke: ‘ if you're in a desert alone except one person and he will help you if you converted to his religion, what will you do?’. We started this conversation where someone said he would not converted but if he was in dangerous maybe he would thought about it, while other said that nobody can force them to change their mind so they prefer to die that be forced to do something they don’t want. This brought us to talk about the role of religion in our life and finally about what is freedom of religion and if it exist in real life or not. We said that freedom of religion means that everyone must respect others whatever their religion but also respect others beliefs in general because everybody is different and each of us interpret in a personal way the worship. We were agree about the definition but not about the problem if it exist or not. It was a very long discussion so we had to stop it because the time was over but I think we’ll continue with this topic also in others sections.
Week 4: Exciting !!!
RispondiEliminaAs usual, we started with our activist. In which we were separated in two groups and sent to other “chat room”. We were supposed to know which other a little better, so we should talk about our studies, what we want to do after school and thoughts like that.
My group was composed by me, Marta (from Padova University) and Merna (the student from Egypt). We started talking about our schools and places we would like to visit, work or study at. As Marta showed the desire to work way in some organization, Merna showed her passion about Canada or UK, and maybe the possibility to study there some day. As the conversation evolved, we started to discuss the views of her family, Merna's Islamic family, and the possibility of her studying abroad alone. What evolved in interesting conversations about her culture and traditions. At the end we were talking about head scarfs, and ours opinions on the matter.
The discussion was so interesting that we were a bit sad when we had to return to the main room to continuous the session.
This week we read articles about religion. As agreed in the last session, me and Merna should bring questions about the articles to discuss with the group. I started asking the whole group to say which is your religion and if you consider yourself a religious person, and why.
It was amazing to hear the answers, and I can see that our group is a very liberal group, most of them are very open to other religions. For example, Mahmut , the Turkish boy, he sees all religions (like Islamic, Christian, Jewish...) as just one religion, one God.
The next question, asked by Merna, was supposed to be a puzzle: If you were in the desert alone, and appears one person that can save you, but to save yourself, you have to convert to his religion, would you do it? Everyone, but Merna, said it would convert to save himself. I really believe it was a very naive question, but I respect her point of view.
I had a lot other questions to pass to the group, but as normally, when we have fun the time flies way. So, we have arrived to the end of our session, and I can really say that was the best session so far.
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RispondiElimina8th November fourth Soliya session:
RispondiEliminaI'm sorry to say this time there were only 2 of us!... I felt disappointed! I was also a little sick and I had a bad morning due to my trains, so I was in a very bad mood...However I was happy to start this session until I connected and I saw only Marie. When I asked about the others they told me that they couldn't come. Manar was in holiday for the Eid. I hope we will have the time to ask her how it was like. I'm curious! :)
I understood, by asking the facilitators about the others members (from Egypt and Morocco), that our group will remain this one. It is not easy to mix with some other groups also because we already are in the middle of the program. Therefore, it is a timetable problem and I wouldn't want to change any of my group members. So, in all we are 4 and if someone is missing, it is understandable that the session will not be working as well as it could.
Moreover, I think it is already difficult to speak through the use of webcams and an online connection when I know well the person. If we don't know each other it could be a little uncomfortable. The main thing is to try anyway. Besides, I'm afraid that some of the components of the group are loosing their interest in their participation...I'm very afraid of that! I hope my feelings are just wrong... However I can see the effort the facilitators are doing. They are very kind and pleasant. They try their best and I appreciate, indeed last session they participated to the conversation too.
During the session, we were Marie from France and I. We started talking about our weekend and we had to say a news we remembered from media. Our choices were the Euro problem and the inundation in Italy. This speech was created to enter in the topic of media in our country: we reflected if they are politicized and from which side. In France, news are certainly more free and has more the "international characteristic". I told them how in Italy we have to relate ourselves with a television who is for a half under the management of our Prime Minister...I added also how they try to constrain us to think more and more in a easy way. The major news are focused always in crimes news. More these news are macabre and more they show them in details. I talked about the "tourism" that people are creating around the places where crimes have been committed. In my opinion, this is a way to keep us in ignorance. They just want to impress us with simple events but with effect. It is surely for this reason that most of the young people I know don't watch television to have good information. They prefer to connect to the online press. I prefer it too.
It is a pity that Manar wasn't here...I would have asked her how the media are in Palestine. I think it is so different there. I really want to understand more.
Then we went through the topic of the Family. We spoke about how families are changing. I presented the difference I found out between Northern and Southern Italy. I said that in the South, they seemed to be more tied with their family and usually you can easily find an enlarged one. Here it doesn't happen so often. Then we confirmed, also, that in Europe births are decreasing, and the population is going old. At this moment, I had to underline, again, how in Italy that is true! Reconnecting to the media, this can really influence the effect the news have on the feelings of people, most of all if they are older...
Afterwards we arrived into the topic of marriage. It is changing too. It is different from being in a little town or a big city, but the trend is similar everywhere in Europe. The marriage are decreasing above all in the churches.
RispondiEliminaWe said also what we think about the gay marriage. We were in accord with the idea that a marriage has to be built on love, so 2 persons who love each other have to be free to choose what they want. In France there are PACS, in Italy there is the Vatican (I'm needling...). Only the adoption of children could be a limit in our view, although I think that 2 parents have not to be straight to be good parents. What a child need is love...but of course I don't think that the society would be ready to accept it.
After the marriage, we handled the immigration issue. We realized that, maybe, the differences are due because of the history. The migration in France is, most of all, from old colonies, so there is something in common and also they are facing problems relating to a third generation of migrants. Instead in Italy it is still a first/second generation. We observed how some communities seems to integrate more easily than others. About it, we also realised that they act differently but it is true that we also perceive them differently. For instance, we don't see Asians and Africans the same way. So we react with this perception and surely we increase this same perception by acting differently to them. Billal, the facilitator, explained us how it works in the USA. There is more control and they are very selective for who arrived. So, he told us that there is a better cooperation and integration in comparison with Europe. He said that, often, they let you enter only if you are graduating or with an education in your background.
After that we spoke comfortably about activities we are practicing. We finished in the issue of drinking. We all thought that in Italy we are allowed to drink a little early. So we described our student life, entering then in the job topic. We discussed about how it is to handle both working and studying. Surely it isn't easy.
Finally, we spent a little time talking about music. Our tastes weren't surprising.
At the end, we discussed about how can we manage my proposition to focus more on the Palestine. I told them I saw "This is my land. Hebron" and how I felt shocked by seeing it. I didn't realise at all it could be like this...I knew big issues but I didn't go into details and now I want to. Actually I'm giving the link I found to watch that documentary/film to all my friends. This is because we talk much about the Palestine but too in general.
I want to close saying that even if we were 2, we have spoken about many topics and touched different point of view. Even so, it wasn't fruitful. It has been a pleasant conversation but I insist by saying we are not facing fully the aim of Soliya. At the same time I know it is not our fault. So I just hope that next time will be better.
“Session impossible”, this is the title of the session I had on Monday.
RispondiEliminaI was the only one without technical problems ( as usual ). I suppose it has been caused by some problems occurred on the Soliya Platform.
It was impossible to do anything, a lot of people were missing and the others filtered in an out constantly. We tried to start the debate on “How religion influence the role of woman?” but Basema and I were the only two able to talk about it. It was extremely hard to moderate for the only Facilitator in the room ( a new facilitator, Rod’s substitute for this session ), due to technical problems occurred between the two of us too ( microphones and web cameras. ).
We started an interesting conversation about how politics should/shouldn’t be influenced by religion. I was in favor of a secularist structure, Basema in favor of a constant communication between religion and politics.
We finished our session "alone in the dark" in a very disappointing mood. Not being able to discuss on a regular basis was very frustrating. No one’s to blame, we all hope that the next session will be better.
The fourth meeting was a very good one, even thought there were only few of us because of the Arab festivity of the Eid, the end of the Ramadam. However, we were perfectly balanced: two Middle Eastern, two Americans and two Europeans.
RispondiEliminaWe’ve been asked to tell the others three events or influences in our life which has been the most important in making who we are today. One of them must have been related to our political view, could have it changed or simply strengthen it.
The main event that shaped my political view was the killing of Bin Laden. It happened when I was in the US so I had a perspective that was true to the reality, not filtered by the media. Before that I was supporting the US policy, but after this episode I started looking at the aggressive side of American foreign policy under a more critical perspective. I think this disappointed Sarah, the American girl, but after that I further explained my point of view and I think she understood.
Leila, the Egyptian girl, criticized the American foreign policy as well. She also experienced it very closely, during the Iraq war. At the beginning she couldn’t understand why the American were invading the country, but as she grew old and started doing some research on it, she came to the conclusion that the invasion was based on the economic interests such as the oil resources, and that it was a bad policy carried out by President G. W. Bush. However she realized that we should distinguish between American politics and American people.
This lead us to the intervention of Hasan. When he was a kid everyone told him that Western society were corrupted and immoral and he grew up with this idea. After a bad personal experience, he realized that his country wasn’t as perfect as he was told, and understood that people are just people, and we shouldn’t stereotype them just because of where they come from.
Sarah’s experience was similar to the Hasan’s, but on the opposite sense. She thought that Muslim people weren’t rational because of their strict rules that often collide with Western values, but as she get to know Muslim people she realised that they were as rational as Americans are.
Iulian gained a lot from his experience in Israel, where he realised the real extent of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how unfair is this conflict on both side.
John’s important experiences were linked to a very transitional period of his life: he started high school, he get his Confirmation and Pope John Paul 2nd died. This experiences shaped his life as they really changed his way of approaching issues.
I really enjoyed this session, and I think the facilitators did a great job. While speaking of our personal experience we get through political, religious and cultural issues, touching all the topics we mentioned during our first meeting. Now I am looking forward to discussing our video project in the next session.
November 9th – the fourth session
RispondiEliminaDespite some students from the Middle East were missing because they were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Fast-Breaking, a joyous three-day celebration at the end of the Ramadan, in our group we had a strong involvement. I appreciated two things: the efforts that Hasan and Leila made to be present at this meeting, and the fact that for Sarah and John were only the six in the morning. For me it was a sign and a proof that this project has become a way to share our lives, even making sacrifices. So we were in eight, one from Jordan, one Egyptian, two from Italy, two Americans and the two facilitators.
I’m afraid that I will not find the right words to express what I lived during this session. Sometimes the words reduce the value of certain experience that we made…
We started with talking about our families, how many brothers and sisters do we have. I found an interesting thing in common with Sarah: we both have three nieces of the same age.
This sharing was only the first step. The next one was to do a little reflection and to name three events in our life that has been the most important in making us who we are today. At least one of these three events influenced our political viewpoint. We also had to think about how do we felt and why this events were so important to us. All the events have been very touching, especially those related by Hasan and Leila. I admired the courage that they had such deep things to share with us. I would not tell you what they said; I dwell only on what I felt. I did not think that we could reach such levels. I was speechless when I saw the face of Hasan as he recounted what had happened to him at the age of nine years. I could see his bright eyes, his voice trembling… I was deeply impressed.
Then Leila spoke of her parents’ divorce and we all shared our opinion on the divorce in general. Another important moment was when Leila expressed her “hate” against the American policy. Often, the American policy tends to favors Israel and tends to forget the humanity of the Palestinian people, said Leila. Then we wondered if is more important to protect national security policy or to ensure security of people in the own country.
There were many witnesses: the internship in America and the death of her grandmother (Lodovica), the American invasion in Iraq (Leila), the seminary experience, the arrival in Italy, the visit to Israel (me), the friendship with a Lebanese, a project made with Saudis (Sarah), playing baseball, the death of pope John Paul II (John).
At the end of this wonderful session I felt sorry that we had no more time to spend together, to share our experiences, but I realized once again from this activity that the human being is a treasure and a mystery. I feel lucky to be part of this lovely project.