For three busy days in May, twenty Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian tour guides were immersed in a course designed to help explain the significance of the Jordan River to visitors to the region. Through excursions to numerous historical locations, the group learned of the significance of the river to the three largest monotheistic faiths as well as how human behavior continues to impact the Jordan River basin.
In conjunction with this tour, EcoPeace also released a new publication, “Come Together at the River.” By understanding the immense religious, cultural, and historical importance of the River, people from all faiths will be inspired to help protect this fragile environment. As EcoPeace continues to gain popularity with global tour groups, understanding the dedicate nature of the Jordan River is essential to fostering the organization’s message of peace and cooperation through ecological concerns.
The impact of EcoPeace is evident with young students as well, as evidenced through the recent tour of the Israel Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Children from the Alexander/Zomer watershed region were given opportunities to celebrate the vast array of life found in the basin as well as the critical importance of protecting it. May 30th and 31st marked a cross border event as young people from Baka Al Gharbia and Baka Al Sharkia worked together in the Baka Al Gharbia municipality to plant and dispose of refuse in a collaborative effort to become more cognizant of environmental issues.
Another significant cross border meeting took place in Battir as Israeli and Palestinian activists met and discussed how to best utilize their shared landscape. The Sorek basin group hopes to encourage and facilitate cross border teamwork and partnerships to preserve the region’s precarious ecosystem.
