In April 2019, we launched a new programme called IntraPal. Born out of suggestions from our Journey of Understanding alumni, IntraPal aims to tackle the increasing fragmentation that has taken place in the Palestinian communities. This fragmentation can be seen as a result of diverging life experiences, with Palestinians living in very different settings  (cities, villages, refugee camps, Gaza) and different living conditions. The IntraPal programme attempts to overcome this atomisation by bringing together young Palestinians from different areas to explore and understand each other’s lives.

The initial IntraPal programme which took place in Jordan, was followed up by three regional meet-ups. During these sessions, participants visited each others communities, introducing each other to their culture and traditions through guided tours led by the participants themselves. These tours were also a chance for participants to discuss the challenges faced by their respective communities. Each community tour was followed by a short dialog about the day.

For the first regional follow-up meeting, participants travelled to two of the most famous and historical cities in Palestine; Bethlehem and Hebron. Leen, a Christian from Bethlehem, and Mohammed, a refugee from Dahashi Camp in Bethlehem, took participants around Bethlehem while Mays gave participants a tour of Hebron. 

Almost two and a half months after the first regional follow up meeting, participants hit the road again. This time they headed to another historical, famous and magnificent place in Palestine, Nablus. During this trip, Ramsis showed participants around the refugee camp that he and his family live in. 

For the final regional meet-up, participants met in the hub of Palestinian culture and economy, Ramallah. During their trip, participants visited the Palestinian Museum in the Ramallah town of Birzeit. The museum is an institution dedicated to supporting Palestinian art and culture nationally and internationally in variety of exhibitions representing history, society and other Palestinian-related themes.

Find out more about what participants got up to during each regional follow-up meeting below: