Peres Center Update

Hey Guys,

I wanted to let you know what I have been doing at the Mediterranean Dept at the Peres Center for Peace so here goes... The project that we have just started (and submitted a funding proposal for) is called MedTales. The idea is to have a web portal accessible anywhere (schools, hospitals, homes in particular) that has videos of famous Mediterranean idols, easily identified by children, reading children's stories from different Mediterranean countries that carry values of cultural understanding, tolerance, etc. The proposed website will also have an interactive section that will include games, and other tools for children to explore other countries in the region (southern Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean Middle East). The project has, in part, been inspired by a Screen Actor's Guild Project called Storyline Online.

We are currently in the process of partnering with publishing houses, authors, illiustrators, translators, and others from the region to be able to launch the project with a minimum of six nations involved, and hence, have each story translated into six different languages. My boss, Noa, is travelling to Bologna, Italy to meet with potential partners at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, the largest in the world (I think). I have been researching organizations to contact, helping plan the development of the website (and project in general) and drafting letters to send out to set up meetings at Bologna. The work has been pretty interesting so far and I'm looking forward to being onthe ground here when we do get the money and partners to get this this going full swing.

We have also been brainstorming other ideas for another project in our dept. and we have one kinda in development - essentially creating workshops and seminars to discuss the concept and idea of a Mediterranean "union" (not in the sense of an EU or NAFTA) where countries are more interconnected socially and economically. The idea of a Mediterranean union is not really on the minds of people in the area and we are trying to get it out into the ether so people actually think about the countries here as having something in common. This idea is a possibility, but nothing definite has been decided yet and I have asked for as much input for an idea as anyone would have in the organization.

It's been a good few weeks getting adjusted and I think that the more used to the organization that I am the more I will be able to contribute.

Thanks,

Pavel

P.S. I should have some more cool stuff coming soon if I end up going to the South this week on a day trip. My goal is to interview some people and take pictures...really get a sense for what living under rocket fire is like.