Israeli youth have grown up in a heavy climate linked to the strong geopolitical conflicts in the region, particularly with Palestine. Despite the differences of opinion within Israeli society, young people seem generally quite nationalistic, often confronted with the vision of Israel as a “besieged citadel”, where the issue of “living in security” is paramount.
Through the educational system, socialization between peers or military service, which encourage a vision discovered through a single prism, it seems difficult for young people to develop a true critical mind.
Beyond this outward looking perspective, Israeli youth also deal with internal challenges. Indeed, a large majority of young people aged 15 to 24 that the relationship between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs is one of the main issues facing Israeli society. A wide disparity reflected in the different sectors of society (the education system and the quality of education varying, for example, between the two communities) and which increases the multiplicity of challenges they face, points of view, opinions and questions.
Through these issues, living together in the same society and region is at the heart of the major concerns of this youth.
This is also why it was essential for Cartooning for Peace and its partner to have teachers from both communities work in synergy and to participate in Jewish and Arab schools.
With the objective of promoting Peace, and the opening of dialogue, initiated within the framework of the programme financed by the European Union ” Cartooning for Peace and Democracy”, Cartooning for Peace and its partner, the Center for Educational Technology, offer Israeli youth in all its diversity a reflection through press cartoons on the major societal issues they face.
CET (Center for Educational Technology) is an Israeli NGO whose mission is to promote equal opportunities for students from all social groups in the country. CET develops textbooks and online educational content in Hebrew and Arabic. Is 70,000 teachers who benefit of online or in-person training and who are equipped with the knowledge necessary to encourage dialogue between cultures and convey the values of humanism and appreciation of diversity.
Cartooning for Peace and the Center for Educational Technology (CET) are working together on the “Cartooning for Peace and Democracy” programme in Israel, which offers a reflection through images and smiles on the major challenges for the Israeli youth.
Initiated by Cartooning for Peace and supported by the European Union, the exhibition Cartooning for Peace and Democracy in Israel was conceived in consultation with our partner, in Hebrew and Arabic, in order to reflect the challenges and aspirations of Israeli youth and to make it possible, through the prism of the press cartoon, to inform but also to educate, from the social issues that concern them to the importance of freedom of expression. Thus, various themes are addressed such as the environment, immigration, gender equality, social justice and discrimination.
The programme was launched on 20-22 January, with the training session for Israeli cartoonists and teachers. Among the draftsmen, we have the participation of Israeli draftsmen: Avi Katz, Michel Kichka, Shay Charka, Uri Fink; Yonatan Wachsman and NUSKO.
This pedagogical work now takes the form of workshops and meetings, led by the cartoonists who took part in the training, in the partner schools where the exhibition circulates.
Discover the exhibition « Cartooning for Peace and Democracy in Israel » (in Hebrew):
