Robert Holcomb and Gov. Jon S. Corzine
Rabbi Marc Schneier and Gov. Corzine
Rabbi Marc and Toby Schneier	Itay Golan and Anna Tunkel, both of Israel
Laith Al-Khouri of Jordan, Haress Ahmad of Afghanistan and Orren Karniol-Tambour of Israel

SEEDS OF PEACE
Youth From Conflict Areas
In Dialogue To Resolve Issues

Story by Nina Boxer
Photos by Tim Boxer

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EEDS of Peace was founded by the late John Wallach to bring young people from areas of conflict in the Middle East and South Asia to dialogue at a summer camp in the U.S. to try and resolve the issues that divide them.

"It’s more than just a summer camp," said his wife and co-founder, Janet Wallach about these face-to-face coexistence programs. At the annual benefit dinner at the Plaza Hotel in New York, she said these people work hard for peace.

The participants are called "seeds," but New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who was honored for his role in youth empowerment, said, "I can’t think of a more important title than peacemaker. Nothing is more important than bringing us together.

"I have spent many hours and many days in the Middle East and I have seen the heartbreak that exists between the two peoples. There is nothing more important than framing these issues. We need to be vigilant about all the conflicts in the world."

Several seeds were present at the dinner and spoke up about the problems they face. Rashna Kharas of India said, "After Mumbai, all of my friends kept asking me ‘What now?’"

If not for Seeds of Peace, she said, "I would not have had the right answers."

Nizar Alwazir, a young seed from Gaza, said people are desperate. "I believe what they need is people like us to keep their spirits through hope."

Robert Holcomb, executive vice president of Seeds of Peace, is at the helm of a very important initiative.