Teamwork

I first got to know about the workshop on the last day in Syria. "If Marta thinks that people want a meeting at 9.30 at night she’s got another thing coming" said Brit Stephanie. "I’m fed up with the same complaints and ideas coming every single year, and nobody doing it themselves. Elaine and Detta have full time jobs. People should do things themselves if they want something done".

This is a big problem of FtW. There are many new people every year, but of course the core group have seen the same "complaints and ideas" come up year on year, and perhaps do not want to revisit them. And Elaine and Detta certainly work supremely hard to get such a massive project up and running (cycling?). But complaints and ideas are supposed to help move FtW along, help it develop and be more effective - we are all here because at one point we believed in its aims, and we want those aims realised.

It's quite depressing when the workshop starts with a presentation on last year's suggestions, which include many of our own problems. Some of them don't need any extra work: for example, the programme is too full, and more sleep would make a massive difference to everyone, but it's actually less work to sort out fewer activities. Workshops I've already banged on about I know, but as last year's participants also realised they would have made the whole trip more comprehensible to everyone, and given a forum for ideas and learning, which many of us are here for.

And so on. When we finally get onto discussions in smaller groups it is past 11 and many leave for bed. On our table it quickly turns out that I am here for almost opposing reasons than others, when the issue of including Israeli women turns up. I feel attacked by some of the comments: apparently it is me who doesn't understand FtW and I should learn rather than suggest. Catalonian Gisela gently supports me "It is called Follow the Women" she reminds one rather militant Palestinian, who only wants support for Palestine in general: "Why don't men and children deserve peace too?".

So the workshop is actually making me feel worse. Perhaps it should be a benign dictatorship rather than take everyone's point of view: if there was clarity on the website there would be unity on the ground. Instead, we are all here for a woolly bundle of reasons and spend a lot of time arguing fruitlessly.

And if Israeli women are invited, I was told, all the Arab girls present will not come. Let them not come, says one Italian. Those that come in their place will be more able to think of peace.