Leeds students set off for Middle East
A group of students from Leeds University is due to set off for the Middle East today on a trip aiming to build links with two universities.
The ten students will visit sites in Israel and Palestine during their five and a half week stay, including the Holocaust Memorial, campaign groups from all sides, and religious buildings. They will also meet with politicians and community leaders, but the bulk of the trip – four weeks – will be spent teaching schoolchildren and working on community projects.
Sam Keyes, Education Officer at Leeds University Union (LUU), told The Rundown that the trip had two aims: to help the students gain a greater understanding of the politics and social fabric of the region, and to initiate an exchange programme with Birzeit University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It is hoped that students from the region will be able to visit Leeds for the biennial 'Together for Peace Festival' in November.
"We perceive this to be the most important and sustainable element of the trip," he said. "Through high profile meetings and a tour of local schools and colleges, this exchange programme will result in hundreds of students and members of the community having access to a greater understanding of the issues, rather than just ten Leeds University students."
Mr Keyes, who is one of the officers organising the trip, said that there had been "quite a lot of interest" from students. LUU has active Jewish and Islamic societies, but the offer was open to all students.
The Union Council supported a plan to spend £1000 subsidising the trip, which will cost £800 per person. Students were encouraged to do their own fundraising, but the Union also applied to other organisations for extra funding.
LUU hopes that a similar trip will be held next year once the exchange programme has been established.
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