Paths to Peace will bring together sixteen students of different faiths and backgrounds from Israel and Palestine to study together for one semester at New York University, located in the center of New York City. The program is dedicated to training future leaders, endowing them with the skills and experience to advance reconciliation and coexistence for future generations. Students can enroll for the Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 semester.
As a leading global research institution, NYU is committed to addressing issues that impact the world at large. With its distinguished programs and renowned faculty in international studies and cultures, NYU is the ideal setting in which students can achieve a mutual understanding of the issues and perspectives relating to the Middle Eastern conflict.
The academic objective of Paths to Peace is to focus on the historical, political, cultural, and religious relationships amongst the heritage nations of the students represented in the program. All students in the program will be required to take one mandatory course, together with NYU students, on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Participants of Paths to Peace will participate in a weekly workshop co-facilitated by experienced Palestinian and Israeli facilitators. In the workshop participants will engage in an in-depth process of exploration, observation and analysis of the conflict and will have the opportunity to gain important insights into their identities and to the dynamic of the conflict. In addition, the workshops will include guest speakers, films, and visits at various venues in NY which are connected to the conflict in the Middle East and to issues of human rights, like the UN and the Schomburg Center for Research in Harlem. The workshop is one of the four study units they are required to complete.
Students will be allowed to select two additional courses based on their own academic interests. These courses may be selected from all of the University's undergraduate schools and institutes except for the Leonard N. Stern School of Business and the Tisch School of the Arts. These schools include the College of Arts and Science, The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, the College of Nursing, the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, the Silver School of Social Work, and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. In addition, students will be encouraged to select from a plethora of extracurricular activities available to all NYU students to further complement their academic experience.
Program participants will attend a two-day off-campus retreat and other excursions, exposing students to educational and cultural opportunities that only New York City can offer. Students will also be invited to participate in programs that involve the entire residential community, providing additional opportunities for interaction and engagement with the NYU community.
An application form is available for download. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution, have English language competence demonstrated by performance on the TOEFL, and be in good academic standing. Successful applicants will receive a scholarship to cover tuition, room and board, health insurance, books, travel, and a living stipend for the academic semester.