UNLOCKING THE WORLD WITH ENGLISH
DIALOGUING IN ENGLISH. This year, the month of Ramadan was not only a month of fasting, spirituality and celebration. It was also the month that kick-started the direct Netanyahu-Abbas talks under much media coverage. While they talk in Washington, Sharm el Sheikh and Jerusalem, Sharek Gaza initiate talks between the youth themselves and with other youth abroad. When you are surrounded by walls, not able to travel abroad and your only (interactive) contact with the outside world is by accessing the WorldWide Web, English suddenly becomes a very useful, if not essential, tool in order to connect with the rest of the world. Therefore, Sharek Youth Forum’s English Unit has initiated a number of activities focusing on dialogue (in English) and has developed a strategy that focus on creating opportunities for Gazan youth to improve their English and to build bridges between Gazan youth and their peers on the other side of the wall. We at the English Unit see English as a very important key to unlock and understand the world. Lucas Nielsen , 32, Inspirator, and Yahya Alburai, 24, coordinator for the English Unit.
WHEN ENGLISH RIMESWITH FREEDOM Participating in the English Unit turned out to be one of the most constructive experiences that happened to me in my lifetime. I have been a member since 2006 and being a part of the unit helped me to form who I am now.
It offers me a great place to expressmyself, enables me as well as many Gazan youth to push for a change according to their ideas, beliefs and personalities. I improved my English and learnt a lot at the same time – along with the other participants. I remember the beginning. It was a very terrific experience for me to see everybody expressing themselves freely. I felt shy. The participants were talking and I realized how small I was. Yet I carried the responsibility of my own improvement along with concerning for the others’ improvement.
I realized in a very short time how my English had improved by interacting with the other participants of the unit.
The meetings were really great and joyful, we all improved our English and there was a very good atmosphere, whichmade it easy tomake very good friends.
The more I participated, the more I was able to speak on my own, to express my own views and to participate freely. My experience in the English Unit was one of the best experiences that I had. It enabled me to expressmyself in English, offered me a good chance to be involved in the local NGO community, and helped me to feel free and confident wherever I am and need to speak English. After only a short period of time, I felt that Sharek’s English Unit was not only a place where I could improve myself, but also a place I could consider home. I will encourage all the participants to be committed in order to really improve their personal skills and educational level.
Ibrahim Ashour is a senior student of the English Literature Department at Al-Azhar University and a member of Sharek’s English Unit.
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