Mrs. Mubarak witnesses the closing ceremony of the Second Peace Camp
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Alexandria, 8 May 2005—H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, will attend the closing ceremony of the Second Peace Camp, held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), on 9 May 2005.
Peace Camp is an initiative of the People to People International Organization (PTPI), a non-profit, non-political, non-religious organization, founded by the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower and currently headed by his granddaughter, Mrs. Mary J. Eisenhower. PTPI is dedicated to enhancing international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural and humanitarian activities which involve the exchange of ideas and experiences among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures. The seeds of Peace Camp were sown in 2002, in association with the Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement.
This year’s Peace Camp will see more than 60 youth members, aged 16-19, from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the USA, gathering in Egypt to experience and promote the ideology of negotiation through peace. This will be the second Peace Camp to be held in Egypt after the tremendous success and international recognition of its predecessor in 2003.
Key-note speakers this year will include a multitude of world renowned professionals, as well as local personalities, among them Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Dr. Mustafa El Feky, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Egyptian Parliament; Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt; Mrs. Mary J. Eisenhower, Director of People to People International Organization; Mr. Amr Badr, Managing Director of Abercrombie and Kent; as well as Mr. Sherman Banks, President of Sister City Program.
In his speech, Dr. Serageldin will shed light on the role of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in building peace around the world, and in its capacity as a shining beacon of culture and truth.
During the ceremony, members of the youth will present their shared experiences of Peace Camp and their outlook toward the art of peaceful negotiation and its importance in today’s global atmosphere. They will also discuss the learning curve of Peace Camp II. Following the ceremony, the youth will send out messages of peace to peace organizations around the world.
Peace Camp II began on April 30, 2005. During its activities, which took place throughout various cities and towns in Egypt, the youth experienced community participation by putting together approximately 3000 Care Bags which were distributed by international agencies to children with special needs. In addition, they visited Egypt’s children in various schools and hospitals. They also, for the second time, planted the Seeds of Peace trees in the Egyptian International Park, symbolizing the enduring characteristic of peace.