About the project

The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation builds on its decades of experience fostering cross-cultural exchange and dialogue in the region. The first component of the project is a “training the trainers” model, working with coaches who take part in the Peres Center’s anti-discrimination and leadership training. The coaches learn to confront prejudices, stereotypes, and preconceptions through joint dialogues and activities on the topics of identity, diversity and coexistence before applying their learnings. 
The second component of the project is working with Youth Leaders from different backgrounds. Participants attend bi-cultural workshops on leadership and anti-discrimination, accompany coaches during their training, and grow into role models in their communities. After a year of gaining skills and fostering understanding, they take what they have learned into practice, teaming up with football teams from a different community to their own,implementing joint football-based peace education activities for Jewish and Arab children across Israel (and when possible, in the West Bank) engaging hundreds of children each year.