Palestine: Under the motto of Palestine Free of Corruption AMAN concludes its “Summer Days” activities

Within its program "Fighting Corruption through Building a National Integrity System in the Arab world", implemented by AMAN in cooperation with Transparency International and several Civil Society Organizations in the Gaza Strip, a five day event has been organized aiming at enhancing transparency and accountability through children play. Targeting children that were aged ten to 14 years, AMAN and five partners (Gaza Cultural Club; Fursan Al-ghad Society; Al-ard alkhadra Society; Tatweer Al-Usra Society; and Yabous Society) put together activities that included story telling, drawing, game playing and others to emphasize the importance of protecting public property, as well as distinguishing between “good and evil” when faced with having to make decision. Activities, which began on 26 June and ended on 22 July 2010, were carried out in five different districts benefiting directly 300 children.

Building a National Integrity System is AMAN’s main objective since it constitutes of a preventive measure to combat corruption. With that in mind, AMAN views targeting the youth as its best investment for a promising future to a corruption free Palestine, whether through formal education, school and university curriculums or through summer camp activities.

The “Summer Days” activities, designed and implemented with care by the organizers, allowed the children to express themselves freely, by simply choosing what to paint on their own faces or draw on paper. Also, they were guided to recognize the “good from evil” through highlighting and rewarding protagonists in stories and demeaning antagonists who steal or destroy public property. By planting the seed of ownership, the activities meant to show that at the end of the day public property is their property as well.

In order to capture the children’s attention, organizers brought in clowns to further illustrate values of integrity. Through comedy and laughter, the children cheered for the “Good” clown while booing the “Bad” one.

All of the above-mentioned activities were prepared in cooperation with the Psychological Task Support Group for Local Initiatives, an institution that specializes in working with children, as well as with volunteers of the AMAN’s Youth for Integrity network.