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San Diego teens come together at U.S.-Mexico border for peace

Posted at 5:46 PM, Jul 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-28 21:22:07-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Teenagers from countries divided by conflict are in San Diego for a three-week, peace-building workshop.

The nonprofit Hands of Peace is made up of teens from Israel, Palestine and the United States.

This week they traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to meet teenagers from Tijuana, listening to their stories and learning that borders affect people all over the world.

"We worry about safety because there's no guarantee that you're going to be safe when you cross the border," says Mohammed, a Palestinian member of Hands of Peace.

Back home he rarely has interactions with Israeli teenagers.

"I think they're human," said Mohammed. "That's what I learned, everyone is human here, we all need to have equality, peace and love."

Through intensive daily dialogue sessions and educational workshops, the teens hope to create pathways to peace in their own countries.

Hands of Peace was founded in 2002 by three women, one Christian, one Jewish and one Muslim. The San Diego program is now in its third year.