"Anyone Can be a Leader"

In July the Global Platform in Amman was filled to capacity. Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Jordanian and, for the first time, also Egyptian youth gathered for a three week educational course, Training of Trainers (ToT). Two of the participants, Ibrahim & Nasma, take stock of their stay.

23-year old English teacher Ibrahim from Hebron, Palestine

 “Anyone Can be a Leader”

23-year old English teacher Ibrahim from Hebron, Palestine, gives his account of his stay at the Global Platform for the Training of Trainers course.

"It’s so hard to boil all these experiences down to a few words and sentences, but I will have to say it has been wonderful and a great learning experience for me.

I applied once before, last year, but I had my graduation at that same time, so I wasn’t able to go. But my friend went and told me all about it. So I had a lot of expectations before coming here. And they were definitely met.

At first I thought it would be hard for me living with people from different cultures, especially since it’s my first time out of Palestine. But now, three weeks later, it’s a bittersweet goodbye. I am looking forward to going home, but the people I met here are like family. I will miss them.

I used to train people before in leadership and communication in The Palestinian Medical Relief Society, where I volunteer. I didn’t use the techniques I have learned here, as I didn’t have the experience. I know that I have probably made some mistakes, but it’s good to know that I will be able to give betters trainings.

At the workshop session, my partner Karim and I chose to work with the topic of leadership. We wanted to change the idea about it and break the stereotype that leaders are only to be found in politics or among the elite. I think we managed to show that leadership is a really big thing – it is everywhere and anyone can be a leader. Just train yourselves, learn more and more and you will be a good leader."

22-year old ToT-participant Nasma from Beirut, Lebanon

“You can Always be Better”

Nasma is 22 and lives in Beirut, Lebanon. She is a student and works with several NGO’s in Lebanon.

"This spring I attended the International Leadership Training Seminar (ILTS) by ActionAid Denmark in Copenhagen, which really changed a lot of my perspectives. Quickly afterwards, I applied for the ToT in Amman, to get some more skills to work with.

I really enjoyed working with Appreciative Inquiry (AI). We had some sessions using this approach, focusing on the positive aspects, and I was overwhelmed. It’s a world on its own and I will definitely take some courses on this, when I get back. It’s really interesting, especially when used in conflict resolution. It’s a beautiful thing.

Also, I am excited about the concept of Civic Driven Change. You can mobilize a lot and motivate a lot of young people, who have the will to do something and who have this inner revolution, but they might just need a push.

Sharing conversations with the people here has been one of the best parts. There have been a lot of topics, also very broad ones, and I believed in all of them. But mostly I am interested in the effect of social media, a topic that I focused on in my final workshop. I’m not an expert, but I would love to talk to people who are. Hala, another participant, is very knowledgeable on this subject. Hopefully we can meet at some point and continue our talks. Hopefully we can find a place to meet, as she is in Palestine and I am in Lebanon. 

It is impossible to single out one event as the best. In the end I think that there is no experience that cannot be good. All experience is good. It all drives you to one place – to improve and to understand others."