Peacebuilding: ‘This experience has changed me profoundly’

Two years ago Project Rozana launched a landmark program to train Israeli and Palestinian nurses to become health diplomats in the cause of peace.

The program recognises that nurses are influential and respected community members and that bringing them together from opposite sides of the conflict could have a powerful trickle down effect.

Last month some of those nurses from either side of the divide met for the first time, at a workshop in Switzerland. It was a life changing experience and one that offers hope beyond the 20 nurses who participated.

An Israeli nurse who participated in the workshop said it was the first time she had met Palestinians from the West Bank. "Spending six days together in a shared environment created a unique space for connection. The setting encouraged us to open up, even about topics that might typically feel too heavy or taboo. It wasn’t always easy, but it was transformative," she said.

A Palestinian nurse said she was surprised how little the Israelis knew about the Palestinian narrative. "For me, it was an opportunity to challenge the narratives I’ve heard and to help them understand more about the Palestinian experience as well. I think this mutual exchange is essential. To truly understand one another, we need to complete the picture—to share our stories in their entirety. 

"This experience has changed me profoundly. Perhaps the most significant lesson I’ve learned is the importance of listening—really listening. It’s not just about hearing words but about trying to see the story through someone else’s eyes. That perspective, that shift in understanding, has planted something in my mind. It’s not a change that happens instantly; it’s a process, something I’m still reflecting on." 

Rozana CEO Ronit Zimmer said the workshop was the culmination of months of preparation. "In Switzerland, supported by Coexistences—an organization fostering dialogue by hosting mixed Israeli and Palestinian groups—the participants confronted the deeply ingrained “us vs. them” mindset. Rozana is dedicated to breaking this binary. The experience not only challenged entrenched divisions and cultivated an environment of shared lived experiences and pains but also strengthened their resolve to collaborate for better health and peace in our region," she said.