Jerusalem, Israel - During the last two weeks of July 2012, some 15 young leaders from around the world came to Israel and Palestine for advanced leadership training. The program was designed to allow the young leaders to experience the history and religious background of the Holy Land and the diversity of cultures and ethnicities as well as grasp the complexity of the political situation.

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Led by Mr. William Aso and Mr. Robert Haines from the UK and Mr. Koriel Ben Zvi from Israel, the group toured the holy sites of the three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the old city of Jerusalem, they were able to pray at the the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

They engaged in a series of service projects in Palestine, visiting Ramallah, Shuafat, and the village of Tuwani near Hebron, getting to know the reality of life there. The group also did a service project at Kibbutz Nachal Oz located near the Gaza Strip, getting firsthand experience with Israelis living in a conflict-ridden area, as well as in the city of Haifa. In all places they bonded instantly with the locals, who expressed their sincere gratitude for the service projects.

On the cultural side they experienced the traditional Bedouin lifestyle and had opportunities to discuss pressing issues with both young Israelis and Palestinians.

The packed schedule brought them to many different sites and cities such as Tiberius, Nazareth, Haifa, Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, and Tel Aviv. On their last day the group got to experience and enjoy a visit to the desert oasis Ein Gedi and take a dip in the waters at the lowest place in the world, the Dead Sea.