OPT / YOUTH DAY

Celebrations of Youth Day in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:00
• Production Date: 10 August 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: SOCIAL GROUPS; TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL
• MAMS Id: U120810d

Description

STORY: OPT / YOUTH
TRT: 2.00
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 8 AUGUST 2012, AL AQABA VILLAGE, OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Shotlist

1. Various shots, Aqaba Village, near the Jordan Valley in Occupied Palestinian Territory
2. Various shots, ‘Danger Sign’ – a military sign of firing area in Aqaba
3. Wide shot, girls coming out of the bus and heading to the adolescent friendly space
4. Med shot, adolescent girls making a mosaic with broken tiles
5. Close shot, mosaic of tiles
6. Med shot, adolescent girls making a mosaic with broken tiles
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Majd Dabak, 14 years old:
“We learnt communication skills, arts, drama and sports. All of this helps us better understand our rights and helps us in building our society.”
7. Various shots, girls perform a play at the Adolescent Friendly Center, audience watches
8. Med shot, girl writing on purple chart paper
9. Wide shot, girls playing with hula hoops at the Adolescent Friendly Center
10. Wide shot, boys playing outdoors at the Adolescent Friendly Center
11. Med shot, boy plays ball with Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan Representative to the Palestinian Authority
12. SOUNDBITE (English), Jean Gough, UNICEF Occupied Palestinian Territory Special Representative:
“We are giving them negotiation skills, we’re giving them communication skills, we are also giving them opportunities for additional learning in Arabic in numeracy so these are skills children need to be able to build a better future.”
13. Various shots, Jean Gough, UNICEF Occupied Palestinian Territory Special Representative with Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan Representative to the Palestinian Authority
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan Representative to the Palestinian Authority:
“Since we regard the childhood assistance is very important and the UNICEF is a very experienced UN organization in this area so we will continue our cooperation with UNICEF in this regard”.
15. Various shots, Jean Gough, UNICEF Occupied Palestinian Territory Special Representative and Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan Representative to the Palestinian Authority, attend a class at the Adolescent Friendly Center and interact with the children

Storyline

For adolescents growing up in Aqaba village near the edge of the Jordan Valley nothing is more important than being able to escape the stress of daily life marked by settler violence, threats of displacement, poverty, lack of access to basic services and sometimes domestic violence.

At Aqaba Adolescent-Friendly Space, 14-year old Majd Dabak and her friends are completing an intricate piece of artwork, using coloured wedges of broken floor tiles. To them, their artwork represents their daily challenges, yet they are determined to make their society better.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Majd Dabak, 14 years old:
“We learnt communication skills, arts, drama and sports. All of this helps us better understand our rights and helps us in building our society.”

This month, Palestinian adolescents focused on celebrating ‘International Youth Year’ and finding ways of turning this year’s theme – ‘Building a Better World’ – into reality
They were actively engaged in various activities to improve their surroundings.

UNICEF, with funds from the Japanese government, provides adolescents with friendly spaces where they are safe from any form of violence.

They attend recreational activities and are taught skills to help them cope with life’s challenges.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jean Gough, UNICEF Occupied Palestinian Territory Special Representative:
“We are giving them negotiation skills, we’re giving them communication skills, we are also giving them opportunities for additional learning in Arabic in numeracy so these are skills children need to be able to build a better future.”

Eighty adolescent friendly spaces are supported across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, often benefiting the most marginalized communities.

SOUNDBITE (English) Naofumi Hashimoto, Japan Representative to the Palestinian Authority:
“Since we regard the childhood assistance is very important and the UNICEF is a very experienced UN organization in this area so we will continue our cooperation with UNICEF in this regard.”

In a region marked by violence and devastation, celebrations like International Youth Year empower Palestinian adolescents to live better lives and improve the world around them.