Project COMMON BOND Summer Session 2019
This July, we welcomed 59 attendees from 13 countries to our 12th annual summer session of Project COMMON BOND in Washington, D.C. While everyone came from different walks of life, they all shared on tragic commonality: loss of a family member due to terrorism, violent extremism or war.
At Project COMMON BOND, participants learned that there are others who identify with their pain, and that hope and resilience is possible. When the buses arrived, planes landed and cars shifted into park, it was time to begin the process of healing through community and leadership development.
The tougher moments, such as dignity sessions led my trained clinicians, were balanced out by lighter group activities like sports and art. Together, these activities led to the creation of lifelong friendships and the enrichment of cross-cultural exchange.
It’s wonderful knowing that these young people will return home empowered to be peace-builders and agents of change. The statistics show that Project COMMON BOND motivates participants to advocate for peace and dignity, but seeing truly is believing.
All of us at Tuesday’s Children are proud and honored to call these individuals members of our community, and look forward to the bright futures that await them. Terrorism, violent extremism and war may be powerful forces, but peace, dignity and friendship can prevail.
CLICK HERE to read our official Project COMMON BOND summer 2019 recap.
