Enhancing the Role of Educational Counseling in Building a School Environment Based on Dialogue in Jerusalem

ACT Conflict Resolution Organization concluded a training series entitled “Enhancing the Role of Educational Counseling in Building a School Environment Based on Dialogue”, targeting 15 school counselors from Jerusalem between May 18 and June 3, 2026, through five specialized training sessions.

The training focused on strengthening participants’ knowledge and skills in mediation, with particular emphasis on student mediation as an effective tool to foster dialogue and understanding within the school environment. The program also included practical and applied exercises simulating various stages of the mediation process, enabling participants to gain the necessary experience to implement these concepts in their schools.

This training builds upon a previous program that targeted students participating in the student mediation initiative. Training the counselors represents a complementary and integrated step to ensure the sustainability of efforts aimed at spreading a culture of dialogue and mediation in Jerusalem schools, while reinforcing the role of educational counselors in supporting student mediators and accompanying them in implementing school initiatives.

In this context, Mr. Wissam Abu Rmeileh, the educational counselor at the Islamic Orphanage School in Jerusalem, stated: "I was once a student at the Islamic Orphanage School when I first learned about the concept of student mediation through a school workshop. Today, I participate in this training as an educational counselor, which gives this experience a special meaning for me. I feel proud to be able to transfer this knowledge and expertise to more than 400 students in our school, contributing to the promotion of a culture of dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution among them."

He added that training educational counselors alongside students contributes to the sustainability of student mediation programs within schools, providing a supportive environment that helps students apply the skills they acquire in their daily school life.

This integrated approach seeks to instill values of dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among students, contributing to the creation of a safer and more respectful school environment, thereby supporting efforts to strengthen civil peace and reduce manifestations of violence and peer conflict.

This activity is part of the project “Mediators of Tomorrow: Combating Violence through Peer Mediation”, implemented by ACT Conflict Resolution Organization in partnership with the Palestinian NGO Development Center (NDC), with generous support from the French Development Agency (AFD).