Meet Omar from Jordan. He is an Arabic teacher and tour guide. He aims to educate his students in achieving peace in their own communities.
Peace is rarely communicated in Arabic simply as ‘peace’. Instead, terms like Al Selm Al Mujtama’i or ‘community peace’ or ‘social peace’ are used. Other related terms, such as Al-Taayush or ‘co-existence’ often have negative connotations, suggesting people are not able to live with others who are ‘different’, despite having lived with vast differences for generations.
It is often felt that outsiders, with little understanding of their lived realities, attempting to ‘teach’ them how to coexist. It is important to reflect on individual contexts and the sensitivities that live there when discussing peace.
Omar is committed to educating those he works with to support them in knowing the power they have individually to build and support lasting peace.
Omar explains to us that building peace is a journey that requires a commitment to understanding and learning.
It is through his work that he strives to educate local people and those travelling through Jordan about their rich history. Aiming to lead his students and guests towards a peaceful path. Through Omar’s cultural tours he seeks to educate visitors on local stories, allowing them to gain a true, local understanding of Jordanian and the greater region’s history.
Omar truly believes and advocates for broader understanding of the region when building peace.
For Omar, peace starts with education and awareness.
