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The Israeli – Palestinian Imago Project
Couples work and communologue between disputed communities

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The Israeli – Palestinian Imago Project
Couples work and communologue between disputed communities

The Israeli-Palestinian Imago project was initiated in 2002 by Imago therapist Orli Wahrman from the Israeli Center for Treatment of PsychoTrauma, with the purpose of using the Imago tools and the power of couples, to bridge the gap between Palestinians and Israelis, and creating a safe place and welcoming atmosphere for dialogue between individuals, couples, and communities. Together with co-leader of the project, Prof. Mohammad Shahin from Al-Quds University, the following activities were conducted to date:

1. A one day Imago workshop for 4 couples (2 Palestinians and 2 Israelis) was conducted in Jerusalem with the purpose of sensitizing participants to the Imago work and its power in promoting dialogue, and creating a safe environment.
2. Orli Wahrman and Mohammad Shahin presented the project at the international Imago conference in Toronto (June 2004). The concept and outline of the project were presented in a three-hour condensed workshop, which included a touching demonstration of a personal Imago dialogue between the Israeli and Palestinian participants.
3. The project was presented at the CISEPO (Canada International Scientific Exchange Program) annual meeting in Petra-Jordan (October 2004). Both the Imago concepts and the Israeli - Palestinian project, received great support from participants, and additional connections were made towards future cooperation.

A most successful four days workshop was conducted in Istanbul-Turkey (January 2005) for 10 Palestinian and Israeli couples. The first two days were dedicated to an intensive couple’s workshop, led by Al Turtle and Orli Wahrman, with the aid of Sandra Turtle and Gideon Avni. They were followed by two days of communologue with the additional leadership of Prof. Mohammad Shahin. Among the participants were people from different fields in universities, government agencies, and private businessmen. The couple’s workshop provided an optimal safe space between the participants, providing the possibility of deep and thorough discussion of the most painful issues to both sides during the communologue. Following the workshop all the participants were committed to continue meeting and promoting Imago couples work and communologue. Practical plans to extend the framework of the project by establishing two permanent institutional Imago Peace Centers in Palestine and Israel are under preparation.

Orli Wahrman