3 Steps to Build Peace and Create Meaningful Change | Georgette Bennet | TED

Summary

In a remarkable initiative, the speaker facilitated secret meetings between Syrian refugees and Israeli aid workers to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Despite historical enmity, they devised a plan to channel aid through Israel. The speaker shares a three-step process for effecting change in the face of conflict, drawing on personal experiences and successful interventions in Syria, establishing the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, and delivering millions in aid. The talk is a call to action, urging individuals to find their entry point and contribute positively to global issues.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The speaker facilitated secret meetings between Syrian and Israeli civilians to provide aid to Syria during a severe humanitarian crisis.
• 🕊 Despite being sworn enemies, Syrians and Israelis collaborated to find a way to deliver aid through Israel into Syria.
• 🔍 The speaker introduced a three-step process for addressing conflicts and crises: find an entry point, identify a gap, and find something doable to fill that gap.
• 📚 The speaker's personal background as a child refugee and the suffering of their family during the Holocaust influenced their motivation to help Syrians.
• 🛑 The southwest part of Syria was identified as a gap due to its inaccessibility surrounded by regime forces, which could be addressed through the Israeli border.
• 🏥 The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, initiated by the speaker, has grown to over 100 partner organizations focused on aiding Syria.
• 🚢 Operation Good Neighbor was launched by the Israeli government, officially opening the border for international humanitarian aid to be sent into Syria.
• 💰 Over $120 million in aid was delivered to 1.3 million people in the region, supporting medical facilities, a bakery, and providing essential supplies.
• 📈 The speaker expanded the aid delivery to other parts of Syria, resulting in nearly $245 million in aid delivered to over two and a half million war victims.
• 🛠 The speaker applied their formula for change in various settings, including establishing the first sex crimes unit in the NYPD and promoting religious diversity in the workplace.
• 📖 The speaker was inspired by the biblical verse Leviticus 19:16, which emphasizes the responsibility to act and not stand idly by in the face of injustice.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the secret meetings held in various European capitals?

The purpose of the secret meetings was to figure out how to get aid to the Syrian people who were enduring a severe humanitarian crisis.

How did the speaker describe the relationship between Syrians and Israelis before these meetings?

The speaker described Syrians and Israelis as sworn enemies who have technically been in a state of war since 1948.

What was the speaker's three-step process for addressing conflicts and humanitarian crises?

The three-step process includes finding an entry point, identifying a gap, and finding something doable to fill that gap.

How did the speaker's personal background influence their motivation to help Syrian refugees?

The speaker's parents were Holocaust survivors, and they themselves were stateless refugees, which made the Syrian crisis feel very personal and motivated them to help.

What was the 'entry point' the speaker used to mobilize help for Syria?

The speaker's entry point was mobilizing a Jewish response, which later scaled up to the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees.

What was the 'gap' identified in the southwest part of Syria?

The gap was the difficulty in accessing the southwest part of Syria due to it being surrounded by regime forces.

How did the Israeli border with Syria provide a solution to the identified gap?

The Israeli border with Syria allowed for the possibility of getting aid into southwest Syria from the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.

What was 'Operation Good Neighbor' launched by the Israeli government?

Operation Good Neighbor was an official government policy to open the border for the facilitation and delivery of international humanitarian aid into Syria.

How much aid was delivered through Operation Good Neighbor and its subsequent expansion?

Through Operation Good Neighbor and its expansion, nearly 245 million dollars in aid was delivered.

What other settings has the speaker applied their three-step process to, besides the Syrian crisis?

The speaker has applied their three-step process to settings such as crime prevention in the New York City Police Department and promoting religious diversity in the workplace through the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding.

What biblical verse did the speaker mention as a driving force behind their actions?

The speaker mentioned Leviticus 19:16, 'Thou shalt not stand idly by, while the blood of your neighbor cries out from the earth,' as a driving force.