GeorgeINT_1
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My day was wonderful. I woke up very early.
Today I woke up early and I began to prepare what I want to say today.
I began to remember the campaign; the youth problems that I want to talk about today.
and those things.
I am Jeries Thalgieh
From the great Bethlehem
I ran the elections to be part of the municipality
and help our Bethlehemite youth
Come on youth, let us construct
and in our city let us invest
Don't tell me I can't, I can better than the professional
whatever happens, Bethlehem is not for destruction
Bethlehem is not for destruction
and if you vote for me, it is the best choice for sure
I am Jeries Saba Jeries Thalgieh
From Bethlehem City, I am 16 years old
My name is Jeries Saba Jeries Thalgieh
From Bethlehem City
I am 16 years old
I am Jeries Saba Jeries Thalgieh
From Bethlehem City
I am 16 years old
I'm studying in Terra Scanta high school
I play the Qanun and reciting poem as my hobbies
I have a sister, Nelly, and a brother, Johnny
and my mother and father who I love
and my favorite things to do is to sit on the laptop
and to watch programs about nature and animal world
I like to go with them [my family] on vacations
Eat dinner with them
to deal with them as if we're friends
The sea
I love going to the sea and one of my hobbies is swimming
And I also love going to the scouts and the Catholic Action Club
to the Catholic Action Club
I love Bethlehem for sure
because it is a historic city and makes me feel secure
and because I'm a citizen I don't feel comfortable anywhere else
and because it has the club and scouts to which I like to go
It has my school and all my daily life
My city is my daily life
It is the place where I like to stay
I describe it as the city that gives security
the city that gives love and peace
It's a beautiful city with its markets and shops
its historic status; it has the Nativity Church and Omar Mosque
its citizens are very good
and it is a touristic city
It is my community. The community here likes the traditions and customs
They like old things and at the same time like development
It is my community, and I love it
For example, the generostiy, here we are very generous.
for example, a woman is the head of the house
To be honest, everything in it is special.
To be honest, the scouts
What is special about my city for me is the scouts.
I lost my sight from a medical mistake
After having seven surgeries and then another 9 surgeries
I had sixteen surgeries
For this I lost my sight
The first time they noticed that I lost my sight, when I was a baby I did not react with them
They used to put a mirror in front of me
Throw a bear at me, I would not grab it
I did not have any reaction
Then they said I might be blind
I went to a doctor
who after performing seven surgeries said he does not deal with children
and forgot to take my eye pressure
That's how I lost my sight
I went to a special school for the blind; who are with disablities
Now, I continue my education in Terra Scanta
I was in Ash-Shoroq before
Difficulty in education.
Our schools are not to accommodate people with disabilities
Also, in the roads. They are not for people with disabilities
So, I face these challenges a lot in my life
The transportation challenge and the difficulty to study the curriculum that is not available
The difficulty at school as well
The challenges I face are
the roads that are not prepared for people with disabilities
neither the schools are prepared for them
So, schools and roads should be equipped
therefore, the challenges I face include transportation
At school, I face challenges with the teachers
I face a challenge in mobility in the streets
because our streets are not prepared, every day they dig a hole
there are a lot of speed bumps
the tiles are removed
There are shops that have used the sidewalks
which appear from no where, which makes me fall
There are no signs that there are stairs here, or a hole there to be cautious
The challenge I also face at school is that some teachers don't read what they write on the board
Therefore, I ask one of my friends to write for me
Also, there are teachers who are not qualified in teaching people with disabilities.
At our schools, there should be teachers who are qualified to teach people with disabilities.
because people with disabilities need special education
to have the Braille language
there is
Their language is the Braille
There are teachers who can not read the Braille
So there should be teachers who qualified for this
This should be directed to the ministry of education for it to prepare
When I was a child, I used to face many challenges
Our society does not accept a blind child
now there is more acceptance but still a lot of people in the countryside
don't accept people with disabilities
I used to go to parks
where children refuse to play with me because of my blindness
My mother faced a lot of challenges
a boy comes and mocks me and says don't walk with me
We had many arguments because of such situations
When I was exposed to such insults
When I was exposed to such insults, I used to go home and think
My reaction was that I cry
When I went home, I used to think why God created me this way
I don't want to play or go outside
My family used to talk to me
My family at home, my grandmother, aunts, my mom and dad
They used to talk to me until I broke that barrier
Now, anyone who mocks me, I face it on daily basis
I ignore
First, it is God who kept me strong
and my parents who stood by me
I would like to thank them a lot
They suffered until I reached here, this phase
I will help others for sure because there are a lot of people who need me
because their parents don't allow them, it's not that they can't
their parents don't allow them
This will make me hold awareness campagins
which will help the parents first and then the person
to be stronger and to stand in the face of his disability and not to give up
I want to help others because there are a lot of parents who don't allow their children
the child wants to integrate in the society
but the parents would worry that the society would harm their child in the first place
and they would worry that people would gossip about the m that they have a child like this
Once, I was talking with my friend who asked me what I was doing
I told him that I'm studying and thank God have high marks
I asked him what he was doing since he was the first on his class
He told me that his father was afraid from the society and dropped him out of school
He's now rolling cigarettes and selling them to the neighbors
The challenges that are imposed by society
include unemployment which should be 5% nowadays it is 87%
The organizations here in the city are not adapted to receive such cases
So, the unemployment rate here is 87% while it should be 5%
Therefore, people with disabilities don't find jobs
They'd finish their studies and have high grades
don't find a job because this is imposed by society
to be honest, they should employ 5%
now only 1% are employed
because our institution are not equipped to welcome such cases
Even if it welcomes them, it would not be the position he wanted
the institutes which can welcome us, include the telecommunications company
the institutes where can work as a lawyer
only in this framework the lawyer, bank and telecommunications
There are people with other hobbies but they don't study it since there is no jobs afterwards
I heard about the local youth council for the first time in the classroom
where the teacher explained what it was
I tried to get in but my age did not allow me
then I forgot about it and my aunt reminded
She saw that I can help the youth why not run the elections
So, I accepted this proposal without hesitations and I directly joined the local youth counsil
I hope I will win in as I have a lot of projects for the youth
I decided to participate in this really nice experiment in my life
through which I will have more experience
and at the same time I will benefit the others like strengthening the youth's self-esteem
and make projects for them that they will benefit from
I also entered the youth council to strengthen the person's trust in themselves
because the youth here should trust themselves in order to achieve
My age allows me to be nominated in the youth councils
As I said, it is a nice experience and my voice will reach the society
and at the same time I help the society
at the same time I give to the society
but the youth councils, which my age allowed me to enter
my age allowed me to send my message through it
I used to send my message through poems in Tunisia and other places
but I found that the youth council will help send my message to the youth who are my age
and they can understand it quickly
so we reach a better future in a quicker way
and we should take care of our bigger home which is our city
I am for sure excited about the idea
and what makes me more excited is the youth problems which I find in our city
whenever I find a problem, I get more excited to enter the council to solve it
why is this problem in our city
instead of a problem, it should be a solution for a beautiful thing
The environment for example
instead of having the garbage on the ground, why doesn't it be in the garbage bin
and we live in a clean society at the same time
What excites me to enter the youth council is the youth problems that are growing everyday
instead of being a problem, it should be a solution for a nice thing
for example, the cleanliness of the environment
instead of having the garbage on the ground, why doesn't it be in the garbage bin
and we live in a clean society
At the same time, this city is our bigger home
this would make us reach for a better society
Not everyone for sure, but we have officials who do not deserve their positions
We should work on the new generation to have better leadership skill
and enter in order to help the society and not only to show off
In case someone wants to be an official, he should enter for the city
in order to develop the city
and at the same time, he should accept advice and listen to youth problems
As a candidate for the youth council in Bethlehem, I began to put my ideas for my campaign
like smoking below the legal age
where fines are set for any restaurant or cafe
which offer bubbly or cigarettes to the underage youth
at the same time, to implement the law on the shops that sell the youth these things
to provide places for the youth to enjoy themselves
where they would go because they want to
and at the same time, these places are prepared for people with disabilities
or people who are coming from outside or the youth
Everyday would not be the same, there should be something different every other day
that is related to the environment
to organize mandatory school trips
in coordination the Ministry of Education
where students are taken to environmental pathways
to places in nature or field trips
Students would learn that this is our land which we should protect
The fourth aspect is promoting culture among students
where we skip seminars because the youth don't like them
to give lessons or the mystery that you want the youth to know
or the idea that you want the youth to know through plays, art and drwing
which promotes culture among the city's youth
and the exchange between cultures with other youth councils
who would also benefit from our youths as we would from theirs
this way we reach a better and more beautiful future
Thus we would not have problem like smoking
and we would have public places where the youth enjoy
and then we would develop the idea of national sense in our country
this is our city and we should take care of it
I am running for the youth council
and in the council we pick a president and the vice president
I am running for the youth council of Bethlehem
first, we fill a membership application for the public body
then, if the application is accepted we can nominate ourselves
those interested from the public body can run for the local youth council in Bethlehem
in the council, we elect a president and a vice president
to be honest, I'd love to be the president
because I have a lot of things for the youth like decisions
So I implement those decisions which I can
and the ones which I can't implement I would go to the interested parties
to help each other in implementing those decisions
To be honest, I would like to be the president of the youth council in Bethlehem
because I have a lot of decisions (ideas) that I can benefit the youth from
if anyone else has better decisions, I would give them this position
because I'm running for the benefit of the city
The decisions that I can implement I will
while those that I can't I won't loose hope and say that these decisions will not be implemented
no, I will go to the interested parties
in order to work together to implement those decisions
First, because I trust myself
Secondly, I'm not the only person who can represent my community
there are a lot of people who can represent the community
and if we put our hands together we will reach our goal
From the 3rd until the 13th of October there is the elections campaign
if you are running
in those 10 days, I will try as much as I can to deliver my ideas to the people
of course with the team who will be in the youth council with me
I will try to deliver my idea
not the one that I write but the one in my heart which I'm running for
I will start my campaign
I will talk about the issues or ideas that I am running to handle
On this day, the previous youth council will resign
I will start my elections campaign
I will talk about the issues or ideas that I'm running to handle
and to find solutions that fit them
I talk briefly about my campaign
and I will talk to my classmates about what I am going to do
I will begin my campaign by presenting the issues and ideas
which I will tackle and solve if I will be part of the council
I am very happy even if I don't get into the council
I am delighted because by this nomination
I'd show the people that people with disabilities are half the society
and they can implement and reach positions
and that they are not marginalized
I am not nervous to present my speech
on the contrary, I am excited
I am excited that the time would come when I tell the youth what I can do
When I was not able to run the elections, when I was younger than 16
I questioned why as sometimes the children can think and do
After I became 16, I am very excited that I am running the elections
So thank God that I nominated myself
I want to solve the youth problems in our city
because our city can be much better
because it is our bigger home and it will be the city that we will be in when we get old
Children
When I was less than 16 years,
I used to think why children cannot nominate themselves for such things
they are called youth councils
we can find solutions for the youth problems
because children can think and sometimes they can help
after I became 16 years old
I got more excited, I thought that I am running and things got serious
now I have to put forward ideas and issues that the youth suffer from
because this city is our bigger home and when we get older we'll stay here
The youth here should be heard, because the older generation, not all of course
the older generation used to think that the youth are young
and that we should be their president
I say to these people that a lot of people deserve this position more than you
because they can do for the city and can bring for it
I am not only talking about Bethlehem only with all my respect
in Palestine, there are a lot of people [the youth] with positions they don't deserve
as there are people who can do more
If people think that I cannot do, why should I take a position I should leave it for othersw
we don't have such thing, they take the positions to show off
They should leave this position to others because others can work more
If we have this law in Palestine, we will achieve our goals and more
The voices of our youth should be heard
The older generation thought of taking the presidency [of the council] because those are children who do not deserve
with all my respect, some people don't deserve their positions
So, there are youth who deserve that position
there are people who do not deserve the position
but the youth can do, and we can reach a better future
The youth voice should be heard in the society
because the youth understand their problems more
The adults understand the problems of the adults
each have their own generation
In case the youth agree among themselves, they can achieve a particular goal
there are centers and positions here in the city
not only here, there are a lot of positions where people don't deserve them
if the position was given to youth like a director of an institute
if there was a young man
if there was a young man they can achieve their goal faster
but for the youth's goal not the goal of the adults
The adults can solve their own problems for sure
The youth know their own problems and the solutions
They know how each other think and how to deliver any information
Therefore, the youths' voices are very important in our society to have a better society
My teacher who taught me in first, second and third grades will be there
My classmates and friends will also be there, I mean my close friends
My friends who I will work with hand in hand to solve their problems
and at the same time they would suggest solutions
So, tomorrow I will convey my message to them so that they stand by me
I salute them all
I express myself through poetry and playing music
Once, my aunt came and asked me what do you want to be in the future
I answered human rights [defender]
So she told me tomorrow is the international women's day which is March 8th
I was 6 or 7 years old
She asked me whether I liked to recite a poem
I told her OK
on the same day I was able to know the poem by heart, it was three pages long
I knew it by heart
It was called "This is your day, my lady"
The next day I recited it
Everyone thanked me and Dr. Vera was there
After that, my parents began to discover that I have this talent
Three years ago, I started composing
I started writing poetry
I saw that all the poems I recited were very beautiful
and I salute all the poets
but I like to say what's in my heart through my poems
that's why I decided to write poetry
The poems I used to recite were as a reciting hobby and not to express myself
What I like to express myself through poetry
is the people's problems, the problems that people suffer from
and the internal problems that need solution, I don't mean the occupation
the internal problems
[a poem called "I don't see you"] This is a solution to the people's problems
as I invite them not to mock me and that I have the right to live
So I don't speak about myself
I've put culture, plays, reciting poetry, and playing music in my campaign
because I've been through a wonderful experience
as when I'm happy or sad or in any circumstance
at home or outside
I write a poem about this feeling
I found that the youth can express themselves through plays, poetry and songs
there is also drawing and playing music
instead of smoking, the youth can express themselves by writing what they're feeling
to write a poem, or perform a play, write a song about that
write a song about what they're going through
Once we were invited to a festival at the Russian Center
I was with my parents
There was a sound of an instrument that I loved so much
among all other instruments that I heard, I loved this one
I asked my mom what is that sound
she told me the sound of Qanun
I told her I want to learn, and she was surprised
The first time I went to the Edward Said National Conservatory in Beit Sahour
So everyone was surprised how, an instrument with 78 strings
how will you learn, it is difficult
The will makes miracles
I was insisting to learn and I reached fourth year of playing music
I finished five years
Also, I also play the Bagpipe
The first instrument is Qanun because I forgot to say
Also, the bagpipe. Two years ago, I went with my cousin to the Orthodox scouts practice in Bethelehm
I went with him
I told them that I want to play the bagpipe
My mom asked how will you walk with them
I told her that it'll be solved
I entered on 16 December and on 24 December I joined them
I was playing on the bagpipe very well and I knew all the songs
Thank God, I now consider myself half professional bagpipe player
To be honest, music is the basis of life for me.
That is what I consider music
I love to play because I like silence and love the sound of oriental music
like the Qanun and Oud
I feel relaxed and forget all life's concerns that's around me
so I live in the music
Sometimes I would play spontaneously in order to feel better
I feel that I have a voice in my poems and playing music
and now if God wills, I will have my voice heard through the youth council
This will promote culture among the youth to whom I will send my message
Secondly, through poems and music I convery a message
instead of reciting a poem, I will talk about it through the youth council
the ideas of my poems are the ideas that I'll discuss in the youth council.
Instead of reciting a poem, I discuss it in the youth council.
I mean the ideas that I talk about in the poems are the same as those at the youth council
I find that my voice in a poem and music and my voice at the youth concil
each one has its message, like the poem I talk about the people problems
while playing music I solve my concerns, I feel relaxed and my feelings and conscious.
Through the youth council I tell all the people that people with disabilities
or all the youth are active members in the society and can make a difference if they have a chance
To be honest, I write poems after 11PM until 4AM while sitting on the balcony
First, I sit to think what are the problems that people suffer from that I can criticize
and the problems of the people which I can also criticize
because all my poems are criticism and at the same time praise the people.
Criticizing them but at the same time giving them solutions
First, I write the ideas and hints on Microsoft word on my computer
Then I think how can I write it
So I start writing a poem and focus on the rhyme and alphabets
and I focus on the end of the sentences
All of this I'm not restricted to it
sometimes I'm not restricted to the rhyme
The most important is my message to reach the people and benefit from it
not only reach them, I want to convey it for them to benefit
I don't write for them to clap to me
First of all I think about what I want to write
I think of the people's problems and their solutions
I think of the problems the people suffer from and the solutions
Then I write on my laptop on Microsoft word
the solutions, the ideas and hints
Then I think how I will write this poem
So, I start writing each line but I'm not restricted with the rhyme and the end of the sentence
I focus on sentences while others no
because the aim of my poems to send my message to the people and benefit from it
I don't want to talk only and they say George recited a poem
I recite a poem for the people to benefit from my poem
and they try to implement it in their daily life
I also like to play music
I love to write my poems in quiet time
Sometimes when I can't write or think
I put the sound of trees or water or music with birds on my laptop
I feel that I am sitting quietly and can think
I cannot write any word if there is any distraction
I also like to play music in a quiet place
in order to feel the place even if there is no one
to feel that the place give me its attention and hears me
because when I'm playing music on the stage or anywhere else
and feel that the crowd are not reacting I loose my concentration
and I will not be able to continue playing
I like to play in a quiet place to feel that the place is listening to me
To be honest, when I was younger I thought my future would be in studying in the USA and forget about here
but then I thought why, this is my country
It's not only me, the youth think to immigrate to study abroad
instead of thinking to build our country to create our future here
so we'd live in a country like America
instead of traveling abroad, we work on our country
My dream is that everyone would get a degree and think logically
My dream which I wish will be achieved is that every youth among us has a degree
That is educated youth
and that they'd think in a logical way
and that they wish the best for our country and help in constructing it
I don't feel nervous to meet with any minister or president from around the world
My job is to be a citizen who takes care of his country
and his job is a minister and to take care of me
My role models are my father, mother and grandmother
My grandmother is the loving mother who raised us up, and my mother as well
my mother has struggled for her children
my father as well, he struggled because of me
So they are my role models
My role models in everything because they did not lose hope in educating me
and they kept educating me until I stand in front of you today
They are my role models in life, so I will not lose hope in my life
on the contrary, I will continue