My Friend Marwan

Meet Marwan --- our Palestinian friend (and also an excellent improptu translator :)) who we met at non-violence training put on by Holy Land Trust. Marwan is 22 and studies information technology at Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron. His favorite food is maqluba (a traditional Palestinian dish) and his favorite color is light blue. For fun, Marwan enjoys participating in extracurriculars and also enjoys rapping. Since childhood he has enjoyed listening to loud rap/hip hop music, though it was difficult to understand because of the speed of the lyrics. This inspired him to further his understanding of the English language. Eventually, he began creating music of his own which has been used as a way to express his feelings as a refugee and the amount of suffering endured by the Palestinian people. He hopes to deliver this message to the whole world. Besides this, Marwan's dream is to complete his Masters degree outside Palestine & return to be an important person in the West Bank. If he could go anywhere in the world, he would go to the US first & then to the UK, Canada or Australia. Marwan currently lives in Arroub refugee camp  & is passionate about things that affect humanity in general. Part of this passion extends to the 7 million Palestinian refugees living in many different areas around the world.  Nevertheless, these refugees continue generation after generation to dream of return.
    From his non-violence training, he learned about what non-violent resistance really is, why it's important, how to prepare for non-violent activities, the impact they have on the other side and how to put together advocacy, advertising campaigns, slogans and goals. He believes in non-violence because it is an important and basic ways to express one's rights. As far as the conflict is concerned, Marwan supports a two-state solution, though this could be a complex solution. So, he says that there will just have to be a solution that comes from God.
    Marwan welcomes e-mail from new friends. He can be contacted at: marwan.meqbil@gmail.com.