Gaza Community Mental Health Programme First International Conference "Mental Health and the Challenge of Peace" 13-15 September 1993

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (G.C.M.H.P.) opened its "International Conference on Mental Health & the Challenge of Peace" in the middle of celebrations over the imminent signing of the Peace Accord between Palestinians and Israelis.
The Sept. 13-15 Conference attracted participants from around the world to share their insights into problems ranging from the effects of the Intifada on Palestinian and Israeli mental health, human rights, women and liberation, to the effects of trauma and violence on children.

On Sept. 12, the day before the opening, over 500 people gathered at the Marna House in Gaza to learn more about the upcoming conference, to informally share knowledge from a broad range of fields of expertise, and to simply get to know one another.
Throughout the evening, sounds of car horns and celebrating people reached the participants' ears.
There was a shared sense among participants that they were witnessing a remarkable moment of history-making

The extraordinary timing of the conference, to coincide with the signing of the Declaration of Principles, generated an atmosphere of excitement and joy in the Gaza. The participants of the conference were so visibly moved by the scenes of jubilation that some of them joined the street celebration.

Every evening for three days Gaza Community Mental Health Programme threw a party with dancing, music and food where everybody enjoyed themselves.
Many left with memories of Gaza that they will never forget.