The Board

 

President and founder:

 

Brigitta, Maria-Magdalena Mahr, born in 1950.

 

married to Dr. Albrecht Mahr, 2 grown up children, Johannes Benedikt and Ines Lena. She does not belong to any ecclesiastical institution.

Education as medical-technical assistence. 1974-1984 professional occupation in medical research at the University Erlangen/Nürnberg. 1980-2002 study of Yoga, Eastern Philosophy and Meditation under the guidance of acknowledged spiritual teachers, Zen-Master, Willigs Jäger, Ayya Khema ( founder of the Buddha-House, Allgäu). 1997-2000 professional training as Yoga teacher at the German and European Yoga Association. (BDY/EU) 1998 foundation of an own Yoga-studio, teaching Yoga and Meditation for people with physical and psychological problems, partly also as an additional program in psychotherapeutic seminars. Since 2000 she is student at the Ridhwan School in the tradition of H. A. Almaas (Diamond Approach).

In 1999 she established a company for congress-management. Since then she organized 4 international conferences, 2001, 2003 and 2006 and 2008 with all together about 5000 participants, from many different countries and continents, and with approx.300 international speakers. Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

 

For the conferences 2006/2008 please go to:

 

2006 "Collective Wisdom" www.congress06.collective-wisdom.org

2008 " Identities-I am - You are" www.congress08.Iam-Youare.org

The next conference will be in 2011, Title: " Conflict Transformation and Mystic" go to: www.mahrsysteme.de

 

Foundation of Friendship Across Borders -FAB , October 2003, after Yom Kippur, the Jewish feast of reconciliation; for more information please go to "mission". Legal registration of the organization in January 2004.

 

 

The Vice-presidents:

 

Vice-president for the Palestinians

 

Mr. Mamoun Kassem, born 1963

 

He lives in East Jerusalem. He is academic and teaches English at the boy's high school in Rashidiya. He is married and father of 3 children. Mr. Kassem is a faithful Muslim. He has studied in the UK, in Lancaster and Cambridge, but also at the Bethlehem University. Since 15 years, Mr. Kassem is involved in peace education, human rigths and development of democracy and takes part in peace activities. Among those, was his participation as a member of the Palestinian delegation at the peace conference in Madrid 1991.

He dearly believes in the vision and the aims of FAB. He says: "I do believe, the only way to end the Arabic-Israeli conflict, is to end the occupation of the Palestinian National Areas and build 2 states within the borders of 1967. In order to achieve this, we need a common basis of understanding and trust, and the recognition that both sides have suffered enough. It is time to end the spiral of violence, so that may future generation live side by side in welfare and peace". Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Vice-president for the Germans:

 

Dr. med. Michael Kögler, born 1943

 

He lives in Hannover. He is father of 6 children. Dr. Kögler is a doctor for paediatrics, and psychiatry for children and adolescents. He works as psychoanalyst and psychotherapist. Until 2008 he was the head of the Winnicott Institute of the College Hannover and he is the president of the organization GRASS e.V. ,teaching groupanalysis www.gruppenanalyse-gras.de . His focus is on the psychodynamic between victim and perpetrator, and on the psychodynamic of large group identities.

In his earlier years, and for many years, he was busy as a medical development aid worker in Africa.Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

 

 

Vice-president for the Israelis:

 

Mr. Alon Gayer, born 1965

He lives in Gedera in Israel. He is father of 2 children. Mr. Gayer has a B.A. degree in philosophie and history, and teacher's diplom and a M.A. degree in history.Currently he does his phD in history. Twice he won the short story competition of the Israeli dayli newspaper Ha'aretz . There he also published a number of critical articles about literature and history. Since several years he is the student's dean at Sapir College. In this position he manages a range of "non-academic" endeavours, among others, he establishes around 10 project dealing with social change, joint learning strategies for disabled and non-disabled students. On a voluntary basis he works as the chairman of Collot www.collot.org.il This NGO offers training for students in order to achieve facilitator skills in intercultural dialogue. There he emphazises the co-operation between Beduin, Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, living in Israel. Mr. Gayer supports the work of Collot, because the organization contributes to bridge the gap of social distinctions and creates new possibilities for social justice. Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Alon Gayer appreciates the aims and values of FAB.He says: I dearly believe, Jewish Israelis and Palestinians can have a glorious future in this country. Yet, it is only true, if the land can be shared and 2 states can be established, with the same rights for all its inhabitants. Such a step will succeed , if hate and mistrust between all ethnic groups can be demished and disappears, and if mutual respekt will be possible. FAB creates a new perspective, to resolve hate between people and ethnic groups. Through education and knowledge about the other, it promotes the mutual acceptance. In the specific case of FAB, we work with Germans who take on responsibility and convey us the feeling of partnership. They support us to overcome and resolve the hate between Jews and Arabs, which last since 100 years. The Jews carry a deep rooted trauma in their soul, due to the anti-semitic persecution and out of the terror of the Holocaust. It plays a central role in the life of each Jew. FAB is willing to create through dialogue and genuine encounters a sincere process of understanding, which offers an essentiell contribution to peace. We also may learn from the model of reconciliation between Germans and French, as well as between Germans and the Poles. Both are excellent examples which encourage us and show, peace between enemies can be possible"

 

Treasurer:

 

Sebastian Schneider, born in 1961,

 

lives with his family in Lübeck. He is father of a littel daughter. Professionally he works as businessman, manager and lutherian deacon. From 2005 until 2007 he worked voluntarily as the finance manager for an Chrisitian-Jewish reconciliation project at the kibuz " Nes Amin", North of Israel. " Nes Amin" is the world-wide only Christian kibuz. From 2007 until 2009 he was asked by the Herrnhuter Brüder community ( Moravian Church) to be the administration director of their development fundation "Sternberg" for mental disabled children and youth ( kindergarden, school, professional training centre, village project and guesthouse) located in the Westbank, Palestinian National Areas.Sebastian Schneider says: " Through living and working with both ( Israelis and Palestinians) I could gain deep experiences, which according to it I am convinced, peace can be possible, if both focus on the next generations and their wish to create for their children and grandchildren a better future, to live in peace with each other". Since January 2010, Sebastian Schneider is in charge of the treasurer position. Email: schneider-starmountain(at)web.de

 

 

Secretary

Gerburg, Rohde-Dahl, born in 1938

 

works as professional filmmaker www.rohde-dahl.de She studied art and design at the University of Bremen. Between 1974-1997 she produced films for children and pupils at the German TV (ZDF). She was the author of the children series "Die Rappelkiste" , which she also conducted and managed. Her last documentary is about the Holocaust memorial in Berlin. It is called " Das weite Feld" It is an autobiograpich study about the experience of her family during the "Third Reich" She is mother of two grown up sons, one of them she had adopted.She is the author of the FAB-filmproject " Let me see through your eyes", which documents the pilotproject of FAB in 2007.Mrs. Rohde-Dahl shares her secretary position with Mr. Beier and Monika Sellmayr.Emil: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it


Secretary:

Andreas Beier, born in 1968

 

M.D. in education with emphasis on youth-culture pedagogy. work, special education, title in Theater Education.. Mr. Beier studied Peace and Conflict Study at the European Peace University in Stadtschlaining/Austria. He participated in many international courses around peace and conflict work , for instance at the United Nation University. He conducted a research project in peace-education youth work in Northern Ireland. Since 1998 he contributes in organizing international peace activities, with youth and young adults, from different conflict regions, among them also Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Beier trains young people in social and intercultural competences, civil courage, non-violence and dealing with bullying. He offers trainings for teachers and peadagogs among other places, also at the academy for youth work , Baden Würtemberg. He is chairman of the organization " Education towards Peace and Understanding" e.V. that conducts projects for youngsters and educators. www.andreas.beier.bifv.de Mr. Beier was one of the FAB facilitators in the pilotroject of FAB in 2007. He shares the postion of the secretary with Mrs. Rohde-Dahl and Mrs. Monika Sellmayr. Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it