Student reflects on internship at EcoPeace Middle East
Aitran Doan ‘20 is an international relations major who spent her summer interning in Amman, Jordan at EcoPeace Middle East, a unique organization that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists to promote cooperation in order to protect their shared environmental heritage. Below, Aitran reflects on her Stanford Global Studies Internship Program experience.
The importance of sitting with discomfort and tensions
I work with EcoPeace Middle East in the Amman office. The organization promotes collaboration between Jordanians, Palestinians, and Israelis to rehabilitate the Jordan River and nurture a Jordan Valley that is environmentally, economically, and culturally prosperous and peaceful. EcoPeace’s supporters champion the idea of regional collaboration in an area where borders are highly contested and enforced. EcoPeace’s critics question the idea of regional collaboration in an area where borders guide geopolitical power dynamics.
In the few weeks since I have started my internship, I have witnessed and personally experienced both perspectives. The day-to-day of regional collaboration is more grueling than beautiful. It would be a lie to say that I do not feel daunted after long days. But what keeps all of us going, trudging through the messiness and challenges of regional cooperation, is the conviction that our natural resources do not recognize manmade borders. The polluted Jordan River sustains communities in Jordan, Palestine, and Israel, and all three sides must recognize that without fair collective stewardship of the Jordan River Basin, societies will not be able to live in health and in peace.
The main project I am working on is a national and regional investment initiative to promote renewable energy, water and sanitation, agriculture, tourism, and other environmental efforts. This project is exciting because, for many years, EcoPeace has been doing advocacy work and research on best practices to reduce pollution. This investment project is our most direct initiative to implement projects that align with that mission. My supervisors have met with community members, municipal officials, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss services or facilities that are needed in the Jordan Valley, be it a wastewater sanitation plant or cheaper source of energy. From these conversations, we have adopted appropriate selection criteria for applicants proposing initiatives to better the Jordan Valley environmentally, economically, and culturally. While our vision is clearly articulated, the road to achieving it is less clear. As a regional organization we have to discuss what terms like “sustainability,” “equity,” “prosperity,” and “peace” mean. Without doubt, different people have different ideas about the road to “sustainability,” “equity,” “prosperity,” and “peace.” Thus, the essence of our work is deciding how to resolve these differences, especially between the three different offices, and influence the three respective governments. Being on this regional project has taught me the necessity of sitting with differences and tensions, acknowledging them, and deciding how to move forward.
Another highlight of my experience is participating in field trips with students from Amman to the Jordan Valley. From morning to evening, my colleagues give bus tours for Jordanian youth, following the path of the Jordan River and the King Abdullah Canal. They talk about the different tributaries that lead to the Jordan River, the many dams that have been built, and the water politics that dictate the development of the region. Students learn from officials who control the water flow and dam systems in the Jordan Valley about water distribution logistics and policies. They ask Jordanian soldiers about the militarization of Jordan River and the lack of civilian access to what was once a magnificent river. The students’ curiosity and courage to ask the hard questions remind me that many of our environmental and geopolitical problems are not necessarily impossible to comprehend: they are the product of powerful figures and systems pursuing short-sighted approaches over truly meaningful change. Towards the end of each tour, we arrive at a highly militarized piece of land: the intersection of the Yarmouk River and the Jordan River, which is only a short drive from the occupied Golan Heights. Standing on the Jordanian side, we can look towards Israel and occupied Palestine, recognizing that not long ago, this area was a fluid zone. We remind ourselves that it was humans who politicized the land and therefore it must be humans who choose to depoliticize it, returning it to a natural oasis for thriving animal and human life again.
Enjoying the Jordan Valley
I have been traveling from Amman, Jordan’s capital city, to the Jordan Valley for work and recreation these past few weeks. Every time we drive through the valley, either along the Dead Sea to the south of Amman or along the citrus orchards to the north of Amman, I am overwhelmed by the surrounding beauty. At the same time, my colleagues and I recognize that the valley’s current state is only a fraction of its past vitality. It was once lusher, with exponentially greater water flow and thriving ecosystems. When we talk to the older generation, who had relished in the valley’s bounty decades ago, we can sense their nostalgia. While we are saddened, especially the older generation of local residents, by the degradation, we harbor hope for its future restoration. As an organization, we feel motivated that our work in the past, present, and future will contribute to this rehabilitation.
One of my visits took me to an ecological park established by EcoPeace. When they first acquired the land, they envisioned a nature reserve for local communities and visitors. Since 2004, the EcoPeace team has been working to transform the land from a dusty, non-vegetated area to a vegetated ecological park. The existing “ecopark” stands as an example that change is possible, albeit challenging and excruciatingly gradual at times. During the past 15 years, there have been periods when the project was deemed an inevitable failure by outsiders. However, by working with community members, the staff team based in Amman was able to grow a strong sense of stewardship and trust for the project within the local region. We now have a team of Jordan Valley residents who operate the park’s day-to-day activities.
When I visited last week, one of the staff members, Nidal, invited me to herd his family’s flock of sheep with his nieces and nephews. For three hours, we walked around the rolling hills of the valley with 200 heads of sheep. At sunset, we returned to Nidal’s house where his wife prepared me a meal of dairy products made from sheep’s milk: labneh (strained yogurt with cream cheese-like consistency), shneenah (cooling yogurt drink), butter, and jibneh (soft white cheese). It was delicious! On another trip, my friend Haneen and I went camping in one of the wadis (valley) whose water would theoretically empty into the Dead Sea, if dams had not been built at the entry points. Hiking in a wadi on a hot summer day is a wonderfully cooling experience. We were protected by shade from the rocky hills all the while walking in water. At the end of each wadi hike, there is almost always a waterfall, if not multiple. It was next to the waterfall that we set up our tent for the night. As we fell asleep to the sound of the waterfall, the feel of the cooling evening breeze, and the sight of the starry night sky, we were extremely content. My summer in Jordan has been accompanied with many such trips to the Jordan Valley. They have filled me with joy and contentment, even when the regional and global political situations darken the light I see in the world.
The Global Studies Internship Program sends Stanford students from any major to pursue internship opportunities in more than 25 countries every summer. Visit the website for more information about the program.
