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The unique and diverse city of Jerusalem is home to people of many different backgrounds and cultures. Last week, Eton students had the opportunity to hear from teenagers living in Jerusalem, who spoke about their upbringing and experiences.

The teenagers met through the Jerusalem chapter of the global youth organisation Kids For Peace https://www.k4pjerusalem.org/. It provides a platform for teenagers, from all backgrounds living in Jerusalem, to openly express their views on the complex Israeli-Palestine conflict that plays a huge role in their everyday lives.

Many of the speakers expressed their love for the city. Comments such as “I want to stay forever” and “it’s fascinating to learn about the wide array of cultures which inhabit Jerusalem” were common.

The pressing issue of how social media portrays the conflict was similarly a common theme. The conclusion from this discussion was that very little of what is published online provides an accurate representation of the events. Jumping to conclusions before understanding the full picture was highlighted by the speakers as being particularly problematic.

As the fascinating discussion drew to a close, one Eton student posed a question to the speakers: ‘What are your hopes for Jerusalem in the future?’. The unified response was one of great simplicity, “peace”.