The PRVME group is comprised of committed and experienced peace workers from the ME and Europe in the fields of social, political, educational and environmental cooperation, women empowerment and leadership. Through out their various work and experience they have all reached the conclusion that sustainable peace can be achieved only when it touches all aspects of life and that inner peace and outer peace are fully connected. The creation of the PRVME as an on going community is their courageous next step in personal and global peace work.

Benjamin von Mendelssohn (34, father of two children, Germany)
Director

Both during and after completing his degree in choreography, composition and performing arts, Benjamin was active in a number of social/political organizations whose aim was to contribute to a culture of peace. This included co-founding the Peace University, Berlin and Potsdam.

Throughout this working period he increasingly realized that to bring about a culture of peace that is profoundly effective and sustainable the human and social issues between people and colleagues must become the core issue.
In 1998 Benjamin joined the Peace School Mirja, Portugal to go into an intensive study on the social issues. He became vice-director of the Institute for Global Peace Work in 2002 and supported the build up of a strong international network and political office. As well as this he began focusing on Israel and Palestine and developing the idea of the Peace Research Village project in 2000. As a direct descendent of the Mendelssohn family, Benjamin works closely with the background of a German-Jewish identity and was therefore highly motivated to support innovative new peace initiatives in this Holy Land. In 2005 he became director of the Peace Research Village Association and since then has led the build up and training of the future carriers of a global research model in the Middle East.

Vera Kleinhammes (25, mother of a 2 years old son, Germany)
Vice Director

Vera Kleinhammes is one of the co-founders of the the Peace Research Village Association. She is a student of the Peace School Mirja in Tamera and has been involved in peace work in crisis areas since she was 17. Vera's focus lies strongly in developing educative models that support the principle of research and knowledge production in all aspects of peace work. She designs and leads workshops and courses within community settings, develops curriculums for encompassing peace studies, and study packs for youth and children.

Aida Shibli (38, mother of an 8 years old daughter, Palestine)

Aida is a global peace worker born in Palestine, she is committed to social and political change, through focusing on women empowerment and building new structures of life.
Aida is skilled in mediating, conflict resolution, non violence communication, group facilitating and project management.
She is an active member of various NGOS in Israel-Palestine, concentrating in integrating Palestinian women in the "political show," via knowing their civil rights and resisting the Israeli occupation by non violent means.
She has worked as a nurse and medical researcher, she is also a mother of one child and invests in finding new ways of raising children.
For the last 5 years she has been a core group member of the Peace Research Village Association, she is committed to establishing another one. She brings with her, her skills, her commitment and the easy flow between the two Middle East nations because of her knowledge of both languages and cultural background.
Aida's deepest wish is to integrate her woman wisdom with political activism and motherhood.

Uri Ayalon (30, father of a new born son, Israel)

Uri was working as a media reporter of "HAARETZ" daily newspaper in Israel, as a history teacher in High School and as a spokesman and public relations adviser for political and social NGOs.
He was serving as a soldier in the Israeli army as a broadcaster in the army radio station. These days he refuses to do any reserve service in the Israeli army out of conscientious objection.
As part of the anti-globalization movement, Uri participated and organized many demonstrations and political events, and was one of the founders of "Anarchists Against the Wall" - an Israeli direct action group, which is fighting against the wall in Palestine.
In the last years he is focusing on studying, creating and practicing alternative models of living together and combining inner and outer peace. Today he is a student in Monte Cerro Peace education of Tamera and a committed carrier of the Peace Research Village project.