Skatepark Bethlehem/Palestine SOS Children's Village
Münster/Bethlehem - A unique project is taking shape in Palestine. A skateboard park is currently being built in Bethlehem - on the grounds of the SOS Children's Village. The charity skate-aid and the SOS Children's Villages worldwide are making possible what hardly seemed possible in this country due to the considerable riots - to give the many traumatized children and young people a feeling of joy and happiness in the long term. skate-aid benefactor Titus Dittmann will travel to Bethlehem before the Christmas holidays. The park is scheduled to open in the spring of 2015.
After significant riots in the country, the situation on the ground was unclear recently, so the start of construction was initially pushed back. "Everyone's safety comes first at all times," said Dittmann, but is now "really happy that the project is going to happen this year. If the kids don't need our support now, when will they?" is how the skateboarding pioneer most recently reiterated the plan to build the skatepark. Once again, he will lend a hand himself. The skate-aid founder will travel to Palestine for a few days in mid-December - on the one hand, to get a personal impression of the construction work, and on the other hand, to conduct the first small workshops with the children. "A great idea is finally being put into practice," Dr. Wilfried Vyslozil, Chairman of SOS Children's Villages Worldwide, is also pleased to say. "We are very happy that we can implement the concept together with Skate-aid. Soon the children from the children's village and its neighbourhood will be able to romp around in the skateboard park and forget their problems, at least temporarily. This contributes to the recovery of the traumatized children's souls."
The official opening is planned for March 2015
So far, the work on site is going according to plan. The park should then be completed in around four weeks - as a Christmas present for the next generation, so to speak. The official opening will take place in March 2015. From then on, a volunteer will be in charge of the project until it can be handed over to the local population in the medium term. Applications for volunteer service in Palestine are being accepted at info@skate-aid.org. Since the complete completion of the project requires further financial support, donations are requested.
Since the beginning of December, the construction work is in full swing. For this skate-aid has assembled an internationally experienced team. A Serb, an American and a German are in the vicinity of the historic site Shepherd's Field in the West Bank in action. They are not only busy with the completion of the skate park, but are already giving the first workshops to the enthusiasm of the local children. Accordingly, the SOS Hermann Gmeiner School is already very popular. In the future, all children will have the opportunity to skateboard there.
- Skatepark Bethlehem/Palestine SOS Children's Village
