On November 18, 2022, the YES alumni in the West Bank hosted their annual reunion at the Carmel Hotel in Ramallah. The event showed the alumni’s appreciation of the YES program and their friendships and connections within the alumni network. 74 YES alumni attended the event, plus four Amideast staff and Ms. Taya Owens, Public Diplomacy Officer at the Office of Palestinian Affairs, part of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.   

The reunion started with a trivia icebreaker, which included questions about the YES program. Following the icebreaker, the Amideast Country Director in the West Bank and Gaza, Ms. Maha Hasan, welcomed the alumni and expressed her admiration for their continued work on improving their communities. Then, Ms. Taya Owens from the Office of Palestinian Affairs congratulated the alumni on their work and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities offered to YES alumni.  

On behalf of the alumni, YES alumnus Nidal Mutaweodeh gave an inspirational speech about what the YES program means to him personally and to his fellow alumni. Nidal said, “I wish Senators Lugar and Kennedy were here today to know that their noble goal was achieved and will continue to be achieved … The most astonishing thing about our program is the sustainability and continuity of its impact and the influence it left on us and our communities.” Afterwards, Nidal expressed his appreciation of the program officers at Amideast, Ms. Arwa Jaber and Ms. Hiba Hammouri, for their role in leading the alumni throughout their YES experience.  

Later, YES alumnus Mohammad Fitiani, known to his fellow YES alumni as the “king of trivia”, led an hour of fun and engaging trivia games along with three of his fellow organizers. The winning team received YES bags as prizes.  

After an hour of entertainment, Amideast honored the YES Alumni Coordinators who have served in the past decade. Each Alumni Coordinator received a certificate in appreciation of their work leading the network. Program staff highlighted some of the most notable projects that each coordinator organized and led during their tenure.  

Finally, the alumni had dinner together, signed their names on a signing board with the YES logo, and took photos at the photo booth. The reunion will always be a beautiful memory in their minds and hearts. 

Yasmin Khamis said, “The YES reunion is something I look forward to. It’s not only a chance to reconnect, but it’s a reminder of the YES mission that we all share; seeing how successful and impressive YES alumni are gives me hope for a better future.” 

The current YES Alumni Coordinator, Tuleen Jarwan, commented, “I always say, YES is not a year in our lifetime, but a life we lived in one year. The YES program not only gave us a life in that year, but it also gave us long-lasting relationships that we will always appreciate and cherish! It is inspiring to hear what the YES alumni are doing in their lives and what they have achieved. It pushes you forward to do more and more, that is what the YES program has taught us.” 

Yasmin Khamis (YES 2011-2012, West Bank, placed by AFS in Marietta, OH) 

Mohammed Fitiani (YES 2012-2013, West Bank, placed by ASSE in Ellsworth, WI)

Tuleen Jarwan (YES 2016–2017, West Bank, placed by FLAG in Kalamazoo, MI)

Nidal Mutaweodeh (YES 2017-2018, West Bank, placed by YFU in Charleston, WV)