Robi Damelin
Robi was born in South Africa and immigrated to Israel in 1967 as a volunteer in a kibbutz.
She lost her son David in March, 2002, when a Palestinian sniper shot him. David was a student at Tel Aviv University studying for his MA in The philosophy of Education. David was an active member of the peace movement.
In South Africa, Robi was very active in anti-apartheid activities. Her uncle Judge Maisels defended Nelson Mandela in the Treason Trials.
In Israel she had a Public Relations firm that dealt with companies such as National Geographic, The History Channel and Unilever. After the loss of her son she closed her office in order to devote her time to work with the Parents' Circle to promote reconciliation. Robi is also active in Israel (on a voluntary basis), in coexistence projects such as Peace Child and an Arab – Israeli Youth orchestra. She also devoted much of her life for animal welfare projects.
Since 2003 Robi has been making use of her personal pain for reconciliation rather than revenge and thereby creating a ray of light for peace in the Middle East.
To do this Robi uses a number of methods including:
- Lectures in Israel and across the world before different communities. The purpose of these lectures is to spread the message of the need for reconciliation as an alternative to the ongoing bloodshed in the Middle East. In the course of her lecture tours she meets a vast number of people involved and interested in promoting peace thereby learning from their experience.
- As responsible for Parents' Circle's Public Relations Robi gives many interviews to international and local media, thereby using the media as a tool to promote peace.
- Robi attends joint Israeli - Palestinian seminars to practice reconciliation.
- She also spends much of her time soliciting new members to join the Parents' Circle.
The unique role of her work is to spearhead and set an example for a reconciliation process to be created in Israel and Palestine somewhat like the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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