MOHAMMAD HUREINI
PALESTINE, 17
He/Him
Project: Youth of Sumud
At 13-years-old, Mohammad bravely volunteered to help rebuild a shelter in Sarura, an evicted village in the South Hebron Hills impacted by ongoing violence and social unrest. Mohammad witnessed the people in Sarura were in constant fear of harm as they went about daily life. In August 2017, he formed Youth of Sumud – a community of Palestinians in South Hebron committed to peaceful popular resistance as a strategic choice to end the Israeli occupation. They work on the ground to protect people, land and resources, defending the human rights of Palestinian communities. Youth of Sumud accompanies children to school and shepherds through their lands, helps farmers harvest and protect their crops, coordinates advocacy campaigns to promote peace, and documents the violence to raise awareness. Youth of Sumud began as a local initiative and they have since traveled to communities across the West Bank to help people who face the potential of violence daily. They have impacted thousands of people with their work, from assisting Palestinians to travel safely, rebuild their homes and carry on their livelihood, to organizing youth discussions about community needs and solutions, and spreading awareness via social media and campaigns. Mohammad hopes to be part of ending the conflict that causes so much injustice in his country. He believes every young person has the right to feel safe and live in a just world.