Before volunteering in Hebron, I had the opportunity to travel around the world. I have been to six out of seven continents and immersed myself in more cultures than I can remember. One thing I do know is that the Palestinian people are the friendliest, most welcoming group of people I have ever met. Everywhere you go people make you feel like family, offer food, coffee, or tea, and never expect anything in return. My time here came to an end quickly, and I am already planning my return trip.

I love learning about history and there is more history about the Palestinian people than anywhere else I have been. There is much to learn just by listening to first hand experiences. I started learning Arabic while being here, with no prior experience. The teachers are amazing and after only 3 hours a week, I am able to understand and read more Arabic than I ever thought I would. I have enjoyed the teachers so much that I will continue online lessons through the center when I return home.

The Excellence Center was extremely hospitable. Osama and Marwa make sure everyone is taken care of and comfortable during their stay. They made me feel like part of their family and I never felt unsafe while being here.

My favorite part about being here (besides the great food), was hearing first hand experiences from Palestinian people. At times it is extremely sad and hard to grasp truly how bad their situation is, but they just want their stories to be heard. I loved listening and asking questions so I could hear from people, not news stations.

One thing that has stuck with me since I got here is the spirits of the Palestinian people. Even with their situation and everything going on, they aren't letting it bring them down. Everyone is extremely positive, welcoming, and strong willed. It's amazing to see.

From the very beginning, I felt part of a big family. Not only with the people running the Center, but also with the teachers and fellow volunteers. New volunteers arrive every week, and it is wonderful how quickly meaningful connections are formed. There is a strong sense of safety and unity, all driven by the shared dream of the pursuit of human rights for everyone.

This experience offers a rare opportunity to understand life in the West Bank from a deep inner perspective. You engage directly with families, schools, and refugee camps. In particular, the refugee camp program focuses on the history and daily lives of children and families living there. Volunteers have the chance to teach English, play games, support research on the camp, and bring joy through music and play. As a researcher in agriculture and food security, I chose this program to grow professionally by learning a new language and gaining valuable field experience in a camp setting.

One meaningful aspects of the program is how the Center tailors each experience to your background, interests, and learning goals. In my case, we introduced musical instruments and began planning music classes for the future in the refugee camp.
Also, you will have the chance to learn and share your life path with the other volunteers.

Beyond your chosen program, being part of the Center allows you to explore many different realities. You visit human rights organizations, factories and artisans, agricultural facilities, and experience local art, music, and food. This gives you a deeper understanding of how life is organized and managed within the unique and complex context of the West Bank.

As a volunteer, you live in a shared house with others, which creates incredibly strong bonds between people, stories, and passions.

I would highly recommend this program to young graduates and professionals interested in working in the field of human rights, but also to anyone who wants to build a future centered on helping others.

Marwa and Osama welcome you with open arms the second you are invited treating you like family. This program allowed me to immerse myself in the community, while also spending time at numerous refuge camps and villages with settlers. I was shocked by how much I learned every single minute of the trip. Not once did I feel unsafe, even while walking alone at night. The Palestinian people in Hebron greeted me with kindness, generosity, and complete hospitality. I feel so indebted to Marwa, Osama, and the people of the community for their kindness! Marwa and her family cooked so many delicious meals which they invited all volunteers to, in addition to hosting bonfires every single night, creating a tight nit cohort. I feel like I'm leaving with so many new friends from both Palestine and around the world.

In my one week the program helped to get valuable insights into life and issues in the Westbank while providing a fun and safe environment! Osama and Marwa as well as the whole team were very friendly very flexible and made many excursions possible!

One memorable trip was to a Beduin community, whose way of life is heavily impacted by settlers and policies alike. Nevertheless we had a lot of fun together there.

The daily breakfast and bonfire were making for a good start and end of the day! Definitely recommend, would come for more than one week next time!

I am beyond grateful for having been able to start the 2026 new year with these amazing people at the excellence center. They have become family in my two weeks in Palestine. They are so warm and welcoming, and the support is incredible. They put you're safety as first priority. To be honest this is the safest I have felt walking the streets of a city. Safer then walking the streets back home. The Palestinian people are so friendly and eager to help you along the way. Learning Arabic here was fun especially due to having the most amazing teacher, Shahed! It has been a privilege! The community has been incredible. I love these humans!

The Excellence Centre is very well located, just off the main street and easy to find, with many shops, restaurants, and cafés nearby. From the start, the staff were incredibly welcoming and kind. Sharing breakfast together every day was a great way to connect with other participants, who came from diverse backgrounds. I met wonderful people, and our time spent sharing tea and conversations (especially our shared love for Palestine)was truly special.

I took Arabic lessons and also joined cooking classes, where I learned how to prepare delicious traditional Palestinian dishes. The center organized several visits to the Old City, refugee camps, Bedouin villages, schools, etc. Giving us the chance to meet inspiring locals and gain a deeper understanding of Palestinian culture and the struggles of life under occupation.

Hebron felt very safe, and the people were extremely friendly. My host family was absolutely amazing, and I feel I made friends for life. I can’t wait to return to Hebron for a longer stay.

Choosing Palestine and the Excellence Centre to learn Arabic and experience Palestinian culture was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Incredible people, delicious food, and an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend it
The only downside is how hard it is to say goodbye.

Laila

I’m Rogger, a 24 years old Social Sciences student and photographer from Brazil.

I just completed my Human Rights Internship at the Excellence Center in Hebron, it was a great experience.

Osama really made an effort to shape the program according to my goals and with the knowledges I wanted to acquire — The program is great and well structured, and so are the staff and the community that orbitate around the Excellence Center. The center is very well structured and equipped, and the presence they have in networking terms inside Hebron is impressive. Although it was a big part of it, I didn’t come here only for the HR Intership, but also to improve my Arabic, even though I stayed a short time my professor, Duha, did her best to help me mentally organize and understand what I already knew, and to teach me much much more. She’s an outstanding teacher and I can only thank her for the foundations of Arabic I’ve built here, and all the others for always being patient with me and teaching me new words every day.

A big thank to the excellence center and for the people who make it what it is, it was a very very enriching experience, and all I can say is to thank and to promise I’ll be back as soon as possible!

I was a volunteer at the Excellence Center for four weeks in November/December 2025, on the teach English/learn Arabic program.

My experience was overwhelmingly positive and enormously educational. Like many volunteers coming to Palestine at this time, I was motivated by a horror at what I had seen happening in Gaza, and a desire to lend support to, and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. During my time here, through visits to refugee camps, to Palestinian villages being threatened with destruction because of the desire of the Israeli settlers to take the land, and generally through witnessing the everyday life of the citizens of Hebron, the oppressive effects of the Occupation in the West Bank became very clear.

My most abiding impression is the warmth and openness of the Palestinian people. For someone coming from the UK, I was struck by how safe and crime-free the streets of Hebron feel. There is a strong community here—extended families support one another to a far greater degree than we are used to in the UK—and that helps underpin a safer environment. There may be a perception from abroad that the West Bank is a dangerous place, particularly since the events of October 2023. But that is simply not true.

As far as the Center is concerned, the quality of the Arabic teaching is high, but the English teaching is a little disorganised. There is a fast turnover of teachers, with some volunteers who are here only for a week or two taking over, and there is not much structure to the course. I would have preferred them to supply textbooks, or at least print-outs to the students. I had actually brought a printer with me to Hebron, so I was able to given them written sheets; but obviously most volunteers wouldn’t be in this position.

Overall, though, it was an extremely rewarding experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to gain insight into the Arab-Israeli conflict.