IAGP Trauma & Disaster’s Yaacov Naor Peace and Dialogue Award

The “IAGP Trauma & Disaster’s Yaacov Naor Peace and Dialogue Award” is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional work in communities worldwide, honoring the legacy and values of Yaacov Naor in promoting peace and dialogue.

IAGP has the pleasure and honor to appoint the highest acknowledgement of IAGP Trauma & Disaster’s Yaacov Naor Peace and Dialogue Award for their exceptional merit to:

MY WORDS RECEIVING THE IAGP AWARD JAACOV NAOR, 23 of August 2025

23.8.2025

DEAR HELOISA and DENIZ; DEAR BOARD MEMBERS, DEAR COLLEAGUES!

I am deeply moved and thankful for this great honour, which is not only a joyful Moment in catastrophic times, but a surprize; I never expected this award.

Even though I was from 2010-2012 a Board member, when Jorge Burmeister was the president of IAGP, I consider myself not a very active member of IAGP, because I live and work in Latin America, where I am active as a Psychodramatist, Trainer and Supervisor for many groups in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Cuba, Uruguay and Argentine; that means I am more familiar with groups in that Continent and in the Spanish language, than in English.

But on the other side, I travelled from Switzerland - where I spend the summer -, for 25 years to GAZA where we realized a Psychodrama training project with the NGO ´medico international Switzerland´, at the GCMHP - and in the West bank of Palestine I am part of the educational project of IAGP at the TRC Ramallah (Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre for victims of Torture).

Remembering Jaacov, I point out this part of my work in Palestine/Israel, because we interchanged in several occasions our commitments for PEACE AND JUSTICE in the Middle East. I met JAACOV NAOR in this context, for last time during the FEPTO congress in NEVE SHALOM, 2011

This is the most important reason for my emotion today, because THE jaacov naor award is an expression of the values of the IAGP, to help TRAUMATIZED people and to work for JUSTICE, FOR transcultural and interNational bridges, to overcome walls and borders, which I believe, is the only way to reach for PEACE. In this actual terrible situation of constant military attacks by the Israeli army, of starvation and struggle to survive of our Palestinian colleagues, it is our obligation to scream: STOP THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA!

So, today I celebrate with you together in sad times: HOPE and TRUST for a better future, USING OUR PSYCHODRAMA and GROUP WORK for a world with real HUMANITARIAN VALUES and possible ENCOUNTERS in the MORENIAN WAY, when we follow the path, asking today with Moreno´s words: WHO SHALL SURVIVE ?

Struggling towards the aim:  ´MAN AS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE could win over MAN AS DESTROYER OF THE UNIVERSE ´, which surely was the inspiration of J.L. Moreno and also of Jaacov Naor, and I think, for all of us.

I dare to give an example for the searching of Moreno about what could mean ´CREATIVE REVOLUTION´? 

Jaacov Naor entered GAZA - where he had worked, with several groups before the walls separated and excluded the Palestinian people -, disguised as a woman, because he got no permit by the Israeli authorities, to cross legally EREZ Checkpoint. He told us this experience with a sad smile, and happy that we continued our work in Gaza, with the help of our Swiss passports.

For myself this award inspires me even more to give as much support as I can to my groups; in the field of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN and OPPRESSED people, REFUGEES, migrants and discriminated human beings.

I finish with the words of Antonio Machado:

CAMINANTE, NO HAY CAMINO, SE HACE CAMINO AL ANDAR.

´WALKER, THERE IS NO PATH, THE PATH IS MADE BY WALKING´

THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH!