LEWISTON – To expand dialogue among Bates College students about Palestinian-Israeli relationships, the Office of the Multifaith Chaplaincy will hold a two-week series of events, “Art and Alterity: Beyond the Other as Enemy in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”

Several of these events, all held from Jan. 27 to Feb. 10 in the Bates College Chapel on College Street, are open to the public free of charge.

Bates junior Anna Levy of Portland visited Israel twice in 2007. The second trip focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Levy returned home wanting to discuss what she had learned.

“At Bates, we’re taught to be critical thinkers,” says Levy, who hopes that these important intellectual skills can be applied to problems in the Middle East. But she found that the subject on her campus was either largely ignored or created conflict when discussed.

Levy approached Multifaith Chaplain William Blaine-Wallace, who has facilitated several on-campus conversations on the subject of Israeli-Palestinian relations, to suggest bringing the art exhibition “The X-Ray Project” to Bates. In consultation with Assistant Chaplain Emily Wright-Timko, Blaine-Wallace expanded upon Levy’s idea by offering a series of arts-related events that would encourage members of the Bates and L-A communities to reconsider definitions of humanity and solutions for peace.

The series includes:

• Opening reception for “Inside Terrorism: The X-Ray Project” at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27. Diane Covert’s highly acclaimed and critically reviewed art installation features X-rays and CT scans from the two largest hospitals in Jerusalem. The images were taken of victims of terrorism, including Jews, Muslims, Christians and Hindus, who sustained such injuries as a watch “blasted” into the neck or a hex nut embedded in the chest. “The X-Ray Project” will be on display in the Chapel through Sunday, Feb. 10.

• The Apple Hill Chamber Players will perform the music of Beethoven, Ravel and Schubert at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4.

• Memorial service for civilian victims of terrorism and war at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6.

• Art experience provided by Artsbridge Inc. at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7. Many Palestinian and Israeli youth have difficulty imagining a future that includes peace and coexistence with their neighbors; it is even harder for them to recognize their potential to create positive change in their environment and future.

The Salem, Mass.-based Artsbridge utilizes collaborative art projects to foster creative vision, empathy and skills in communication, teamwork, project management, leadership and conflict resolution. Through this process, Artsbridge aims to empower Israeli and Palestinian youth to cope with conflict and trauma, trust and understanding, peace and coexistence, desires and fears.

For more information about the “Art and Alterity” series, call the Office of the Multifaith Chaplaincy at 207-786-8272. Co-sponsors for the series are the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Harward Center for Community Partnerships, the Office of the President, the Department of Sociology, Students for Justice in Palestine, Bates Hillel, Temple Shalom Synagogue-Center and the Maine Council of Churches.