Our work on the term *well-being is based on interviews and discussions with people living in the camps, the vast majority of whom defined the term in relation to physiological and body health. Our contribution is aimed at making a distinction between health and well-being. We felt this was necessary because it is rare to find hospitals or doctors who concentrate on an individual’s well-being, rather than focusing on the idea of treatment as linked to health alone.

As for well-being, it is grounded in a person’s lifestyle and on a number of compatibilities concerning various aspects of his or her life – physical, mental, social, cognitive and spiritual – as  well as the relationship between nature and civilization. Our definition of well-being has evolved around the conception and self-experience of al-mojawarah away from a commodity-based approach.

Contributors: Aysar Al-Saifi, Isshaq Al-Barbary.

*The Collective Dictionary is a series of publications containing definitions of concepts. The terms proposed are those considered fundamental for the understanding of the contemporary condition of Palestinian refugee camps. These words have emerged as a result of actions and active dialogs with the camp community. Written reflections on personal experiences, interviews, excursions and photographic investigations constitute the starting point for the formulation of more structured thoughts. The Collective Dictionary is both the reference and conceptual framework for all Campus in Camps projects and interventions.