Projects

	al quds dialogue center Name: Al Quds Dialogue Center for Community & Cultural Development Registered Non-Profit Organization (Amuta)- Number 58076018 Website: www.alquds-dc.org Director: Fuad Abu Hamad Contact Details: Email: bsafafa@zahav.net.il Telephone: 972-50-5590010 Fax: 972-2-5658234 Bank Details: First International Bank Branch number 074 Derech Hebron 98 Jerusalem, Israel 93460 Account Number 409321834 Organization's Accountant Firm: Al'aa Watted Tel. 972-50-3200060 Description: The Al-Quds Dialogue Center for Community & Cultural Development is a non-profit organization, registered under Israeli law and established in 2007 for the purpose of improving the quality of life of the residents of East Jerusalem. The organization initiates projects in the areas of education and the environment. It has 8 employees who work on independent projects, as well as 10 volunteers and is funded by donations. One of the main projects initiated by the Al Quds Diologue Center is the East Jerusalem Environment Center, "Just Green", which initiates and runs environmental education programs for both adults and children. Other projects include business initiatives for young women, improving educational quality, courses to develop inter-Palestinian dialogue, and a roundtable for infrastructure improvement. Read more..
	aprize given from the hebrew university Ladies and Gentlemen, This is one of the most emotional evenings of my life. Social activists don’t wait for compensation for their community activities. Community work is often difficult and sometimes even frustrating, but without a doubt evenings like this provide inspiration and indescribable encouragement for me and my family, and strengthen my determination to continue on my path. I belong to a population that suffers a great deal. Many times we have the feeling that the world does not understand us. We always expected that assistance will come from the outside, until I reached the conclusion that unless you first take responsibility for yourself and your life, no amount of outside aid will help. I have big dreams. and a great deal of motivation to change the face of reality. Today I am directing ambitious projects not just in the field of business enterprises, but also in environment , education, health, and other areas that are unplanned, but I encountered along the way. I would not have been able to make progress in any of these projects without the encouragement and generous support of my loving wife Hannan. She is the best thing that happen in my life. She always supported me and because of her I continue on my path. (Hannan- thank you). I have been successful in many of my endeavors. This gives me reason to believe that the path I chose for myself, the path of faith in people and hope for the future, is the right one. Here I must address the opportunity that the Asper family gave me. The Asper fund is not just another ordinary philanthropy. The Asper people are simply wonderful. I learned a lot from them, and they gave me a lot of hope. Speaking for myself and my community, I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done. Your actions have brought happiness to many people, and changed their thinking about their future. Your actions have also opened a world of cooperation that we honor and respect, the world of the Hebrew University. To them I would also like to express my thanks. Please allow me to finish with heartfelt thanks to two charming people who accompanied me all the way. No words can adequately give them what they deserve. They have become personal friends, whom I find myself calling for advise on many issues, some of which don’t even concern our common work. They are Harry Youkley and Shay Abramson. Thank you both very much. There are many other whose help I sought out, and who always responded without reservation. To you and everyone I say thank you. Thank you very much and good evening Read more..
	The VIDEO ‎Fuad Abu Hamed, a Palestinian businessman living in East Jerusalem, recently won the first Social Entrepreneurship Award from Hebrew University, for his work training young Arab women to learn business skills and start their own small businesses. by Harvey Stein. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ICK7DHs_BM Read more..
	only green project January 2011 Center Activities On Thursday, January 6^th, an intensive day of activities was held for all the volunteer students at the Only Green Center. The purpose of the day was to better acquaint the students with the Center and its activities, and to introduce them to the director of Just Green, Mr. Fuad Abu Hamad,the center steering committee and staff. The students learned about the importance of the project they are a part of, learned more about East Jerusalem, and heard in depth about the environmental problems and possible solutions both on a local and world level. The Center hosted Ms. Suhad Kabha from the NGO "An Inconvenient Truth", who screened the film "An Inconvenient Truth" and explained about global warming, its impact and possible solutions. School Activities: The students continue their weekly activities in the different participating schools in East Jerusalem. They each volunteer four hours weekly to the program. In the coming months the students will be developing a detailed plan for the "Green Day" that will take place in each school. On "Green Day", the students will present the activities from the year, and will include the participation of parents and guests. The Center's staff will also take part in each school's presentation. Project Progress This month the staff is preparing a plan for activities for 8-10 year olds. The purpose of the project is to raise environmental awareness in the day to day behavior of the children through topics that include water usage, cleanliness, waste, agriculture and more. The project will be accompanied by the building of a children's playground from recycled materials at the Center. There will also be several special activities, including trips, films, stories and simple reading activities. The Center staff is in the process of developing a Facebook page, where Center activities will be regularly posted and updated online. Read more..
	Water Resources Action Project Updates from WRAP WRAP Pilot Project – May 2011 Progress Report Sur Baher Girls School, East Jerusalem The Water Resources Action Project’s (WRAP) comprehensive plan for its pilot project is now complete. The rain collection system, installed at the Sur Baher Girls School in East Jerusalem, has collected 34 cubic meters of rainwater, 3 times the volume of the reservoir. The school’s faculty has undergone extensive training to provide the necessary curriculum to the students with respect to overall purpose, process and resulting impacts from the system. The maintenance team is familiar with the technical aspects and the students are documenting water flow. “I have to admit that the cooperation with the principal and the science team was inspiring,” says Amir Yechieli, Installation Contractor. “I believe the educational potential of running the system in the future will be fully accomplished.” WRAP members, Bob Cole, Julie Weisman, and Brendan McGinnis, will be departing for the Middle East in mid-May. The group will identify additional schools throughout Israel, Jordan, and Palestine for future rain catchment installations. For additional information on WRAP or interest in joining the cause, please contact Brendan McGinnis atbmcginnis@wrapdc.org. Friends of the Earth Middle East and Water Resources Action Project Join Forces by FoEME Leadership - Gidon Bromberg (Israeli Director), Nader Khateb (Palestinian Director), and Munqeth Mehyar (Chairperson and Jordanian Director) (April 11, 2011) In January of this year, Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) and Water Resources and Action Project(WRAP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding expressing the desire for ongoing collaboration between the two organizations. As a result of this memo, the two organizations will work together to improve water usage practices and access to potable water in East Jerusalem and Palestine. FoEME is a unique organization that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists. Its primary objective is the promotion of cooperative efforts to protect shared environmental heritage. In so doing, it seeks to advance both sustainable regional development and the creation of necessary conditions for lasting peace in the region. FoEME has offices in Amman, Bethlehem, and Tel-Aviv, and is a member of Friends of the Earth International, the largest grassroots environmental organization in the world. Originally founded as "EcoPeace" on December 7, 1994 at an historic meeting held in Taba, Egypt, FoEME came about as environmental non-governmental organizations from the Middle East met with the common goal of furthering sustainable development and peace in the region. For the first time ever, Egyptian, Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian environmentalists agreed to join forces in an effort to promote the integration of environmental considerations into the regional development agenda. FoEME's three co-Directors were honored by TIME Magazine as Environmental Heroes of 2008. FoEME received a UNDP/UNEP SEED Finalist Award in 2008 and in 2009 was granted the prestigious Jeff Skoll Award for social entrepreneurship. In addition, the April 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine features the work of FoEME concerning the rehabilitation of the lower River Jordan. FoEME also recently received the first Onassis Prize for the Protection of the Environment and the EURO-MED AWARD FOR DIALOGUE within the theme "Intercultural Dialogue for Ecological Sustainability." The vision created by the organization is that we are neighbors sharing the same resource that physically crosses our respective communities, with the actions of one impacting the other and the state of water systems and habitats as a whole. The people and wildlife of our region are dependent on many of the same natural resources. Shared surface and sub-surface freshwater basins, shared seas, common flora and fauna species and a shared air-shed, are some of the characteristics that necessitate regional cooperation. Examples include the Jordan River Basin, a major source of freshwater in a water scarce region, the Gulf of Aqaba, a highly sensitive eco-system giving life to arguably the world's most beautiful coral reef, and the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth and the world's saltiest non-shallow body of water. These are all examples of unique shared eco-systems in the region that necessitate regional cooperation if they are to be preserved. By promoting this vision, we are developing the understanding that on water and environmental issues we are in the same boat together and that we are dependant on each other for mutual long-term success. FoEME promotes this vision and understanding through joint advocacy and within its projects in the different communities, with the Amman office leading the required change in Jordan, the Bethlehem office in Palestine and the Tel-Aviv office in Israel. While the same vision is espoused in all three countries, it is tailored to the appropriate cultural context in each country. Our projects can be categorized according to the following themes: Geographical Context – The Dead Sea Rift Valley runs from the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat, in the south, along the Arava Valley, through the Dead Sea, up the Jordan River into the Sea of Galilee and beyond, connecting the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean. Many of our projects are located along this shared, complex ecosystem. Socio-Economic Based Projects – Focus on issues such as sustainable water use, water privatization, trade, sustainable development, water as a human security issue, developing renewable energy and healthy food practices. Climate Change – Stands on its own, as being one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the planet today, especially to our scarce water resources. All of FoEME's transboundary projects include Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian youth, adults, mayors and municipal representatives in community work, as well as Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian scientists, researchers, and other experts in research based work, all working together to foster platforms for dialogue to promote environmental sustainability and peace. Major projects and research are being undertaken by FoEME, focusing on the issues of shared water crisis of Palestinians, Israelis and Jordanians. Through the development and implementation of numerous projects and scientific research initiatives, EcoPeace/FoEME has successfully demonstrated the willingness of peoples to work together to protect and rehabilitate their natural environments upon which their livelihoods depend. The integration of the top-down advocacy approach coupled with the bottom-up community approach has proven to be an effective organizational strategy that creates a platform for dialogue for peace and coexistence seeing successful initiation and implementation of cross border environmental projects. The following paragraphs outline the major initiatives that are being undertaken by FoEME. • The "Good Water Neighbors" (GWN) project was established by EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East in 2001 to raise awareness of the shared water problems of Palestinians, Jordanians, and Israelis. The GWN methodology is their original idea that is based on identifying cross-border communities and utilizing their mutual dependence on shared water resources as a basis for developing dialogue and cooperation on sustainable water management. GWN has created real improvement within the water sector by developing awareness on water and sanitation issues, building trust and understanding that has led to common problem solving and peace building among communities - even in the midst of conflict. Five sets of 'partnering mayors' have signed on Memorandums of Understandings focusing on a specific water issue that is negatively affecting both communities, promoting their jointly identified solutions, such as; waste water treatment networks, peace parks, better agricultural practices/wise water use, and more. • Equitable water allocation between Palestinians and Israelis is an especially important issue for FoEME; as they are the only regional environmental organization in the Middle East that can tackle this issue with an excellent knowledge base, trust of both sides, and effectiveness in cooperation. FoEME has most recently offered a "Model Water Agreement" that is based on a dynamic agreement between the sides, and suggests an alternative to the "temporary agreement" in effect since 1995 that has failed to preserve shared water resources, especially the Mountain Aquifer, allowing for over pumping by Israel, pollution of groundwater and surface water originating in the West Bank and continuing into Israel, and the unfair allocation of shared water resources. • A component of the GWN project is the creation of “Neighbors Paths.” The purpose of the “Neighbors Paths” is to show the natural and cultural heritage of each one of the 28 “Good Water Neighbor” communities and to learn about their water resources both in the past and in the present. Many trails highlight the rich history found in the region but also reveal degradation and pollution, often ‘not seen’ by local residents themselves and certainly not usually shown to tourists. All community-based tours deal with the issue of the interdependence of the water sources between Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian neighboring communities. The concept of the Neighbors' Paths has been designed to achieve a synergetic effect of education, change in people's attitudes and ultimately of sustainable development. • FoEME recently launched a new component to the Good Water Neighbors project, called “Community Geographic Information System” (CGIS). CGIS is a joint Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian educational initiative. As with most of FoEME`s projects, the CGIS revolves around shared water issues. Its purpose is to give high school students the ability to identify environmental hazards in their local area. The novelty of this project is the introduction of advanced GIS technology for the purpose of creating environmental hazard maps. These maps deal with water contamination issues and are constructed by the participating GWN communities, which seek to advance cross border understanding and cooperation over shared water issues. The community's involvement in creating GIS maps is one more step in raising local awareness about the state of the environment in general and water issues in particular. • FoEME has recently concluded an independent socio-economic and environmental assessment of the proposed Red Sea/Dead Sea canal project. Partners in research included the Geological Survey of Israel, that studied the environmental impacts on the Arava Valley and the Dead Sea; the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan) that studied the environmental impacts on the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat; and the Water and Environment Development Organization (Palestinian NGO) that together with the Royal Scientific Society studied the socio-economic effects of the proposed canal. This research places FoEME in the unique position as a well-informed stakeholder on the issue, giving a strong basis on which to found an opinion and launch a campaign. • FoEME has undertaken scientific research projects detailing the geographical characteristics of the most important underground water source in the region – the Mountain Aquifer. FoEME first identified the major sources of pollution – sewage and solid waste. The reports describe the different solutions that have been proposed and the factors that prevent the implementation of sewage solutions or solid waste disposal facilities, as well as drawing conclusions and recommendations to protect the Mountain Aquifer. In an additional pilot project, FoEME produced "Municipal Guidelines" to help municipalities alleviate groundwater pollution of the Mountain Aquifer. • FoEME researched the projections that are being made for climate change and its impacts on the water resources in a selection of Middle Eastern countries and territory; Egypt, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan, along with adjacent river basin countries. The study focuses on the anticipated impact this will have on our water resources and how this will affect human societies and economies, as well as the ramifications that this is likely to have on human security and political stability within this already volatile region. • The Jordan River Rehabilitation Project includes multiple studies undertaken by FoEME to raise awareness of the plight of this endangered River, to strengthen the knowledge base, and to enable political decision-makers in Israel, Jordan and Palestine to act to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River. Their first study, "Crossing the Jordan," aimed to bring to the public's awareness the challenges and threats facing the River; their "Environmental Flows" study answers the question – how much water is required to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River? Likewise, their "Economic Study" answers the question – from where and at what price can Israel, Jordan and Palestine allocate water to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River? Uniquely, each of these studies is undertaken tri-laterally with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian experts working together. And an additional study, undertaken separately in each riparian country, reviews the key political barriers that must be overcome to enable water reform. • The Sharhabil bin Hassneh Eco Park is embedded in EcoPeace/FoEME’s larger program of rehabilitating the Jordan River Valley, with the goal to establish a model for preserving ecologically important habitats within the Jordan Valley. The EcoPark serves to increase public awareness about the natural importance of the area and promoting sustainable development efforts in the river basin. • The Jordan Valley Environmental Education Centre in Auja ("the Environmental Centre") is another demonstration of FoEME’s commitment to advancing environmental education and sustainability in the Middle East. The Environment Centre includes outdoor educational groves and an ecotourism guesthouse. The Environmental Center plays an important role in helping alleviate the impact of water scarcity and environmental degradation on Palestinian communities through education about environmental and water realities and widespread dissemination of conservation measures. The Environmental Center also contributes to poverty alleviation in vulnerable communities through increasing capacity for sustainable, urban agriculture as well as for local provision of ecotourism services through the Environmental Center Guesthouse. FoEME's work with WRAP will compliment the organizations' multilevel approach and ongoing projects. Through its Good Water Neighbors program, FoEME has been working with students and teachers to install water saving devices, including rainwater collection units in communities throughout Israel, Jordan and the West Bank. In addition, the eco-friendly parks established by FoEME incorporate principles of water conservation in their planning and implementation. WRAP's board is made up of individuals with a wide range of relevant expertise including water usage management, corporate sustainability and cross-cultural communication in the Middle East. The combined experiences of the two organizations will contribute to this collaborative endeavor. The organizations will begin by installing rainwater collections units in East Jerusalem and Palestine. The first project of this kind will be conducted at the Sur Bahr Girls School in East Jerusalem. Following FoEME's multilevel approach, the rainwater collection system will also be used as a teaching tool as students and teachers will be incorporated in the design and construction of the unit, and water usage curriculum related to the project will be given to teachers. At the same time, the project will help to bring attention to the need for improved water allocation and usage practices in the West Bank and highlight the benefits of international cooperation and expertise sharing to sustainable global development. FoEME looks forward to working with WRAP and hopes this exciting project will be one of many. Water Resources Action Project Completes Initial Stages of Pilot Project The Water Resources Action Project (WRAP), in cooperation with Friends of the Earth Middle East and Only Green Environmental Center, has finished construction of its first rain harvesting system at the Sur Bahr Girls School in East Jerusalem. The system collects rainwater that runs off the roof and sidewalks of the school into 9 tanks, and has the capacity to collect and store 13,500 liters of water that can be used for flushing toilets, greatly reducing the school’s municipal water usage and related costs. The installation is complemented by a curriculum on water conservation and the impact of beneficially reusing the rainfall collected. The project is raising awareness of water usage among the students and the local community through research combined with hands-on learning. “Working along side the teachers and greater community, WRAP will continue to measure and monitor the system’s effectiveness, providing assistance with education, outreach, and maintenance, all crucial to the sustainability of any such effort,” remarks Marianne Horinko, Chair of WRAP. WRAP will be making its next trip to the Middle East in May of this year to participate in the pilot project dedication and gather information on potential school candidates for the group’s next rain harvesting system. Marianne Horinko named Chair of Water Resources Action Project The recently formed Water Resources Action Project (WRAP) named Marianne Horinko, President of The Horinko Group and former US EPA Acting Administrator as Chair of the DC-based, not-for-profit organization whose goal is to improve water quality for under-served communities in the Middle East. WRAP’s approach is technical and operational, with an emphasis on practical means to improve public health and the quality of life. The membership is drawn from a broad range of political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds operating with strict political, ethnic and religious neutrality. The group is currently finalizing the technical specifications for its initial pilot project, a rain collection unit at Sur Bahr Girls School in East Jerusalem. Completion for the pilot is scheduled for Spring 2011. Read more..
	A Project of Collecting Rainwater A Project of Collecting Rainwater Februery 2011 Introduction: There is no doubt that a big quantity of rainwater that falls annually takes its way in the earth in a way that doesn’t allow people to get benefits from it practically, while people depend on the country net of water or on private wells. As a result, there has been an idea of getting benefits from the wasted quantities of water and that is by using it in the drainage net in the community. This idea has been suggested by Dialogue Center ( Hewar) of Jerusalem which is located in Sur baher, specially the Department of Health Education and Environment Center which is directed by the specialist in environment Ms. Safaa Elyyan, who prepared a study for carrying out the project in one of the schools in the village (Sur Baher School for Girls) which belongs to Jerusalem Municipality. The idea of the project is supposed to be generalized in other schools in the village and the rest of schools in East Jerusalem. Goals of the Project: 1. Using the sources of wasted water correctly and making students become aware of this water by collecting it practically. 2. Making students become aware of the problem that the country has been suffering from for years and which is a result of the few quantities of falling water year after year. 3. Making use of the collected water in the sewage net which leads to saving water of the country net used for the same purpose. This process can save water consumption and it can also save the school’s budget which is put for the monthly water consumption. 4. Increasing the awareness of students to the importance of natural resources and environmental value by providing them with a device which helps them in learning and exploring. This is essential in increasing the awareness of students and whole society for the environment. Funded by: The cooperation and participation of Mr. Danny Livni who is an active lawyer in the field of environmental health and civil rights, particularly in East Jerusalem. The project file was sent to an American Foundation( WRAP) Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production with the cooperation of (Friends Of Earth) Association. On 16\2\2011, a representative group of the foundation visited the school in which the project is to be carried out. The Strategy of carrying out the project: The foundation provided the school with all the equipment needed for the project. It also asked for assistance of specialist and workers who are specialized in installing extensions. Processing the project during one week of that date. Read more..
	Empowerment through Entrepreneurship < Read more..
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