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Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)

Abu Baker Sadiq St. 932, Sheikh Jarrah, P.O.Box 25126 91251 Jerusalem via Israel 00972-2-532 83 98 Email FES

• Mission
• Advocacy
• Social Change
• Information/ News from FES
  • Reports
  • Blogs
• Networking
  • Outreach Partners
• ICT

Mission

FES was founded in 1925 as the political legacy of the first democratically elected President of Germany Friedrich Ebert. The Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert successfully ascended from a simple handworker to the highest office in the country. The Foundation, which was banned by the Nazis in 1933 and not re-established until after World War II, continues today to pursue international cooperation.
 
FES has offices throughout Germany and in over 90 foreign countries. FES in East Jerusalem is one of several offices in the Middle East and works closely with the FES office in Herzliya, Israel to facilitate projects with Palestinians and Israelis.

FES in the Palestinian Territories works in pursuit of pluralism and democracy and supporting stable economic and social development in the Middle East. Equal rights for women and the promotion of broad human rights are of special significance.

The FES offices in the Palestinian Territories aim to contribute to the attainment of immediate peace between Israel and Palestinians as well as a more comprehensive security arrangement between Israel, the Arab world, Iran and Turkey.

More concretely, this means that the FES supports democratic forces and actors in their work to create peace. This takes place, for example, through the organization of political forums, training programs, dialogue between legislators and public relations work in which creative approaches to solving the conflict and political intervention strategies are discussed. The FES thereby supports the discourse between Europe, Germany and the regions in conflict on central questions of political transformation.

Advocacy The Arabic banner reads "We call for the international community as well as Arab and international human rights organizations to exert pressure to end the suffering and human rights abuses of Palestinians at the Rafah border crossing and re-open immediately"

• The activities of FES are comprised of the following areas: implementation of long-term projects and short-term activities, workshops and consultations with the support of German experts for local political actors, exchange and diaglogue programs with youth and young adults, promotion of the participation of Palestinian academics and experts in discussion forums on specific issues in the region and abroad, and political analysis and coverage of the current situation in the region.

• In cooperation with WATC, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung established five internet centres for women in Hebron, Salfit, Qalqilya, Khan Younis and Gaza. Starting from computer classes, the centres’ objective is also to be an 'open house' for all women to organize themselves and support each other.

• FES established a Youth Program to establish a link between Palestinian and German Youth.  In addition, the organization has created a workshop for first time voters to raise awareness about democracy, human rights, nonviolence and gender.

• FES launced a project called the 'Cine-Club: Identity and Refugees' to raise awareness about the Palestinian refugee problem and how it compares to other refugee issues around the world.

• FES held a forum made up of experts from Israel, Palestine and Berlin to discuss the future of Jerusalem.  The result was an agreement that Jerusalem's status is an issue that should be dealt with now, rather than saved for final negotiations.

• FES was able to hold a workshop that brought together important decision makers from the Palestinian Territories and Israel.  Expectations and demands were laid out by both sides resulting in a clarification of the framework for new negotiations.

• The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in the Palestinian Territories has undertaken four major areas of focus for 2006-2008: 1. Political Transformation, 2. Economic and Social Policy, 3. Support for Civil Society, and 4. International Dialogue .

• For more of FES recent projects and events, visit their "Recent Work" page.

Information/ News from FES This poster is from the Peace Education Seminar at the Al-Aqsa University in Gaza. The poster says "No to Security Chaos, Yes to Peace and Tolerance within Society"

• Reports

FES's website hosts a collection of reports and analyses, as well as other publications.

• Blogs

AP Peace Fellow, Erin Wroblewski, is volunteering with FES this summer.  Read her blog.

Networking The photograph below shows a training FES did with WATC in Nablus of female members of local councils entitled "Empowering Women in Democracy"

Outreach Partners

• Ministries of Finance and Planning
• National Society for Democracy and Law (NSDL)
• Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS)
• Women's Affairs Technical Committee (WATC)
• Health Development Information and Policy Institute (HDIP)
• Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre (JMCC)
• Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)
• International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC)

For more information about networking with FES, email them.

ICT

• Connectivity

Visit FES's website to sign up for their email newsletter.

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