Capacity for
Peace and Democracy
in Palestine

A collaboration between

Al-Azar University, AAUJ, and Common Bond Institute (CBI)
in cooperation with the International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)
and a consortium of professional organizations internationally

to assist
Al-Azar University in Gaza and
Arab American University in Jenin (AAUJ), West Bank, Palestine,

in establishing

1. A Center for Conflict Resolution and Human Rights

2. A pool of visiting professors and 4 year curriculum in Civil Society (democratic studies, conflict resolution/mediation, human rights, government, political science, economics/business), and in Human Services (psychology/social work/counseling, education, medical health services, sociology).

To help prepare future leaders in Palestinian civil society and local professionals skilled in providing critical human services to the population; all to increase capacity for a viable, peaceful Palestinian nation. To date a large group of professionals who have stepped forward to volunteer to be part of a visiting professor pool for these universities.

1. Establishing a Center for Conflict Resolution and Human Rights with an attached terminal degree, to include conflict resolution, mediation, community intervention, peace studies, human rights. (*Note: This center has since been officially established by Al-Azar University and the curriculum is currently under development).
   
2. Providing vitally needed courses in Human Services (psychology/social work/counseling, health services, education, sociology) and Civil Society (democratic studies, government, political science, organizational/community development, economics, business). The intent is to provide as much immediate skills training and education as possible, and to also provide sufficient curriculum and faculty for establishing terminal degrees in both Human Services and Civil Society. The recipients of these degrees will then not only become service providers for the society but a trained pool of university faculty to continue these curriculums in the future.
   
3. Expand and develop programs of the existing Center for Continuing Education and Community Services to provide increased exposure to basic, healthy concepts and effective skills in nonviolent communication for the general public for increased awareness and to help in overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of social and economic progress.
   
4. Creating opportunities for NGO's and community based institutions like Al-Azar University and AAUJ, and other universities and schools in Palestine and Israel to cooperate on issues that promote understanding, acceptance, reconciliation, and forgiveness, to promote positive visions of each society, and to enhance human services and civil society in both. The hope is that such collaboration can also lead to co-hosting one of the planned international conferences on concepts of "The Other."
   

Providing a pool of VISITING PROFESSORS to supplement Al-Azar University and AAUJ faculty - at least until they become established and carry the load on their own - by offering assistance ranging from brief 1 week seminars to full semester or year long courses at the Al-Azar University and AAUJ sites. Professors who provide brief trainings donate their time but their travel and accommodations would be covered through funding we are seeking. Those who can commit to a longer-term stay (from a semester to a full academic year) would also receive a very modest salary (very modest in terms of US standards but more than enough to live quite comfortably in Palestine).

The true reward for this personal investment of time, energy, and expertise will be in playing a key role in helping to lay the cornerstone for an independent, viable, and democratic Palestinian state.

Developing a comprehensive, 4 year CURRICULUM for terminal degrees in Civil Society and Human Services, including web based distant learning programs.

Generating a sufficient body of EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING MATERIALS and PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE RESOURCES, including access to web based resource libraries.

Securing ENDORSEMENTS from PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS and RECOGNIZED ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS internationally to add credibility to the degree work of Al-Azar University and AAUJ.

As an option, periodically key Al-Azar University and AAUJ professors could be brought for a limited time to cooperating universities and schools for ADVANCED TRAINING directly related to their responsibilities in teaching and mentoring faculty and students.

Although student/faculty exchanges would be appealing in the future, the primary focus at this point is creating learning opportunities "locally" within the Palestinian society for the largest number of students to access. The most immediate goal is to populate the society with such trained professionals to increase local capacity for providing crucially needed human services, public education, and for reforming the government. Utilizing indigenous educational systems like Al-Azar University and AAUJ to train and orient as many local professionals as possible as soon as possible is seen as the best way to accomplish this.

Al-Azar University and AAUJ are in need of support to both maintain their academic programs and expand in ways critically needed for the positive development of the capacity for peace and democracy in Palestinian society. They are two of only a few key educational institutions seen by Palestinian intellectuals and reformers as the best hopes and essential vehicles for developing a core group of new, representative leaders and mentors. Such a pool of enlightened, well equipped leaders in Palestinian civil society has the potential to create the best means for evolving and transforming into a mature, progressive nation; one with the full capacity to positively deal with both domestic and international relationships in effective, cooperative, mutually beneficial ways.

This collaboration with key stakeholders offers a unique opportunity for highly effective approaches in psychology, education, health services, governance, and conflict transformation to be placed into the mainstream as a central theme and foundation of newly birthing institutions of higher education in Palestinian society, and preparing it's leaders - both in the immediate future and the next generation. In doing so it has a clear potential for making a substantial contribution to the process for peace that can have profound and far reaching effects in the region.

Capacity for Peace and Democracy in Palestine is a time limited effort designed to allow Al-Azar University and AAUJ firmly establish and develop their programs, and then rely on them to complete their mission - a mission that benefits the world outside it's borders as well.