MASHAV -ISRAEL’S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION CONTENTS
1 FROM THE DESK OF THE HEAD OF MASHAV HAIM DIVON
3 THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS – IMPLICATIONS FOR WOMEN MCTC’S 26TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN LEADERS MAZAL RENFORD AND YVONNE LIPMAN
11 ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE TRILATERAL COOPERATION PROJECT ISRAEL-GERMANY-ETHIOPIA RONIT GOLOVATY
14 EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THE EDUCATOR AS A LEADER AND AGENT FOR SOCIAL CHANGE YUDITH ROSENTHAL AND EYAL BLOCH
17 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC PLANNING UNITS A TOOL FOR ADDRESSING STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES
AT LOCAL LEVEL BERNARD OBERA AND YOSSI OFFER CONTENTS 21 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR REAL-WORLD CHALLENGES ABBY LUTMAN AND CLIVE LIPCHIN
25 A PARTNERSHIP FOR PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY SUZANNE GUY GOICHMAN
27 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AN ONGOING COMMITMENT ILAN FLUSS
29 SHALOM CLUBS
31 MASHAV NEWS
39 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
MASHAV Shalom Magazine for the Alumni of MASHAV Training Courses is Israel’s Agency for International published by Haigud Society for Transfer of Technology. Development Cooperation Haigud, a government company and non-profit organization, serves Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the financial and administrative arm of MASHAV, and functions as a professional unit to assist in the implementation of MASHAV activities. State of Israel II 1 F t the Millennium Summit in September 2000 world leaders adopted the A UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global ROM partnership to reduce extreme poverty and aiming to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
The MDGs are the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific
development goals the world has ever agreed upon. These eight time-bound THE goals provide concrete targets for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions. They include goals and targets on income poverty, hunger, maternal and child mortality, disease, inadequate shelter, gender inequality, environmental
degradation and forming a global partnership for development. D
The UN Millennium Declaration and the MDGs are an important point of
reference for MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation. ESK Through MASHAV, Israel shares with the world its accumulated knowledge and new technologies to confront and overcome these challenges, helping others to look for innovative solutions to pressing development problems.
As the world moves forward in the 21st Century sustainable development can be OF perceived as a global effort for protecting and enhancing the quality of life within ever–decreasing environmental limits. Sustainable development is about meeting
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to THE meet their own needs. H EAD
OF MASHAV
Head of MASHAV Ambassador Haim Divon and The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, Mr. Mafa E. Chipeta, sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Addis Ababa in July 2010, to promote technical collaboration and the development of capacity building strategies in East Africa’s Sub-Region
II 1 At the official opening of the International Conference of Women Leaders on “The Global Financial Crisis – Implications for Women,” held at the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC)
In more than 52 years, over 260,000 professionals from all over the world have participated in MASHAV programs both in Israel and abroad. They have become MASHAV’s ambassadors of goodwill, disseminating cooperation ideals and objectives, expanding the knowledge they acquired, adapting it to the realities of their own countries.
This issue of Shalom Magazine presents some of MASHAV’s efforts, through its specialized training professional extensions, in promoting development cooperation, human resources development and capacity building, towards the 2015 target date for reaching the Millennium Development Goals.
The challenges we face in reaching these goals are significant, yet we are proud that we can contribute our expertise to make for thousands of people the difference between a life of deprivation and suffering and a future of hope and opportunity.
Sincerely,
AMBASSADOR HAIM DIVON
Head of MASHAV Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation
2 THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS – IMPLICATIONS FOR WOMEN
MCTC’S 26TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN LEADERS
MAZAL RENFORD AND YVONNE LIPMAN
ince its very beginnings in 1961, as a first international training center for women from Sthe developing world, The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC) established within the framework of MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – has been holding biennial International Conferences for Women Leaders for women active in public life in the developing and industrialized countries, often on topics which the United Nations has declared to be of current international concern.
In recent years these conferences have taken place in cooperation with renowned international bodies, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), on Migration and Gender Issues within the Millennium Development Goals (2005) or with the Division for Women and Gender Equality, UNESCO, on Women’s Leadership for Sustainable Planning (2007).
In November 2009 the 26th conference in the series was held, together with MASHAV, in cooperation with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) of the United Nations Secretariat, headed by United Nations Assistant Secretary General, Rachel Mayanja.
The topic preoccupying the world in that year was the catastrophic crisis threatening the global financial system. Although such crises have been recurrent throughout the history of the modern financial system, sometimes threatening near systemic failure, such as in the developing countries’ debt crisis of the 1980s and the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, this one seemed more severe and even more alarming than previous ones.
Although this crisis had originated in the developed regions of the world and had its initial impact in these same regions, it was bound to have a severe impact on the economies of developing regions as well. Indeed its unprecedented magnitude and scope posed a very real threat to the world’s poorest people, of which women account for the great majority, and consequently also to efforts at poverty reduction and to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As poverty eradication and advancement of the socio-economic status of women are MCTC’s very statement of purpose, this topic came close to our hearts.
The Global Financial Crisis – Implications for Women Conference was designed “to examine the gender dimensions and implications of the financial crisis.” For, as the concept paper prepared by OSAGI explained, in many parts of the world the demand for home-care had been increased by the large numbers of people affected by HIV and AIDS, and this demand still had to be met despite the crisis. Implications for the gender division of labor had also to be discussed. In addition, the Conference addressed the specific role played by the UN and other major international organizations in ensuring a gender-sensitive response to the crisis.
2 3 UN Assistant Secretary General, UN Assistant Secretary General on Economic Development, Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Head of the Office of Prof. Jomo Kwame Sundaram (DESA) the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) of the UN Secretariat
To rise to this challenging agenda, a powerful and and on the international community, in terms of the MDGs enthusiastic group of 51 high-level leaders and experts and gender sensitivity. Other delegates demonstrated their from 29 countries and eight international organizations countries’ micro-achievements – developed because of attended the Conference. The delegates, predominantly women’s special vulnerability to the global financial crisis. women, included government ministers from Benin, We were honored too by the presence of United Nations Burkina Faso, Kenya, Ghana, Panama, Peru and Latvia, the Assistant Secretary General on Economic Development, First Lady of Ethiopia, parliamentarians, experts from the Prof. Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Dept. of Economic and academic, legal, scientific and business world and senior Social Affairs (DESA). As Keynote Lecturer at the Opening officials from international, intergovernmental and non- Ceremony, he shared the top table with OSAGI Head Rachel governmental organizations, including the UN specialized Mayanja, Gila Gamliel, Israel’s Deputy Minister for the agencies UNESCO, UNIDO, INSTRAW and UNECE. Advancement of Women at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Ambassador Haim Divon, Head of MASHAV. Early on in the debate, Rachel Mayanja sent a strong message to the delegates: “…It is about time that we took ”We are living in very unusual times” ... when “our fates things into our own hands. We should not sit back and let are intertwined now more than ever” was Prof. Sundaram’s view of the gloomy global economic situation. His others decide for us. How are we going to do that? What are information that in Chinese, “Crisis” means “Opportunity” we going to do? What messages are we going to send to all of and his admission that “it is very important to bring the those who have taken upon themselves the responsibility to gender question centrally into dealing with the crisis decide for us, the responsibility to mess up our world and the which we are experiencing now,” were reflected in the responsibility to complicate our lives and those of our family presentations and debates that followed in the plenary members, our children, and our community? … We are the sessions of the next few days. decision makers for today and for tomorrow, and when we finish we are going to send a loud and a strong message to Speakers showed how the current crisis could – and did everybody …. We need to decide for ourselves what is good – provide an opportunity – whether for financial growth, for us during this very complicated situation globally.” social welfare or education. Marie-Therese Drabo-Keita, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance Rising to this challenge, government ministers and in charge of budget, Burkina Faso, was one of several representatives of international organizations alike discussed women delegates, experts in economic affairs, who stressed the impact of the situation on their national economies that “women are less inclined to take risks” and also that
4 5 women’s returns on investment (which are much less expensive than men’s) are higher.
Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of the Centre for Social Research in New Delhi, India, offered some “Reflections from India”, where women are already part of the solution to the economic crisis. She described some of the strategies that women in India, 92% of whom are in the informal sector, are finding to access credit and gain employment, in order to survive. Getting women better access to credit is crucial, and Dr. Kumari outlined India’s “self-help” group program.
Tala Abu-Taha, General Manager of VARCC-Arabian Communications, Jordan, told everyone that “In the long term, the crisis is an opportunity for governments, private sectors and nonprofit organizations to practice “smart economics” and to turn the global crisis into an opportunity for women.”
The same point was underscored by Dr. Sergei Zelenev, Acting Director of UN INSTRAW (United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women): “As a market, women represent the largest commercial opportunity in the word. Globally they control, according to some estimates, about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, yet many of them, as consumers, feel vastly under-served.”
Argentinean MP Beatriz Rojkés de Alperovich spoke of connections between tackling the poor condition of her state’s basic infrastructure and seeing improvements in mother and child health.
On the social activist front, Pierina Correa Delgado, President of the “Abriendo Caminos Foundation” in Ecuador, declared: “We women, as agents of change, had to take the message into our own hands,” proudly describing some Commission, UNECE, who made a presentation giving the of the projects her Foundation uses to empower women, overall picture of the difficult financial situation in the making them realize they are capable of providing for ECE region, while Doris Hribernigg, Focal Point, Human their families; promoting gender equality and empowering Security Coordination at UNIDO, emphatically illustrated women to fight back against sexual violence and stopping how “Economic empowerment of women is crucial and the spread of AIDS. Less vulnerability results in less has a significant positive impact on sustained economic domestic violence and lower levels of HIV and child labor. growth.”
As for girls’ education, UNESCO speaker S. Gulser Corat, The “loud and strong message” referred to by Rachel Director of the Division for Gender Equality, Bureau of Mayanja in the opening stages of the Conference came Strategic Planning, gave a sense of great urgency to the in the shape of The Haifa Declaration, which emerged current crisis and its implications for women: “The time is from the discussions during the Conference (see box). right,” she told the audience, “to heed the wake-up call Its proposals to countries, governments, international of the present crisis and work towards translating our organizations and individuals regarding the gender commitment to education and gender equality into practice perspective of the financial crisis were drawn up to ensure, with a renewed sense of urgency. It is one battle that we that in fact, not only in Chinese, “Crisis” can really mean cannot lose.” “Opportunity ”. Two other contributors from international organizations were Susan Bartolo, Chef de Cabinet and Secretary of the
4 5 We, women and men and international organizations, who participated in the Conference-Expert Meeting on “The Global Financial Crisis – Implications for Women”, co-organized by the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC), Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), and the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) of the United Nations Secretariat, hereby note with deep concern that the current global financial and economic crisis has had major repercussions on women and girls in all regions of the world.
We reaffirm the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women, the UN Millennium Declaration (2000); UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000); the Monterrey Consensus on Financing Development, Mexico (2002), the World Summit Outcome Document, 2005, and the Doha Statement to Strengthen the Global Partnership for Financing for Development, 2008.
We express our deep appreciation to MASHAV, MCTC and OSAGI on this initiative to highlight the impact of the financial crisis on women.
We are concerned that the crisis is having serious socio-economic consequences for women, especially in poor countries, with higher infant mortality and morbidity; more girls are being taken out of school, and some are turning to the sex trade. Many women have declining incomes, even as they struggle to make ends meet, caring also for family members.
While recognizing the negative effects, we also recognize that the crisis presents opportunities to learn important lessons, and to address the vulnerability of women in national economies.
In this context we strongly emphasize the role of women as important agents of change and urge their full involvement in efforts to stimulate national economies to ensure long- term recovery.
As countries put economic stimulus packages and other measures in place to resuscitate their economies, it is important to note that ultimately the beneficiaries of those policies are the people, not solely the banks and other financial institutions that often receive these packages. By factoring in the needs of people, especially those of women and girls, we stand a better chance of achieving not just Millennium Development Goal #3 that specifically addresses the situation of women, but also all the other internationally
The Haifa Declaration agreed development goals.
We emphasize that even where women’s participation in the labor market has not yet been significantly affected by the financial crisis, their lack of adequate social protection leaves them highly vulnerable. Many women work in the informal economy. Few can rely on social security or other forms of unemployment insurance. Furthermore, since
6 7 women do not live in isolation, but with their husbands, brothers, fathers, sons and other male family members and companions, they share the consequences of the poverty and suffering that arise from the effect of the crisis on men. The care-giving role of women, including in the context of HIV/AIDS, also places them in an even more vulnerable situation.
Recognizing that many women rely on transfer incomes, especially from family members who migrate abroad, we express deep concern about the downturn in remittances which has been reported in some countries in the context of the financial crisis.
We affirm our commitment to women and girls and resolve to use every opportunity to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to mitigate the effects of the crisis on women and girls.
We agree to work together to ensure that adequate data are available on the impact of the crisis on women and to make sure that women have better access to information and to improvements in infrastructure and services, as well as social protection systems, especially essential in times of economic crisis and recession.
Accordingly we hereby call upon Member States:
(a) To ensure that the needs and priorities of women and girls are specifically addressed in policies and interventions to address the crisis;
(b) To mobilize political will and determination in favor of increased representation of women in all sectors;
6 7 (c) To encourage the full engagement of women in decision-making on how to ensure economic recovery in the context of the financial crisis. In this regard, women in all their capacities and realities must be engaged, whether as heads of households, workers, home makers, care givers, persons with disabilities; youth and older persons, rich, poor, employed or unemployed;
(d) To affirm our conviction that providing opportunities for the education, particularly providing universal mandatory primary schooling for all girls and boys, as well as training and health care of girls and women, remains a potent tool for empowerment and for shielding them from current and future crises;
(e) To ensure that support is available to the small-scale enterprises that are often run by women and on which the survival and welfare of many depend;
(f) To engage with women’s groups and other members of civil society who work at the grassroots level, to ensure that the diverse groups of women, who are most affected by the crisis, especially the rural poor, women and girls with disabilities, and the elderly receive the help they need for both their short and long-term needs;
(g) To promote women’s full and equal participation in the labour market, through relevant education programs including technical and vocational training;
(h) To comply with international commitments and multilateral environmental agreements, particularly in the areas of transfer of technology, capacity building,
8 9 provision of new and additional financial resources through efficient and effective mechanisms, and ensure that these benefit women;
(i) To design guarantee schemes and incentives for financial institutions promoting women’s access to credit and entrepreneurship;
(j) To increase health and education budgets and expand allowances and subsidies in education and health, linked to accountability through health checks for women and children;
(k) To enable follow-up, research and monitoring by peer review or by women’s information centers at regional and national and local levels;
(l) To increase sex disaggregated data, leading to gender-sensitive employment creation schemes and gender mainstreaming in the economy;
(m) To encourage public-private-civil society-media partnerships for women’s empowerment, with strategic association between government, universities, civil society and the private sector and strengthening of the legal framework;
(n) To work towards equal sharing of responsibilities through elimination of cultural gender stereotypes.
We urge the implementation of approaches that enhance intergenerational and inter- regional solidarity, recognizing that the most sustainable recovery processes must cut across generational and geographic boundaries.
8 9 We call on donor countries and international organizations:
to ensure that adequate resources are channeled towards support of the empowerment of women to sustain them through the current crisis and to promote their involvement in its resolution;
to ensure in the context of the Paris Agreement (2005) and the Accra Declaration (2008) that gender equality and economic empowerment of women receive priority attention within development planning.
We call on the United Nations, international financial institutions and regional organizations:
to support Member States in their efforts to implement a gender- mainstreaming strategy concerning all economic and financial resources;
to create and widely disseminate information on lessons learned and best practices in tackling the financial crisis and its implications for women.
We urge all governments, policy makers, UN agencies, the international
The Haifa Declaration community at large and the civil society to join us as we pledge our full commitment to ensuring that women are at the center of actions that we take in our countries and in our communities to address the consequences of the global financial crisis.
Haifa, November 10, 2009
10 A DAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
TRILATERAL COOPERATION PROJECT ISRAEL-GERMANY-ETHIOPIA
RONIT GOLOVATY
The writer is a MASHAV agricultural development expert, currently stationed in Ethiopia. She holds a MSc. in Plant Protection from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a MSc. in Forestry and Land Use from Oxford University. She has been a member of the Trilateral Project Management Unit in Ethiopia since 2009.
ver 10 years ago, the United Nations embarked on an enormous challenge: to Otackle some of the world’s most significant problems related to, among others, the eradication of poverty and hunger, education for all and equality. The Millennium Development Goals were not a mere declaration. They are expressions of our common humanity, our common vision for a better world. They provide a clear road map to help those most in need.
MASHAV is committed to development. It shares with other countries Israeli know-how and expertise in order to make a difference. The aspiration to excellence motivates the best researchers and farmers from different nations to mobilize all their effort and energy to develop new species, and to obtain crop yields of higher quality which contribute to the health and welfare of every person.
One of the main crises the world is facing today is climate change and its impact on agricultural activities and food production. The frequency of regular dry and wet periods is declining. Extreme weather conditions such as droughts and flooding are increasing. The variability of precipitation has increased, especially in the semi-arid regions that are characterized by irregular rainfall. Two important strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change are water management and making relevant technologies available to smallholder farmers.
In Ethiopia, 80% of the population is engaged in agriculture, which is the country’s main source of employment, revenue and export earnings. In times of climate change when extreme weather conditions increase steadily, it becomes more and more important to secure food production by assuring irrigation for farmers.
Agricultural development is a priority for the Ethiopian Government. This commitment is being put into action through the Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI) strategy adopted in 1992 which sets irrigation as a major pillar to increased food production and food self-sufficiency for the country.
Experiences of irrigation and water development in Ethiopia over the past five decades suggested that several additional measures had to be taken to support farmer-managed small-scale irrigation projects in order to achieve viable agricultural development in the country and to improve food security. Since Ethiopian farmers are increasingly affected by extreme weather conditions such as droughts and flooding, small-scale irrigation becomes a major tool in adapting to climate change.
10 11 MASHAV irrigation expert, Mr. Elisha Kenig, training in Debre Zeit
In view of the importance and contribution of the irrigated agricultural sector in the national economic development of the country The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia entered a trilateral cooperation with the State of Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany on enhancing irrigated agriculture in Ethiopia. Through this trilateral cooperation, Israel and Germany are providing the necessary expertise and technical support to improve Ethiopian farmers’ capacities to adapt to climate change and to ensure sustainable agricultural development. The project aims, ultimately, to increase the income from irrigated agriculture.
The irrigation project is implemented within the Program for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Ethiopia. The Natural Resources Management Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) of Ethiopia is responsible for the project together with MASHAV, through its professional affiliate CINADCO (the Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation), and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).
The project is planned to be implemented in 12 sites in four Regional States, namely Amhara, Oromiya, Tigray and SNNP Region. In these regions, the land, soil and agro-ecological natural resource base, if complemented with irrigation-water, would materially alter the agricultural production system and help the farmers cope with climate change events. The direct project beneficiaries are the regions’ subsistence farmers with small and medium sized farms. The main objectives of the project are:
Expanding small-scale irrigation schemes in catchment area with sufficient available water resources to enlarge vegetation cover during the dry seasons and improve food production;
12 Closing ceremony of MASHAV-GTZ- Ministry of Agriculture (MoARD) training in Ethiopia: (from left to right) Mr. Sileshi Getahun, Director of Natural Resources Management Directorate at MoARD; Mr. Alon Unfus Asif, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel, Addis Ababa; Ms. Ronit Golovaty, MASHAV agricultural development expert; Dr. Eckart Bode, GTZ-SLM, Director of Operations
Relating irrigation schemes to already-treated watersheds (water and soil conservation measures in place, rehabilitation of erosion gullies advanced) for improved and stable headwater management;
Introduction of water-saving irrigation techniques (improved water conveyance and application) to increase water efficiency;
Concentration on farming of marketable products to generate a stable income base for local farmers, and introduction of high-yielding crops;
Introduction of ways for using treated urban wastewater for irrigation.
The major type of activities to be conducted in the framework of the project are conduction of survey studies on the current situation of irrigated schemes in the four regions of the project and assessment of physical and socio-economical needs and capacity gaps; training and capacity building on water and crop management for all levels of the water management system and users; rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes and farmers’ training centers; and introduction of new irrigation and cropping techniques.
This trilateral cooperation between MASHAV-GTZ-MoARD is an expression of sharing common goals and values, and of special friendly relations between Ethiopia, Germany and Israel. It is a unique example that shows that development is a partnership which unites us all.
12 13 EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
THE EDUCATOR AS A LEADER AND AGENT FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
YUDITH ROSENTHAL AND EYAL BLOCH
Yudith Rosenthal is the director of the Aharon Ofri International Training Center; Eyal Bloch, an educator, is cofounder of the Institute for Education Sustainable Development at the David Yellin Academic College of Education in Jerusalem.
s the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, it is clear to all that we are Aaat the height of an environmental crisis with extremely serious social, economic and cultural implications. The problem of drinking water is widely expected to be one of the most serious crises and water is already being called “the blue gold”. Awareness of the crisis and the search for ways to solve it are no longer confined to restricted circles. The issue is gradually occupying a significant place in every public debate, and it is this debate that gave rise to the idea of sustainable development. The Copenhagen Conference of December 2009 did not lead to international agreements on dealing with the crisis, but notably, in the area of education an impressive document of understandings was created at the UNESCO international conference held in March 2009 in Bonn, on Education for Sustainable Development.
Sustainability is the capacity to meet the needs of the present world population without impairing the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. An activity is defined as a “sustainable activity” if it can be repeated again and again without having harmful or irreversible effects on the environment and on society. Sustainable development means what it says: it does not negate development but examines ways to allow development while conserving our available resources and those of future generations. The idea of sustainable development is innovative in that it does not examine only the mutual relations between man and his physical environment (“environmental sciences”), but also the relation between man’s well-being and social, cultural, ethical and economical components of the environment in which he lives.
Education for sustainable development deals with creating the behavioral and conscious change required in order to adapt our lifestyle to the new environmental reality, for both our well-being and that of future generations; this through the development of environmental literacy, social and ethical sensitivity and civic commitment. Education for sustainable development is fundamentally interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary. It refers to many fields of knowledge, methods of reflection and activity, and ways of life at the individual and community level. “Sustainable communities” are expected to create social and economic systems that conserve the quality of the environmental and natural infrastructures in which they exist and will exist for a long time.
The discussion of the questions of “what is sustainable development” and “what is education for sustainable development” is dynamic and complex. There is a consensus
14 Enhancing environmental awareness via educational actions: Participants in the course on Youth Leadership at the Aharon Ofri International Training Center experience organic farming and construction of environmentally friendly “mud huts” at the Re’ut ecological farm in Meggido
that social change is vital given the dimensions of the environmental, social and economic crisis that we face. Moreover, it is also agreed that every change begins with education. A contemplation of the harsh reality leads to the realization that the role of the teacher and educator must be redefined as an agent of sustainable social change. In recent years, at the Institute for Education for Sustainable Development at the David Yellin Academic College of Education in Jerusalem and at the Aharon Ofri International Training Center, we have developed models, tools and courses that promote social and educational sustainable development for the community, enabling teachers and social activists to become generators of change.
The variety of topics developed is extensive and diversified, from increased efficiency in the fields of energy and water; vandalism; project monitoring and follow-up; and conservation and development of human and biological diversity in the urban environment, to the art of monitoring a program where the physically disabled give courses and workshops to professionals in the field and to companions of disabled people to train them for work with disabled people.
The policy guiding all the activity is that when members of disadvantaged population groups are given the tools and the correct approach, they change from a target population to a community with a mission, from consumers of services and contributions to originators of activities, resources and solutions.
IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOLS
Educational programs for sustainable development are derived from the documents of international agreements signed in recent years, for instance “Agenda 21” (a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by UN organizations, governments and major groups in every area in which human beings impact on the environment), and
15 Environmentally friendly “mud huts”
the international community’s strategy that Israel helped Lifelong learning: the students must acquire the basis to formulate. In all these, the discernible viewpoint is that and the ability for lifelong learning. Such learning development of values for protection of the environment is will prepare them for life in the community and in the no longer just one more subject out of the school curriculum, workplace. but rather a vital organizing principle of contemporary Equality: fairness and equality are concepts that every education. Therefore an innovative school model is required student expects; even though they are self-evident, they for its implementation based on a multidisciplinary are not always expressed in the distribution of the school combination of the contents of all the fields of study, in resources and in daily administration. These values both formal and informal frameworks, and with emphasis constitute the basis for a feeling of well-being and on the field of knowledge and educational events that growth of individuals and communities. lead to dealing with the subject in the school and in the environment. Aspiring for peace: its manifestation in the school can be expressed in the way in which conflicts are resolved. Decisions of the Ministry of Education in Israel led to the drafting of principles of study and action for integration of the concept of sustainable development into the study Sustainable development is located at the point where program, including social and environmental literacy and the environment, the economy and society converge. The extracurricular study as a pedagogic strategy. education system is also at this junction. Consequently, the education system is responsible for constituting the vanguard to lead and orientate the world trend in favor BASIC VALUES IN EDUCATION FOR of sustainable development. This is the aspiration at the theoretical level. In reality, experience shows that one of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT the problems arising with the introduction of new subjects Respect for the environment: including people – it is is the difficulty of the formal systems in accepting them. All essential for this basic value to be imprinted in the entire the schools need to commence a process of learning and running of the school. internalization. The reason for this is simple: we have no alternative. Sustainable development is crucial. It imposes Democracy: principles such as the ability to influence, itself upon us because we are responsible for securing the to take responsibility and to participate are essential for future of our children. the advancement of sustainable development in the school. This value must be implemented amongst all those attending the school.
16 17 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC PLANNING UNITS ATOOLFOR ADDRESSING STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES AT LOCAL LEVEL
BERNARD OBERA AND YOSSI OFFER
Bernard Obera is a Social Sector Specialist at Millennium Cities Initiative (MCI) in Kisumu. Yossi Offer is the Director of Training at the Weitz Center for Development Studies.
evelopment takes place at the local level. Central governments have an Dimportant role in setting overall policies, in creating conditions enabling legal and administrative frameworks, and in mobilizing resources. However, the development arena is the local level, where all stakeholders – residents, local organizations, central government officials, international organizations, business sector, civil society and others – come together. The local government is the primary institutional presence and has the power to mobilize and channel development actions
Yet, in many developing countries, the weakness of local governments is a key challenge in managing development processes. In recent years, due to decentralization processes and expectations of residents and stakeholders, local governments have had to broaden their responsibilities. However, there are some issues that limit the abilities of local authorities to lead and manage development processes: the government’s basic structure, the political and organizational culture, and the fact that local authorities tend to focus on service delivery.
Strategic planning – as a framework for action – is one of the significant tools that enable local governments to cope with far-reaching responsibilities geared to promote development. Strategic planning requires the integration of professional knowledge and capacities, and the creation of organizational platforms. This enables local governments to promote the best practices and manage the development process through harnessing local resources, assets and opportunities to achieve strategic goals. In many cases, local governments in developing countries lack these capacities and platforms. As a result, development opportunities are missed and there are difficulties in leveraging external initiatives for sustainable local development.
In the mid 1980s, a model was successfully established in Israel to assist local authorities – the Municipal Strategic Planning Unit (MSPU). Units based on this model were designed to lead and promote strategic planning processes, identify and create assets and opportunities for development, and improve the work of local authorities.
MSPU PILOT IN KISUMU, KENYA
Based on preliminary discussions held with UN-Habitat, the Ministry of Local Government and the Association of Local Authorities in Kenya, MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International
16 17 Development Cooperation – and the Millennium Cities Initiative (MCI) collaborated on adapting Israel’s MSPU concept to the needs of the Municipal Council of Kisumu (MCK), a designated “Millennium City”. The Weitz Center for Development Studies in Rehovot – a MASHAV professional affiliate and leading expert in local and regional development – designed and is currently coordinating the program in full partnership with MCK.
With an estimated population of 427,000, Kisumu is Kenya’s third largest city, and serves as a trading and transportation hub for the country’s Great Lakes region. It has one of Kenya’s highest poverty levels and one of the worst set of health indicators; consequently, its needs are significant. Kisumu was designated as the first Millennium City by the MCI in January 2006. The Millennium Cities Initiative, a project of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, assists sub-Saharan cities in their efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, thereby helping them to overcome severe poverty.
Kisumu was selected to implement the MSPU pilot project due to its development potential and given the fact that the promotion of the city is a priority of the Government of Kenya and significant development partners. As part of the groundwork for the establishment of the MSPU, professionals from Kisumu participated in capacity development programs in Israel, and on-site interventions were conducted by Israeli experts to work with their local colleagues on establishing and supporting the MSPU during the initial phases.
The development of the Municipal Strategic Planning Unit in Kisumu started with a training program for the mid-level staff, the identification of their local challenges facing the council and an agreement on the steps to be taken towards the formation of the unit. The next steps were focused on identifying local assets and opportunities for development, preparing a road map document defining the role of the MSPU and its working patterns, and identifying and promoting pilot projects.
18 The main functions of Kisumu’s MSPU are:
Acting as a local platform for leveraging external / internal initiatives and resources;
Focusing municipal efforts and capacities on actions that generate development for the achievement of strategic goals;
Promoting crosscutting municipal actions and working patterns;
Adapting and creating municipal frameworks for integrated actions;
Creating learning opportunities.
The MSPU adapts flexible modes of operation – as initiator, supporter, facilitator and promoter – within the different contexts. The types of its outputs are:
Identification of strategic opportunities/needs;
Developing concept papers/plans/strategies/action plans;
Developing frameworks and partnerships for implementation;
Formulating MOUs and organizational platforms for implementation;
Writing of proposals and resources mobilization;
Consensus building and channeling conflicts and challenges into common goals.
The Weitz Center for Development Studies is a global leader in the field of capacity building for local and regional development. The Center’s work is dedicated to enhancing efforts of international agencies, governments, communities, civil society and private sector organizations to achieve social and economic sustainable changes.
The establishment of Kisumu’s MSPU reflects both MASHAV’s and the Weitz Center’s approach to capacity building through adapting and modifying Israeli experience to the local arena and integrating Israeli and local knowledge and experience to strengthen local government as owner and leader of sustainable local development.
18 19 Kisumu and Israeli experts at the World Urban Forum in Rio de Janeiro (from right to left): Yoel Siegel, Strategic Planning Consultant; Bernard Obera; Yossi Offer; Israeli Ambassador to Kenya Jacob Keidar; Amos Avgar, International Development Consultant
Bernard Obera and Yossi Offer participated in the World Urban Forum 5 which was held in Rio de Janeiro in March 2010. The World Urban Forum has turned into the world’s premier conference on cities. The Forum was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing problems facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. It is projected that in the next 50 years, two-thirds of the world population will be living in towns and cities. A major challenge is to minimize burgeoning poverty in cities, improve access of the urban poor to basic facilities such as shelter, clean water and sanitation, and to achieve environmentally friendly, sustainable urban growth and development. During the World Urban Forum, an agenda of events and discussions brought to life ideas drawn from concept documents presented by international specialists in each of the strategic areas. The Israeli delegation successfully ,” and hosted two professional sessions: the first a side event on “Municipal Platforms for Local Strategic Development How to leverage local assets.” the second a training event on “ for strategic local development – Establishing an MSPU
20 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR REAL-WORLD CHALLENGES
ABBY LUTMAN AND CLIVE LIPCHIN
he Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is the premier environmental teaching Tand research program in the Middle East, preparing future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges. Located in the heart of Israel’s Arava desert, on Kibbutz Ketura, the Arava Institute is a unique oasis of environmental education, research and international cooperation. Students and researchers at the Arava Institute explore a range of environmental issues from a regional, interdisciplinary perspective while learning peace-building and leadership skills. The studies are international in scope, with a student body comprised of Jordanians, Palestinians, Israelis and North Americans, as well as other nationalities. The Arava Institute gives Jewish, Arab and other students and researchers a unique opportunity to study and live together for an extended period of time; building networks and understanding that will enable future cooperative work and activism in the Middle East and beyond.
PROMOTING GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
According to leading international organizations, including the World Bank and the Food and Policy Research Institute, agriculture continues to be, even in the 21st century, a critical sector for ensuring sustainable development and poverty reduction throughout the world. Unfortunately, due to poor and ineffective land management and agricultural techniques, desertification of arable lands is contributing to food insecurity and malnutrition in many developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. Today there are over 920 million people facing food insecurity, many of whom rely on agriculture as their main source of income.
Imparting knowledge and practical solutions to combating desertification is a key to significantly improving the lives of countless citizens around the globe. The Arava Institute has been at the forefront of developing solutions to desertification and related issues through the many years of research in sustainable development and dry land agriculture. The Arava desert is one of the harshest environments in the world with an average of only 25 mm of rainfall per year. Yet, despite this aridity, Israeli innovations in agriculture, irrigation and soil and water management has enabled agriculture to thrive in the Arava. The Arava Institute has led the way in many research and development programs such as the identification of desert-adapted species for cultivation. Much of this research has been conducted jointly with colleagues on the Jordanian side of the Arava valley. Drawing on its many years of experience in the field the Arava Institute is now sharing its expertise with other countries facing similar challenges.
It is precisely this experience that stood behind the MASHAV 2009 program at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, an effort conducted in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. As a world leader in research, development and
21 implementation of strategies for mitigating desertification, hydrological strategies and information on native and Israel, through organizations such as the Arava Institute, desert-adapted plant species. With the twin goals of actively fulfills a responsibility to share the knowledge and promoting methods for improving both food security and skills it possesses to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of economic opportunity, the joint MASHAV-Arava Institute millions of impoverished individuals. program improved participants’ knowledge base with the ultimate hope of improving the capacity of each The MASHAV program gathered together 17 professionals participant’s home country to develop and apply necessary employed in the fields of research, education, and strategies to mitigate desertification. policy making. Together, they focused on problems of desertification and drought as well as the interrelated The program specifically sought to: issues of land, agriculture and rural development. These Improve the participants’ knowledge of established professionals, with diverse backgrounds in agro-forestry, strategies and policies to combat desertification; conservation and endangered plant species, desertification Improve the capacity of the participants’ home country mitigation, land reclamation and sustainable agriculture, to develop and effectively apply relevant strategies; traveled to Israel from their homes in Brazil, China, Kenya, and India, Nigeria and Samoa, to benefit from the extensive expertise on sustainable agriculture in arid climates Provide participants with expert advice on specific developed at the Arava Institute. questions they may have regarding use of their native plants, as well as the utilization of imported species. The training was spearheaded by the Arava Institute’s In addition, the training program utilized the extensive Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which is directed by expertise of sustainable agriculture in arid climates, Dr. Elaine Solowey, and which works collaboratively with developed over many years at the Arava Institute, to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and other research present a variety of desertification mitigation strategies institutions in the area. The Center is a regional and and alternative agricultural practices appropriate to international leader in the fields of desert and sustainable semi-arid and arid regions. To best meet the participants’ agriculture and houses a variety of research programs in expectations of learning practical solutions to actual desert agriculture, medicinal plants, crop genetics, and problems, lectures covered topics about endangered and efficient irrigation and bio-fuel programs. locally extinct plants, plant domestication, water-thrifty The training in the program aimed to impart practical perennials, carbon sequestration, plant sources of ethanol, methods for reversing trends of soil degradation, including and policy aspects of desertification control.
22 The Arava Institute also coordinated field trips to active research sites to supplement the lecture series. The first trip was to the regional agricultural research and development station. The second was to the Yatir Forest in the northern Negev to demonstrate how the regeneration and reclamation of native species has helped restore an ecosystem that was severely degraded by over grazing and erosion. Participants also toured the Dead Sea region to learn about measures being taken to halt the water level decline that is occurring in the Dead Sea due to over-exploitation of the northern Jordan River’s watershed.
The Arava’s Institute Center for the Sustainable Development of Arid Lands was launched recently. The Center will act as the focal point for the international programs being carried out by the Institute. The Center is also a partnership with other institutions working in similar fields in the Arava including the Agricultural Research and Development Station at the Eilot Regional Council, the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center and the Renewable Energy Initiative of the Eilot Regional Council. Together, these institutions offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the sustainable development of arid lands. The new Center for the Sustainable Development of Arid Lands at the Arava Institute will coordinate and facilitate the international work of these institutions. Projects already under way at the Center include a number of initiatives in Kenya.
The Arava Institute, together with the support of MASHAV, is partnering with the Millennium Villages Project based in western Kenya to provide training in rainwater harvesting and irrigation to farmers in the Sauri village district. The Institute has developed a family water system that provides a whole-life-cycle approach to water management for rural communities that lack access to clean water and electricity. The system being developed provides for water capture, storage, distribution and treatment for both irrigation and domestic water use. The system is currently being tested at the Arava Institute and will be ready for training purposes in Kenya later this year.
22 23 The developing world faces many challenges. With expertise in diverse fields relating to the environment and international cooperation, the Arava Institute, in partnership with MASHAV, is uniquely qualified to promote global development by addressing key environmental issues that contribute to poverty and poor health standards throughout the developing world. Affiliated with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Arava Institute has extensive experience in educating and training students from around the world. As a research institution, its researchers are on the cusp of developments in a wide array of environmental fields including sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and energy conservation, integrated water resource management, air quality research, ecological research and more. Through its various research departments, the Arava Institute provides opportunities for practitioners from the developing world to gain insight into topics that are relevant to improving the environment and quality of life in a practical manner in their home countries.
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24 25 A PARTNERSHIP FOR PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY
SUZANNE GUY GOICHMAN
This article was written in memory of Prof. Dr. Maya Glasserman-Almog, the founder and director of the Center for Cooperation and Advancement, who left us prematurely. All her colleagues and friends at MASHAV and around the world will remember her forever.
ommunity policing is a recent major reform in police forces that changes the Cway police think and act. The movement toward community policing has gained momentum in recent years as police and members of the community search for more effective ways to promote public safety and to enhance the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
Community policing expands police efforts to prevent and control crime. The police no longer view the community as a passive presence or a source of limited information, but as a partner in this effort. Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues. Within this framework, the police force forms a partnership with the members of the community, giving citizens an opportunity to have an input in the law enforcement process in exchange for their support and participation.
Israel’s civil guard (including community policing) is the country’s largest volunteer organization, with more than 70,000 members. Some of them – security civil guard volunteers – are mainly engaged in the prevention of terror acts and crimes, and others – volunteers in the specialized units – are divided into various sectors (traffic, patrol, detective work, border guard, and more) and professionally assist the police forces. In most units the activity is carried out in full police uniform. The system of integrating volunteers into the Israeli police force was built in a special, unique and effective way and includes all sectors of society.
In March, 23 professionals from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan arrived in Israel to participate in a course on “Police and Community.” The course was offered by MASHAV through the Center for Cooperation and Advancement (CCA), one of MASHAV’s professional affiliates.
In Israel, community policing rests on the belief that contemporary community problems require a new decentralized and personalized police approach. Therefore, implementation of community policing necessitates fundamental changes in the structure and management of police organizations. With this approach in mind, the purpose of the course held in Israel was to transfer Israeli knowledge and experience to high-level police representatives, with the aim of examining the possibility of adapting this system to the realities of their own
24 25 countries, taking into consideration its proven effectiveness in improving police activities and strengthening police-community relations.
As part of the course’s professional program, the participants met with commanders of the Israeli Police and visited the main departments of the police force at various centers, among them the Officers’ and Policemen’s Training School where they participated in the school’s activities including hands-on practice in an especially designed close-combat routine, jointly developed by the Israeli Police and the army. During another activity, the participants joined the police patrol ship in Haifa, and viewed the system and technologies used by the Maritime Police. Professional visits also included the Police’s Logistic Center, and the Police Center at Sderot, where the participants received explanations and demonstrations on how to defend the civilian population in case of a rocket attack.
During the lectures held within the course framework the following themes were discussed: police effectiveness, police-community relations, conflict resolution, crisis intervention, international cooperation, minority employment, behavior under stress, recruitment, police patrol, police-volunteers relationship, and more.
It is hard to imagine police work today without community collaboration. The new system designed in Israel offers a new definition of the role of the police, including a more comprehensive approach to police functions. The foundations of a successful community policing strategy are the close, mutually beneficial ties between police and community members. Effective law enforcement depends upon this cooperation.
26 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION - AN ONGOING COMMITMENT
ILAN FLUSS
The writer is MASHAV’s Director for Policy Planning and External Relations. Previously, he served as Counselor at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations. In his capacity in the mission he was responsible for Israel’s Economic and Social Agenda at the United Nations.
evelopment is a global issue that requires immense attention, resources and Dpolitical will by the international community’s many forums and bodies involved in development such as the United Nations, ECOSOC, OECD, UN funds and programs as well as multilateral development banks and national development agencies. Guided by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by the UN General Assembly, MASHAV’s approach is to ensure social, economic and environmental sustainable development.
One sixth of the human race, 1.2 billion people, live in extreme poverty, defined by the UN as having an income of less than one dollar per day. More than 300 million of these people live in Africa, where they make up almost half of the total population. People living in extreme poverty suffer from starvation, lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation, poor medical care and chronic unemployment. They cannot afford to send their children to school, and they frequently lack suitable clothing, shoes and shelter. Often the population is ravaged by HIV/AIDS and other diseases, by drought, civil war, and isolation from urban centers. Many live without hope for the future.
Coinciding with the UN Millennium Declaration, MASHAV’s first priority is to take part in the international community’s commitment to achieve the MDGs and halve poverty and hunger by 2015. Since its inception, MASHAV’s work in the developing world has been guided by the basic approach that development work is organic in nature. It is impossible to concentrate efforts in one area, such as food security, without providing proper attention to other areas such as health care, community building and education. Only through a sustainable and comprehensive development program can measured results be obtained and the desired impact felt by those who need assistance the most. As no one country or aid agency can single-handedly tackle the causes leading to extreme poverty, the need to coordinate and combine efforts and resources is essential if the donor community and partner countries are to realize the MDGs.
MASHAV’s activities focus primarily on areas in which Israel has a comparative advantage including agriculture and rural development, water resources management, micro-enterprise development, community development, medicine and public health, empowerment of women and education. At the same time MASHAV operates according to the needs and demands originating from the partner countries, as opposed to a supply- initiated program that might not be relevant and effective elsewhere.
27 Programs are based on a “train the trainers” approach to institutional and human capacity building, with professional programs conducted in Israel and in-situ. Project development is supported by the seconding of short- and long-term experts, as well as on- site interventions. Since its establishment, MASHAV has promoted the centrality of human resource enrichment and institutional capacity building in the development process – an approach which has attained global consensus.
In its programs and philosophy, MASHAV adheres to the accepted international principles as stated, among others, in the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development, the Monterrey Consensus, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and the Doha Conference on Financing for Development. The success of development work necessitates responsible and involved political leadership, either on the national or local level, and a cadre of locally based professionals capable of taking ownership, while adhering to regional, national and local development strategies and goals. Moreover, the approach of any development program must be comprehensive, inclusive and carried out in an integrative fashion, thereby endorsing a holistic approach to meeting all basic human needs. Israel’s own development experience enables it to design comprehensive and integrative programs both for urban and rural settings, which are of critical concern to developing countries.
On May 10, 2010, Israel became one of three countries invited, unanimously, to become members of the Organization for International Cooperation and Development (OECD). When Israel gains full-fledged membership in the coming months, it will become part of an important organization dedicated to improving economic, social and environmental policymaking in the interests of citizens of OECD countries and of countries around the world. The OECD is – alongside the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund – one of the three leaders in designing the architecture of the world’s economy.
Joining the OECD brings benefits, advantages and obligations expressed through the country’s Official Development Assistance. In this context, the goals of MASHAV’s International Development Cooperation Program are very much in line with those of the OECD, including, among others, aid effectiveness and country ownership. The economic crisis the world is facing today is a devastating addition to the food crisis, the energy crisis and the climate change crisis. I believe that MASHAV is best positioned to join forces with others in the global efforts to deal with these crises. We have to continue our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through successful international cooperation and partnership. In more than 52 years of activity, over 260,000 professionals from 160 countries and territories have participated in MASHAV’s professional programs. They have become agents of change embarked on the important mission of supporting sustainable development in their own countries, in order to contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world.
28 SHALOM CLUBS
ASHAV maintains contact with many of its former course participants through its network of Mmore than 70 Shalom Clubs worldwide. These clubs serve as a forum for MASHAV alumni to participate in professional and social activities. Members are invited to attend local lectures by skilled experts, to exchange ideas and to organize technical cooperation and humanitarian assistance as well as holding cultural functions. Among the many activities that have been organized by Shalom Clubs have been workshops on professional topics, organization of events to raise funds for local charities, mobilization of club members to donate their professional services for community development and humanitarian activities. Members of the Shalom Clubs play an integral role in determining the focus and scope of
The VII Latin American and Caribbean are ambassadors of goodwill. They express in Shalom Clubs Conference took place very a clear way the friendship and cooperation in November in Lima, Peru. Over 200 existing between Israel and Latin American Shalom Club members participated, representing countries.” Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
ARIBBEAN Israeli Ambassador to Peru Yoav Bar-On Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay,
C addressed the participants, stating that, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The gathering “Knowledge is not the heritage of just one encouraged the exchange of ideas and proposals man, of one nation. It is the heritage of all for influencing the development processes in Latin humankind… I hope that this spirit of mutual American countries. cooperation will deepen the friendship between The festive event was jointly organized by our countries, sharing our faith that people all the Peru Shalom Club and the Embassy of over the world will be able to find constructive Israel. Israel’s Vice Prime Minister and Foreign solutions to the many problems of our time.” Minister, Avigdor Liberman, sent a message to Upon conclusion, a Joint Declaration was signed
MERICAthe AND THE Conference participants, stating that “The by the attending Shalom Club Presidents.
A activities of MASHAV in Latin America for the benefit of development cooperation have been extensive. The graduates of MASHAV courses form The Shalom Club Paraguay gathered
ATIN the nucleus of the continent’s Shalom Clubs, and together in January over 100
L graduates of MASHAV courses and their families, members of the local Jewish
ARAGUAY community and special guests to commemorate
P the Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat (the New Year for Trees). Welcoming remarks were offered by Shalom Club president Lisandro Cardozo, who thanked the distinguished audience for their presence and urged all to continue working for good relations between Paraguay and Israel.
The honorary consul of Israel in Paraguay, Max Haber, congratulated the MASHAV alumni for such a noble initiative, which serves as
29 The annual gathering of the MASHAV graduates from Ecuador, took place in June in the city of Manta. This special event was held within the framework of celebrating CUADOR the State of Israel’s 62nd Independence Day. Over E 150 graduates of MASHAV courses participated in the event, as well as many representatives of governmental bodies in various fields and members of the media. The event was organized by SEADI (the Organization of Friends of Israel) and was hosted by the Ambassador of Israel in Ecuador, Eyal Selah and the Embassy’s staff. During the professional panels held during the gathering, the participants discussed ways to implement the knowledge they had acquired in Israel for the inspiration for other tree-planting projects in benefit of their country. Paraguay, reiterating that the alumni are true ambassadors of Israel. The The honorary consul of Israel in Paraguay, Max Haber, congratulated the MASHAV alumni for such a noble initiative, which serves as inspiration for other tree-planting projects in Paraguay, reiterating that the alumni are true ambassadors of Israel. The location selected for the festivities was the Israel Forest, where there are over 200 trees of native species, many of which are in danger of extinction. Following the welcome messages all the guests enjoyed local delicacies and a colorful artistic dancing program.
The Shalom Club Madagascar met in March with Israeli Ambassador Daniel Saada, who briefed the club members about the existing relations between Israel and
Madagascar. The Shalom Club continuously The President and members of the Shalom encourages its members to maintain contact with ADAGASCAR Club North-West province in Cameroon their training institution in Israel, and also to met in November 2009 with the newly M participate in club activities. appointed Israeli Ambassador to Cameroon, Michael Arbel. The Shalom Club members briefed AMEROON the Ambassador regarding a medical campaign C that they carried out in May 2009 in benefit of the The annual gathering of the Shalom people of the Batibo region, and expressed their Club Georgia took place in April, with the wish to organize more such enterprises. participation of over 300 Shalom Club
EORGIA members. The event included a reception, a concert
G and welcome notes by the Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Georgian Deputy Prime Minister, Temur Iakobashvili and Israeli Ambassador to Georgia Itzhak Gerberg.
30 MASHAV http://mashav.mfa.gov.il News
M A S H AV SE M I NA R ON GL OBA L CL I M ATE CH A N G E
A seminar on “Israel’s Preparations for Climate Change” moral, economic and political importance. We live in an took place at the Foreign Ministry in January. The seminar environment of deficiency, especially in Israel, which has was jointly organized by MASHAV, Israel’s National Agency a shortage of water, and accordingly we must treat the for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign subject with the appropriate seriousness.” Topics at the Affairs, and the Training Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign seminar included reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental implications for the energy industry and the local economy, Protection. Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated and uniquely Israeli aspects of coping with problems in the at the opening of the seminar: “Preserving the wonderful fields of research, technology and business. resources of the planet is an e xistential value for us, with
ISRAEL AND GERMANY SIG N CO OPER ATION AGREEMENT
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dirk Niebel signed an MOU in Berlin in January, regarding development cooperation with emphasis on water and agriculture.
Following the cooperation agreement signed between the two parties in March 2008, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs through MASHAV, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will join forces to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by enhancing cooperation in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia with particular emphasis on G e r ma nFe d e r a lM i n i ste rofE conom icCo op e r at iona nd water management, agricultural development and public D evelop me ntD i rkNieb el( lef t)a ndA mb a s s ad orH a i mD i von, health. He ad of MA S H AV, d u r i ng t he joi nt MA S H AV - I nWe nt s e m i na r
Within this framework, a first joint seminar between MASHAV and InWent – the German Aid Agency – took different approaches of Aid Effectiveness. Federal Minister place in June at MASHAV’s International Training Center Dirk Niebel, who was visiting Israel at the head of a large in Shefayim. MASHAV and InWent development e xperts delegation at the time, joined the seminar and greeted the introduced their respective organizations and discussed participants.
31 MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENT USE OF SCARCE WATER RESOURCES Photo: Hillel Gabai Hillel Photo: A professional course was held in January at CINADCO for professionals from Central Asia and Caucasus Countries. The aim of the program was to share Israel’s knowledge and experience in effective strategies and management of limited water resources and ecological issues; including identification of new water resources and water and soil-saving irrigation technologies in arid and semi- arid conditions, while taking into consideration the adaptability of this know-how to the local conditions of the participants’ respective countries. The course concluded with a professional round-table discussion held at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, including a festive closing ceremony where the 28 experts from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Foreign Minister Liberman (fourth from left) and Affairs Avigdor Liberman. MASHAV course participants at the closing ceremony.
MASHAV AND UNWFP SIGN MOC IN NEPAL Photo: WFP-James Giambrone WFP-James Photo: The United Nations Food Program (WFP) and MASHAV signed in February a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in the field of Water Management, including Irrigation and Drinking Water Systems. The MOC aims at providing a framework for collaborative efforts on international programs and activities by identifying areas of common interest and priorities based on Nepal’s development strategies. This framework of cooperation includes enhancing capacity building programs and the WFP Country Director to Nepal Richard Ragan (left) and Israel strengthening of institutional capabilities. Ambassador to Nepal Dan Stav at the signing ceremony.
FIRST-TIME COOPERATION BETWEEN MASHAV AND NATO: TRAINING FOR MASS-CASUALTY EVENTS
MASHAV, together with NATO and the Rambam Medical doctors, nurses, hospital administrators and first-responder Center in Haifa, held in November 2009 an advanced organizations that deal with treating the injured in mass- course on “The best ways of training for mass-casualty casualty events. Professionals from NATO member states in situations”. This is the first time MASHAV and NATO have Europe as well as former Soviet Union and Mediterranean cooperated on a project. The workshop was designed for states attended.
MASHAV 32 http://mashav.mfa.gov.il News MARKING WORLD WATER DAY AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE WORLD BANK DEVELOPMENT REPORT
A special seminar marking the World Water Day was held in Israel in March, following close cooperation between MASHAV, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Water Authority and the Ministry of National Infrastructures. The international marking of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, where 178 countries, including Israel, ratified “Agenda 21”, which aimed to determine the international environmental agenda for the 21st century.
During the seminar, the World Bank Development Report (WDR) 2010 on Development and Climate Change was Marking World Water Day (from left to right): Ambassador Divon, Ms. Julia Bucknall, and Dr.Yeshayahu Bar-Or, Chief Scientist, presented by leading World Bank representatives: Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection Ms. Julia Bucknall, Sector Manager, Water Anchor, Energy, Transport and Water Department, lead author change, and global cooperation is needed to improve energy of the chapter on Water and Land of the WDR; and Mr. efficiencies and develop new technologies. Countries need to act Andrea Liverani, Senior Social Development Specialist, differently, because we cannot plan for the future based on the Sustainable Development Department, Middle East climate of the past.” and North Africa Region and lead author of the chapter on the political economy of the WDR. Following the WDR presentation, attending leading Israeli representatives from academia, civil society and private and The 2010 Report states that: “Poverty reduction and governmental sectors responded, reviewing the situation in sustainable development remain core global priorities. Israel and focusing on how Israel can contribute to and join Yet climate change must urgently be addressed since the international community efforts in combating the effects of it threatens all countries, with developing countries global climate change. the most vulnerable. A climate-smart world is within our reach. Countries need to act now because today’s The special event ended with a visit to the recently opened decisions determine both the climate of tomorrow desalination plant in Hadera. The new plant, considered the and the choices that shape the future. Countries need largest of its kind in the world and Israel’s third desalination to act together because no one nation can take plant, is now transferring desalinated seawater to the system of on the interconnected challenges posed by climate Mekorot, Israel’s national water company.
THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The 43rd annual meeting of the UN Commission on experts, Prof. Alex Leventhal, Director, Department of Population and Development (CPD) was held in April, International Relations, Ministry of Health; and Prof. Sergio and focused on the issue of “Health, Morbidity, Mortality DellaPergola, The Shlomo Argov Chair on Israel-Diaspora and Development.” Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon, Relations, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, offered Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, acted statements regarding the importance of such issues to as Chairman of the Commission. Two leading Israeli sustainable development.
33 MASHAV-DEVCOM WORKSHOP
A workshop entitled “Maximizing Outcomes with Minimum bring examples of good practice and share their perspectives Resources for Development Communication,” jointly on development communication with limited resources, and organized by MASHAV and DevCom, the Informal Network case studies were presented from Poland, Spain, Slovakia, of DAC Development Communicators, whose secretariat Estonia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. is hosted by the OECD Development Center, took place in Haifa in June.
Many communicators and development experts must cope with managing their communication plans and strategies with small budgets or decreased resources. The challenge is to provide coherence, visibility and clear results for ODA delivery. Being strategic and efficient is essential for achieving results from development communication and convincing key decision makers of the importance of communication efforts. To address these questions, the workshop gathered communication experts to discuss strategies and tools to achieve better outcomes of their communication actions. Participants were encouraged to
MASHAV-CICA SEMINAR ON ADVANCED WATER MANAGEMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN USE
A seminar on “Advanced Water Management for Agricultural and Urban Use” with the participation of representatives from nine member states of CICA (Korea, Thailand, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Jordan and Israel) and from the CICA Secretariat, took place in Israel in May. The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multinational forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.
The seminar was organized by MASHAV and CINADCO, the Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation. The objective of the seminar was to bring together representatives from CICA member states, both at the political and professional level, to share national experiences and exchange views on common challenges, innovative technologies and effective instruments range of water issues. The presentations were followed for water issues management. During the seminar, by discussions and comments by the participants, who Israeli experts from the public and private sectors identified possible implications and relevancy to their own presented Israel’s strategies and experience on a wide water use and management issues.
MASHAV 34 http://mashav.mfa.gov.il News COOPERATION BETWEEN ISRAELI AND TURKISH RESCUE UNITS
A delegation including 10 professionals from AKUT – the between the two units, and which includes the exchange of Turkish Rescue Unit – arrived in Israel in April, to train professional knowledge and training in rescue techniques together with members of Israel’s Arava Search and Rescue in the face of natural disasters. Cooperation activities take Unit. This special program, under MASHAV’s auspices, was place three times a year both in Turkey and in Israel. held within the framework of a cooperation program existing
ISRAEL INVITED TO JOIN OECD
In May the Organization for International Cooperation and sectors in Israel’s society and economy, including in the Development (OECD) invited Israel to become a member of fields of environment, education and employment. The the organization. The unanimous decision, taken by the 31 improvement and upgrading process will continue even member states, recognizes Israel’s achievements, economic after Israel joins the OECD as part of the government’s strength and ability to contribute to the organization and commitment to ongoing peer review by the organization to the world’s economy. Becoming a member state of the and to adjust its regulation policy to the standards held by OECD will lead to economic advances and enhance Israel’s member states. image, as well as improving the functioning of various
OECD ANTI-BRIBERY CONVENTION
According to Israel’s obligations as a member of the “OECD and at all diplomatic missions. Within this framework, in Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials June MASHAV’s Director of Planning and External Relations in International Business Transactions”, the Ministry delivered a presentation during a special gathering of of Foreign Affairs is committed to act according to the MASHAV’s training centers and affiliates, to increase Convention, ensuring that it is implemented at all levels awareness of the Convention.
35 Photo: OAS ONGO C sign the MOU. ASTERN E MOU IN
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza (right) and IGN the Ambassador of Israel to the United States, Michael Oren, ENTER C -OAS S URNS B SRAEL
I News http://mashav.mfa.gov.il MASHAV 36 STABLISHING E surgical surgical skills level and for creating a center for reparative plastic surgery for the Congolese population. Combining modern training, equipment, supplies, is a multi-phase effort. the project follow-up, evaluation and Working Working together with hospitals, Israel’s the medical exchange effort will bring Rambam expertise and and Soroka initiative together for the purpose of expanding the and skin trauma is nonexistent. This burns center will be the be will center burns This nonexistent. is trauma skin and first ever established in eastern Congo. almost the entire population continues to cook over open medical to access limits acutely insecurity constant and fires care, burns and their crippling, disfiguring are after-effects burns basic for treatment modern Yet widespread. relatively Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The will be housed Center in the large Central Hospital in Bukavu, in eastern Congo. In a country of 65 million people, where MASHAV, together with the Israeli nonprofit aid organization organization aid nonprofit Israeli the with together MASHAV, Moriah Africa, and the Los Angeles-based Jewish Watch World Organization, joined hands to establish a Burns Michael Oren, who signed the memorandum General. Miguel Insulza, the OAS Secretary with José which reflects Israel’s vision of sharing responsibility with challenges global the confronting in world the of nations the that we face,” said Israeli Ambassador to Washington permanent observer status, for Latin Americans. programs fellowships and training and offers a number of “We attach great importance to this special agreement prevention prevention and relief, agriculture, security and combating terrorism, and crisis management. Israel has operated in the OAS sphere since at least 1972, when it was granted at OAS headquarters in Washington pledges to economic environment, advance education, on collaboration existing and social development, poverty, gender equity, disaster Israel and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed (OAS) States American of Organization the and Israel of decades consolidating Understanding of Memorandum a development cooperation. The agreement signed in May MCTC GOES INTO THE COMMUNITY
The Golda Meir International Training Center – MCTC, in cooperation with the Israel National Commission for UNESCO, hosted in April, a three-week International Workshop on Media Strategies for Social Change for 27 media-professionals from 17 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. To mark the conclusion of the workshop, the participants exhibited their final projects composed of many photographs, audio-visual displays and videoed interviews, in the heart of the local community where they spent time filming, photographing and interviewing the multi-ethnic population of the Upper Hadar area of the City of Haifa, just a short subway ride from MCTC.
ISRAELI DELEGATION ADDRESSES IFAD’S GOVERNING COUNCIL
The 33rd session of Governing Council of IFAD, the Now is the time to make a difference and implement those International Fund for Agricultural Development, took place commitments for the good of smallholder farmers and the in February in Rome. Mr. Ilan Fluss, MASHAV’s Director rural poor. The solutions are in our hands. Technologies, of Policy Planning and External Relations Department, R&D, technology transfer and know-how; capacity building, addressed the forum, stating that: “As the title of the empowerment and good farm management are part of the meeting today says, we have witnessed many summits, way forward. We have now to implement them.” meetings and international resolutions and commitments.
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT TRAINING IN THE MALDIVES
The tsunami that hit the Maldives in 2004 brought up of a governmental office, under the responsibility of the the critical need to be prepared for action in case of Presidential Office, which will centralize all activities related any future large-scale natural disaster. With that aim in to dealing with large-scale emergencies and disasters at the mind, the President of the Republic ordered the creation national level.
37 In January 2010 a team of MASHAV experts headed by professionals developed joint protocols for all relevant MASHAV’s medical advisor Dr. Yosef Baratz arrived in the agencies to follow in times of emergencies. This joint Maldives to conduct a professional training program on activity is an additional important step in strengthening emergency preparedness, with the purpose of transferring the relationships between the two countries. Additional Israeli know-how in the field of emergency relief, while cooperation is being considered in the areas of agriculture practicing different models of reaction to various scenarios. and emergency medicine. During the two-week course Israeli and Maldivian
ISRAELI EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO HAITI Photo: IDF Spokeperson IDF Photo: Following the devastating earthquake which hit Haiti, an emergency Israeli delegation comprised of medical and search and rescue personnel arrived in Port-au-Prince on January and set up a field hospital in a soccer field near the airport.
The field hospital included 40 doctors, 25 nurses, paramedics, a pharmacy, a children’s ward, a radiology department, an intensive care unit, an emergency room, two operating rooms, a surgical department, an internal department and a maternity ward. The hospital could treat approximately 500 patients each day, and in addition Chief Medical Office Col. Dr. Ariel Bar, and Lt. perform preliminary surgeries. The delegation operated in Col. Dr. Haim Levon at work in the Israeli field hospital Haiti for two weeks. in Haiti
UKRAINE
In October 2009 Ukraine’s Ministry of Health announced health threat. Two days later, and in response to the request, the confirmation of pandemic H1N1 2009 virus infection. MASHAV, together with the Foreign Ministry’s Euro-Asian This virus has shown its ability to cause rapidly progressive Department, organized and sent to Kiev an emergency respiratory complications. Following the announcement, shipment including medications to treat the pandemic Ukraine’s Foreign Minister contacted Israeli Foreign Minister complications, as well as medical equipment and protective Avigdor Liberman requesting assistance in the face of the gear for the medical teams.
EYE CAMP IN KAZAKHSTAN
A team of ophthalmologists from Israel’s Enaim Medical Centers, headed by Dr. Shmuel Levinger, were sent by MASHAV to organize an eye camp in Qaraghandy, Kazakhstan. During the week-long mission, the Israeli team performed 56 cataract operations, and trained local ophthalmology professionals.
Dr. Shmuel Levinger at work in Kazakhstan
MASHAV 38 http://mashav.mfa.gov.il News LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Since ornamental fish breeding and culture is my subject of research, I have disseminated the technology and visual experience I gained witnessing Dear Readers: aquaculture practices in kibbutz Ma’agan Michael, for the benefit of Shalom Magazine has long been one of the main links between the poor farmers in rural areas, to MASHAV and its thousands of graduates all over the world, addressing improve livelihood security. Of course the many issues that lie at the core of development. Over the years we the breeding technology of ornamental have worked hard to ensure that the magazine reaches all those who fishes modified as per the climatic share the commitment to strive for the development and advancement condition of the region. of their country. In 2003 we also conducted a training We encourage dialogue among our readers and invite you to submit program at CIFA (ICAR), Bhubaneswar your comments and professional reports. As computers become more on Aquaculture Production Technology accessible, many more of you are going on-line. If you have an e-mail with the help of Israeli experts, Mr address, please forward it, enabling us to update our database and Moti Feldite and team from kibbutz provide you with more professional information. Gan Shmuel, with the participation of many local experts and scientists. You can learn more about MASHAV’s many programs and activities on Now I am working as a Principal an ongoing basis by going to our Web site at http//mashav.mfa.gov.il. Scientist in the Central Institute of You can also find MASHAV in Facebook (“Israel Center for Freshwater Aquaculture under the International Cooperation”) and on Twitter (MASHAVisrael). Indian Council of Agricultural Research at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. I am Enjoy this issue of Shalom! now interested in organizing a special program under the banner of MASHAV on Ornamental fish breeding and AVNIT RIFKIN culture for the unemployed youth, Editor to generate income and improve Shalom Magazine livelihood security. P.O.Box 34140 Warm regards, Jerusalem 91341 ISRAEL Dr Saroj K. Swain [email protected] Principal Scientist Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture INDIA [email protected] January 2010 Dear Editor, Production and Management in October First of all I would like to thank you 1999, at the Hebrew University Faculty of and Shalom magazine editorial Agriculture, I started delivering a seminar April 2010 staff for sending me the Magazine about the Israel and the knowledge Dear Editor, regularly. It helps me know about the I gained on aquaculture. I have been It is my great pleasure to read your developmental activity throughout able to apply much of the knowledge Magazine for Alumni of MASHAV the world by the experts. Upon my I gained. I have also published my good training courses in Israel. I attended a return from Israel, after completing the experience in the local daily newspaper training session for almost 3 months at Postgraduate Course on Aquaculture of Orissa State. the Weitz Centre and I truly enjoyed
39 the lectures. They were knowledgeable July 2010 & Industrial Relations at Makerere and educational, and I certainly Dear Editor University in 1967 and 68. Three utilized what I have learnt in my work years later I received further training I attended the 4th International course environment. in Addis Ababa on Labor Information on Biological and Physical Aspects & Statistics. These were wonderful Special thanks to Mr. Michael Gorelik, of Crop Production in Arid Zones in opportunities that led me to very Mordechai Benari, and the rest of December 1993 - January 1994 at the important roles for the development staff for making my stay at Rehovot Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert of our island communities before and enjoyable and welcoming. I have Research (IDR), Desert Agrobiology since our national independence. already encouraged my friends in Center. Participants from at least 26 Few months after my return home my country, to visit the best place on countries worldwide attended the from Israel, I received support to put this earth – Israel. Please continue to course. send magazines to my address. Also, together a team for the development It is now about 15 years since in order to maintain the friendship of a small farm and fishing activities at I participated in the course but my linkage between my country and our second largest island community. memory is still vividly clear about the Israel, I would be grateful if you could That was followed with new professional manner and scholarly way publish my email address for people responsibilities as trade union and we were treated to scientific learning who wish to correspond with me. cooperative leader, parliamentarian, process. The impact the course has had Keep on doing the good work that you Seychelles first Ambassador, Minister on me as a person and in my career have been doing. for Agriculture & Fisheries until end can be seen in the achievements I of 1982. Since 1992 I have created and God Bless Israel! have made in the professional growth developed civil society organizations Melvina Walsh and development of my career. I am with concentration on human rights now an Associate Professor advancing DOMINICA and development, supported with steadily towards a full Professor additional training in International [email protected] having achieved a doctorate degree Human Rights & Humanitarian Law. in 1999. We who have benefited from The kind of training I received in Israel similar experiences owe our gratitude at the age of 22, followed by further to MASHAV and the State of Israel for training during 40 years, have led its dedication to reach out to the world me to self-reliance and significant May 2010 in sharing with the world its wealth recognition nationally Dear Editor, of experiences in its achievements and internationally. I feel so proud and in areas of leadership, technology, I thank you for keeping me on the thankful to the trainers who guided agriculture and resource management. Shalom Magazine mailing list. I me to strengthen my potentials and Thank you MASHAV. participated at the Life Long Education valorize my intelligence. It is my strong Best regards, course at the Aharon Ofri International desire to visit again your country, to Study Center, Ramat Rachel, from Leonard S. Wamocho express my admiration to MASHAV November to December 1994. It was KENYA initiatives and excellent contributions a great privilege and a most exciting [email protected] to so many communities across the experience. I am delighted to get in globe. Accept my congratulations touch with you again now that the for MASHAV contributions to the e-mail facility is here. My regards promotion of global citizenship to those on my course from Africa, empowerment. Eastern Europe, Latin America, West Indies, and Fiji, it will be great to hear Mathew A. Servina from them again. January 2010 Founder & Chair God bless Israel, peace be upon Dear Editor, Small Island Institute for Jerusalem. Warm greetings from Seychelles Transformation & Empowerment Shalom! Islands, Indian Ocean! Forty years SEYCHELLES ago I completed training at the Afro- Remi Ajayi [email protected] Asian Institute for Labor & Cooperative NIGERIA Studies, Tel Aviv. That was in [email protected] addition to my studies of Economics
40 41 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITORIAL
February 2010 The modern studies conducted by EDITORIAL BOARD Dear Editor, specialists of CINADCO in the area of I am happy to receive copies of Shalom wastewater treatment and of plant HAIM DIVON Magazine. The magazine helps me stress, are very important for my future Deputy Director General have the new information about MCTC work. The knowledge I acquired in Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel. animal husbandry and horticulture Head of MASHAV I was lucky that the Ministry of Training has been more than I expected. The Jerusalem and Education of Viet Nam sent me very successful training program was to participate in the International aligned with the cultural program to Course on Bilingual and Multilingual study the successful development of ILAN FLUSS Director Language for Early Childhood your country, including touring the MASHAV Policy Planning and External Education at MCTC in Haifa from major sights and nature. Relations Department November 15 to December 5, 2001. With best regards, Jerusalem Despite the many years passed, I have Vragova Elena Vladimirovna still memories of my teachers and staff, Institution of the Russian Academy of they helped me understand and respect Sciences YAACOV ABUTBUL the culture and history of Israel. I am Institute of Soil Science and Deputy Director General Haigud Society for Transfer of Technology still able to use the knowledge I gained Agrochemistry Jerusalem in the challenges presented in my work RUSSIA in Bilingual Language Education for [email protected] Ethnic Children. I would like to express GERSHON GAN my thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Ambassador (retired) Affair of Israel, and to the Israeli Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador in Viet Nam, who helped January 2010 Jerusalem me so much. I take this opportunity to Dear Editor, send my thanks to my teachers and the Let me first congratulate MASHAV staff at MCTC. I wish they are happiness MAZAL RENFORD for celebrating its 50th anniversary Director and health. Thank you very much for during this 2008. If I am too late for Golda Meir Mount Carmel International having still me in mind to posting congratulating this mega event, let me Training Center Shalom Magazine. convey the advance one for the coming Haifa Best regards, 100th. I was one of the lucky 25 Le Bich Ngoc participants in the International R&D 6/6/31 Dang Van Ngu Course on “Irrigation and Fertigation JOYCE FRIED Hanoi in Controlled Environment during Course Coordinator VIETNAM November 23, 2004 to December 16, Division for External studies 2004 at CINADCO. Faculty of Agricultural, Food and [email protected] Environmental Quality Sciences I can still remember those sweet days Hebrew University of Jerusalem spent with friends from all around the Rehovot globe. Our teachers and advisors were This letter was sent to the Israeli very helpful. The lessons we learnt Embassy in Moscow, Russia: have practical implications and we EDITOR: Avnit Rifkin are trying to translate the same in January 2010 our countries. I would like to convey Dear Sir, my sincere regards and best wishes PRODUCTION & to everyone associated with MASHAV, GRAPHIC DESIGN: Youval Tal Ltd. I write to you to show my gratitude CINADCO, and ARO, the Shalom Club for the unique opportunity you gave Members, and Shalom Magazine. To all me by choosing me to participate my fellow participants, God bless you. PUBLISHED BY: Haigud Society for in a MASHAV training seminar on Transfer of Technology Sincerely yours “Agricultural Engineering Technologies” P.O.Box 34140 held in November 2009. Dr.Amit Baran Sharangi Jerusalem 91341 The seminar was designed in a high Associate Professor, scientific and educational level, Department of Spices and Plantation including the knowledge received, Crops INDIA and the great professionalism of both Printed in Israel the organizers and the lecturers. [email protected] ISSN 0792-8262
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