Issue No. 140, December 2009 Bank of Palestine, Social Responsibility Highlights .......................................................4 I cannot believe that it is that time of the year again! Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago Corporate Foundations ..................................................................................................8 that I was writing about the arrival of spring and then the onslaught of the summer Socially committed with a strategic vision… ................................................................14 heat? And yet, here we are in December and the approaching holiday season that Palestine’s Companies Are Generous, But Is Their Giving Effective? .........................16 in this part of the world lasts well into January, what with all the different religious Bank of Palestine Signs Agreement with UNICEF denominations that follow their own calendars. Oh well, this extends the festive to support Family Centers in Gaza ..............................................................................20 atmosphere over one month rather than the more common one week elsewhere. Doing Well by Doing Good ..........................................................................................22 The Tradition of Palestinian Cuisine ............................................................................26 Regrettably, on the political front, we have very little to celebrate. Our people Corporate Social Responsibility remain divided, with the schism between both factions getting wider by the day. Does Money Matter Most? ..........................................................................................34 It now seems that we are in need of a miracle to bring about the longed-for – and Corporate Social Responsibility and Palestinian Civil Society: long-awaited – reconciliation. It also appears that elections will not be taking place Potential Cooperation ..................................................................................................38 next January, as was initially announced. This will complicate matters more and CSR in Palestine .........................................................................................................44 will create a political vacuum that no one will benefit from. Zaytoun ........................................................................................................................46 Corporate social responsibility, the focus of this month’s issue of This Week in Letters to the Editor .....................................................................................................52 Palestine, is a relatively new concept in Palestine. It is really commendable that In the Limelight ............................................................................................................54 corporations and firms, public and private institutions, can dedicate the time and Reviews .......................................................................................................................58 the necessary resources to shoulder social responsibilities while operating in dire Events ..........................................................................................................................64 economic conditions and under great impediments such as restricted mobility, Listings ...................................................................................................................72-92 checkpoints, closures, etc. More and more firms are paying greater attention to Maps and Where to Go? ........................................................................................93-97 the needs of their employees, empowering them with knowledge, training, etc., that The Last Word .............................................................................................................98 benefit the employee while benefiting the firm as well. Outside the sphere of the Picturesque Palestine .................................................................................................99 firm, Palestinian companies are increasingly the funders and supporters of other institutions, mainly NGOs, be they cultural, educational, or social. The Bank of Palestine is one such institution that invests a lot in its social responsibility for the benefit of all Palestinians. Our thanks go to the Bank of Palestine for sponsoring this This issue of This Week in Palestine issue of This Week in Palestine as we celebrate our eleventh year this December. is sponsored by We also thank all our contributors, writers, staff, and readers. Bank of Palestine We wish everyone happy holidays and a better and brighter new year. Tony A. Khoury Editor-in-chief Forthcoming Issues: Telefax: + 970/2-2-2951262 e-mail: [email protected] • Audiovisual Media in Palestine - January 2010 www.thisweekinpalestine.com • The School System in Palestine - February 2010 Printed by Studio Alpha, Al-Ram, Jerusalem • Palestinian Customs for Social Occasions - March 2010 Binding by Al-Asdika', Al-Ram, Jerusalem Distributed by Theme: Corporate Social Responsibility Advisory Board Cover: Coloured Jewellery Beads Mahmoud Abu Hashhash Ibrahim Matar Photo by: Emile Ashrawi Writer and art critic Development Consultant Dr. Rania Filfil Almbaid Najah Osaily The views of all the articles do not neccessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Freelance translator and writer Osaily Trading Contracting Co. Maps herein have been prepared solely for the convenience of the reader; the designations and presentation of material do not imply any expression of opinion of This Week in Palestine, its publisher, editor, and its Emile Ashrawi Nidal Rafa advisory board as to the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area, or of the authorities thereof, or as to the delimitation of boundaries or national affiliation. Father and grandfather Journalist/Television Producer 2 3 The Year 2009: A Busy Year Indeed The year 2009 was a year of positive Speaking of talent, it is not all physics Of particular interest this year was important part of national identity, and achievement for the Bank of Palestine and math this year for Palestine. For BoP’s exclusive sponsorship for the we are proud to be involved. (BoP). We saw the fruition of the Student the first time in Palestine and the Arab year 2009–2010 of Club Palestino – a BoP continues to donate to charitable Loans Program that was initiated in 2008 in region, we decided to create “Star Kids,” Chilean football club created by the and cooperative organisations on a partnership with the International Finance a talent show designed to bring out of Palestinian community in 1920, and one regular basis, the latest of which was the Corporation (IFC). This programme is the the woodwork the budding young artists that sports the Palestinian flag as its funding of a crafts workshop for Al-Amal first of its kind in Palestine and an important of Palestine in the areas of poetry, music, logo and uniform. The club was invited Institute for Orphans. first step towards giving young talent the and performance. We were surprised and to come to Palestine to play against local On a larger and more sombre note, opportunity to thrive in both the academic delighted that the winner was a qanun teams in a round of matches that can our major project for this year has been and professional fields. We believe player, and very proud to have taken only be described as “heated.” We are focused on providing support for the that university education should not be part in encouraging the preservation of very pleased and excited to have met rehabilitation and alleviation of suffering exclusive and look forward to developing this great tradition, as well as providing this excellent team that has played a part of the families and children who were this programme in the future. Moreover, a platform for new and exciting talent to in raising the profile of Palestine on the devastated by the war on Gaza. It is true several scholarships were provided to emerge. international scene. that psychological trauma supersedes General Certificate of Education students. BoP has also sponsored the world’s More recently, we provided further any amount of physical damage, and BoP continues to sponsor student-initiated largest thobe (traditional Palestinian sponsorship for the historic game between we have been very committed to moving activities in schools and universities and is dress), which has made it to the Guinness the Palestine and Tunisia Olympic teams quickly to contain this snowballing always open to worthwhile and interesting Book of Records. at the Faisal Al Husseini Stadium in Ram. phenomenon. ideas. Sport is a great form of talent and an Star Kids with Mr. Hashem Shawa. Captain of the Chilean Club Palestino receiving an award from the head of the Palestinian Football Federation Jibreel Rjoub. 4 5 A campaign was launched in and will provide psychological, February 2009 under the title “For therapeutic, educational, and moral the Children of Gaza,” using all support, in addition to building available media channels, and BoP awareness about land mines, offering donated one dollar per credit-card early childhood health support, transaction towards this cause on and providing a venue for leisure behalf of its customers. activities. The campaign led to an historic This agreement is the first of its agreement with UNICEF with a kind in the Middle East, and BoP has continuation of transaction donations consequently joined the European and a minimum annual commitment Commission Humanitarian