Partners

Institute of Law (IOL) The Institute of Law at Birzeit University was established in 1993 in order to contribute to the evolution of legal structures and the rule of law in Palestine. The emergence of governmental structures and the exercise of legislative activity in the context of the present political process have created the need for a venue in which academics and professionals systematically and creatively focus on the challenges facing legal institutions in Palestine, and contribute to building them. The cooperation with IOL focuses on four main fields: 1) Development of a legal database ("Al Muqtafi") to provide access for users to a bilingual data bank containing all laws that are valid in the Palestinian Territories. The databank and the distribution of its content among relevant institutions aim at creating a point of reference for the development of legislation and jurisdiction. 2) IOL carries out advanced training programs ("Legal Encounters") for Palestinian public prosecutors, judges, and lawyers in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The goal is to improve standards and skills in the various sectors and to ascertain that the jurisdiction is based on at least a minimum of common consensus in legal practice. 3) Conducting researches about the amended basic law and legislations enacted by the Palestinian Authority from the point of view of the harmony of legislations amongst each other and their consistency with the basic law that has – until now - the constitutional status; the training encounters are partly serving to enrich and disseminate these researches. 4) Organisation of international conferences. Palestinian and international experts and decision-makers are given the chance to discuss in depth current issues related to developments in the region. These conferences focus mainly on exploring possibilities for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as on exploring ways of strengthening the Palestinian judiciary system. » P.O. Box 14, Birzeit West Bank Tel: (00972-2) 298-2009 Fax:(00972-2) 298-2137 E-Mail: law@law.birzeit.edu

Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) is an independent non-profit research institution. PSR was founded with the goal of advancing research and knowledge on issues of immediate concern to Palestinians in three areas: domestic politics and government, strategic analysis and foreign policy, public opinion polls and survey research on current Palestinian political and social tendencies. These polls cover a wide range of issues concerning the Palestinian politics, prospects of peace process, reforms and other current political and social issues. In addition the PSR conducts workshops on several topics related to the peace process and to political and administrative reforms. These workshops are attended by politicians, academics, journalists and representatives of organizations of the civil society. The publication of occasional papers and providing assistance to the Palestinian constitution’s committee completes the Center's efforts. » Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) Off Irsal street, P.O.Box 76, Ramallah Tel: (00972-2) 296-4933 Fax:(00972-2) 296-4934 E-Mail: pcpsr@pcpsr.org

Institute for Community Partnership (ICP) Institute for Community Partnership (ICP) is a semi-autonomous unit of the university of Bethlehem. ICP has been founded to enforce the interlinkage of the university and the Palestinian community. Growth and development of the communities are strengthened by providing its members access to the teaching offers, the institutions and services of the university. ICP contains several departments. If offers counseling, training courses and local and international conferences. The implementation of training courses aims at contributing to sustainable development of the Palestinian society. The inclusion of the participants – target group are regional decision-makers – is the main element of the training seminars. The support of local affairs is of major importance due to its impact for the development of democracy, since the access to political commitment often starts on the local level. Objective is to support new developments and improvements to a democratic state structure, that can prosper on the “grassroots”-level in an ideal way and can advance. “Good governance” on the local level is supported in order to be able to lead to a democratic national community. » Institute for Community Partnership P.O. Box 9 Bethlehem Tel: (00972-2) 277-0936 Fax:(00972-2) 274-5559 E-Mail: icp@bethlehem.edu

Palestinian Federation of Industries (PFI) The Palestinian Federation of Industries (PFI) is the national institution representing the Palestinian industrial sector through its federated associations. Currently, the industrial sector contributes about 17% of the GDP and absorbs around 16% of the total work force. PFI’s aim is to support the industrial sector to use its potential to make a significantly larger contribution to the generation of wealth and employment in the Palestinian Autonomous Territories. PFI influences factors such as new economic and financial legislation, and the nature of trade relationship with the outside world. PFI’s representational role is to educate, advocate, and communicate the value of a developed, socially-responsible and globally competitive industry in the framework of a free and social market economy. This is to be achieved through its strategy of industrial development within industry associations capable of delivering valuable member services, effective policy formulation, and integrated communications. The responsibilities of the PFI are represented throughout institutional development, industrial policy and media and public relations whose main responsibilities are coordinating and conducting training and education initiatives, effectively managing the industrial policy and advocating the Palestinian industry through efficient communication. The PFI’s aim to develop local production and managerial skills is executed through the integrated Industrial Modernization Center (IMC). » Palestinian Federation of Industries (PFI) P.O. Box 574 Ramallah, West Bank +972 (0)2 240 7334 +972 (0)2 240 7335 info@pfi.ps

Baader Youth Council The Baader Youth Council (BYC) is a joint youth initiative of the International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) Ramallah. Baader (meaning “to initiate”) will consist of more than one hundred students and representatives of youth organizations chosen due to their high potential, social engagement and leadership skills. It aims at promoting the role of the youth in the democratic process, to develop the youths' leadership skills in decision-making, and to assist in the building of a pluralistic and viable Palestinian civil society. Thus the members of BYC are given the opportunity to develop their individual capacities through various training programs. The project aspires at generating a strong youth leadership able to translate the needs and demands of the youth into the political agenda. It is an endeavor to give a sense of ownership of program decisions that affect youths' life and future, and to channel the enormous energy of the youth in a constructive and highly productive manner. » Baader Youth Council 21 Sheikh Jarrah Ard Assamar (French Hill) Issawiya Road Jerusalem, 24162 Tel: + 972 (0)2 5811992 Fax: + 972 (0)2 5400522 Email: mqutob@ipcc-jerusalem.org gehlen@kas-palestine.org

Al-Kasaba Theatre and Cinematheque Al-Kasaba Theatre and Cinematheque is a non-governmental cultural specialized organization established in 1970 in Jerusalem, aims at the activation of cultural life in Palestine, and enhancing the cultural exchange between local, Arab and International cultures, through the production of its own theatrical work as well as through hosting art performances, activities, and training courses in most fields of art. The Theatre targets different sectors of society. » Ramallah. PO.Box 2254 West Bank Tel: (00972-2) 296-5292/3 Fax:(00972-2) 296-5294 E-Mail: info@alkasaba.org

MIFTAH - The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy MIFTAH is a Palestinian NGO that aims to strengthen democracy and good governance within the Palestinian society. Founded in 1999, the organization bases its engagement on a wide network of national and international contacts and partnerships. This outreach scale was enabled through the high prestige and a wide political spectrum of its board of management which includes Hanan Ashrawi, Ziad Abu-Amr, Mustafa Barghouthi and the deceased Edward Said. In spite of their different party affiliations the unity of MIFTAH is preserved through organizational partition. MIFTAH works for the empowerment of Palestinian women and youth and for policy formulation in different programs. These programs aim to enhance integrity, transparency and accountability in the public sector as well as to strengthen the position of the media. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Ramallah will create together with MIFTAH an independent monitoring unit which will control the legislative procedure of the Hamas-dominated Legislative Council (PLC), the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority. This unit will function as a kind of early warning system that detects possible intentions directed against democracy, human rights and constitutional principles. Parliamentarism, political parties and the development of democracy will be strengthened at the same time. »