PeaceTech forum vision becoming a reality, marking new chapter in collaboration for the field

Last month, ALLMEP joined members Tech2Peace, Tsofen, Appleseeds, Palestinian Internship Program, Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (MEET), and others for the inaugural meeting of the PeaceTech forum. Led by Adnan Jaber, an alum of numerous peace organizations and startup entrepreneur, the forum envisions a collective of peacebuilding organizations all focused on the relationship between high tech, entrepreneurship, and peacebuilding working together to advance the field of practice. 

“Our vision is to work with each other to help our alumni get the most opportunities possible, pave the road for leadership, inspire our alumni, and stand up with each other,” said Jaber on LinkedIn.

An alumnus of Tech2Peace, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, 50:50 Startups, and many other programs in the ALLMEP network, Jaber understands well the importance of engaging the next generation of peacebuilders and keeping them engaged as they transition into adulthood.

Jake Shapiro, of Tech2Peace, had this to say about the kickoff event, “We believe deeply in partnership and synergy, especially in the field of alumni programming that we have worked so hard on. We are proud of our alum and board member Adnan for taking the lead here and excited to work with the other inspiring organizations in the field.” Learn more about Tech2Peace in their recent annual report.

The forum brings together some of ALLMEP’s strongest members in the sector, and will undoubtedly be a force for peace in the region. Appleseeds, for example, was just awarded one of the first grants in USAID’s Middle East Partnership for Peace Act. The program harnesses technology as a common interest to bring together Palestinians and Israelis for skills development and career advancement to take advantage of this growing market and building lasting personal relationships. The activity engages over 1,000 young Palestinian and Israeli professionals from underserved communities to learn technology, leadership, conflict mitigation and soft skills side-by-side. Participants will also receive interview and resume skills training to promote career advancement in the high technology field. 

Together, the reach of these organizations spans tens of thousands of alumni, donors, and policymakers. Their cooperation and collaboration is vital to creating sustained and lasting peace in the impact. 

We have always believed that ALLMEP’s role is to make the peacebuilding field more than the sum of its parts, and innovations like the PeaceTech Forum speak to the heart and creativity that happens when we work together. To learn more about ALLMEP’s tech-focused members, please visit our website at www.allmep.org/members