After a wondrously successful 2016, Givat Haviva is busily expanding upon their work for a shared society in Israel in 2017, highlighted by the Fifth Annual Shared Society Conference, to be held March 20th at the Givat Haviva Campus in Israel. The organization completed 2016 with the inspirational Women’s Shared Society Conference. Organized by the Director of Woman’s Programming, Anhar Masarwa, the Conference was attended by over three hundred Israeli Jewish and Arab women. Highlighted by positive discussions, celebratory music, and a sense of hope through collaboration, the conference included presentations from Dr. Dalia Fadili, the Director of Al-Qasemi College, MK Aida Toma, the Leader of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of Women, and various leaders of the Women Wage Peace Movement.
The Shared Communities Program is the centerpiece of Givat Haviva’s success, and the organization proudly announces a new association between Kibbutz Evron and the Mizra’a Local Authority. This marks the fifth shared pairing though this exemplary program. Additionally, the Zemer and Hefer partnership looks towards the construction of a joint industrial park in 2017, along with a new shared technical training program between Ruppin Technological College in Emek Hefer and Yama Technological High School in Zemer.
Givat Haviva’s commitment to education continues to flourish with a new shared program for second graders called Together in Art. Perhaps the finest example of Givat Haviva’s work came from participant in their Children Teaching Children program who said the following: “I’m leaving this meeting feeling really happy, because I discovered that the negative stereotypes that were in my head are very far from the wonderful people I met today.” Beautiful words of hope and fellowship.
Finally, be sure to seek out “An Island in the Madness,” featuring Mohammad Darawshe, Givat Haviva’s Director of Planning, Equality, and Shared Society.
By: Richard Quinlan, Content Contributor
