ARCHIVE - PAST PROGRAMS

	ARCHIVE - PAST PROGRAMS
	ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
	It is to the credit of the Green Movement within and outside parlaments that ecology has become one of the main arenas of politics. There is hardly another subject which, within the last 30 years, has been thus transformed from the concern of a few scientists, activists (often thought of as "nutters") into a topic of world conferences. Since the UN summit on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 expectations created back than have not been met on the side of fulfilled sustainable policy. The adapted Plan of Implementation at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2002 falls back in being a working tool for implementing an ecological agenda once again. The near future of sustainability will be discussed and decided upon on the global level most likely within the WTO negotiations. However, the Johannesburg summit itself still did service to NGOs worldwide in strengthening networks and exchanges - with one of its cornerstones, the Memorandum drafted by a group of international scolars and practitioners on occasion of the summit. Generally the agenda for ecological change has been displaced by the agenda of economic globalisation. The promotion of investor-friendly policies has superseded ecology as main issue of political debate. The Heinrich Boell Foundation considers ecology and sustainable development central areas for securing the future of humanity - areas which should by no means be treated as a political football. Thus, ecology and sustainable development are also central areas of the foundation's activities in Israel. Projects: Water Justice: Water as a Human Right in Israel. (Conference, 25.9.2005) Heschel Center: Rikma - A National Network for Local Sustainability Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), Tel Aviv branch - Green Council Watch
	MINORITY RIGHTS
	In modern democracies the majority rules - thus it is particularly important to protect the rights of minorities. The Heinrich Boell foundation has from its beginnings promoted minorities' rights. In Israel as a very young state with a collectivist tradition the situation of national and ethnic minorities has been difficult. The Arab minority has been searching for its place since the foundation of the state. Through Immigration of Jewish women and men from all over the world a variety of cultural and social backgrounds were brought into the country - in the 90's mainly from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia. Especially in the last decade underprivileged groups are claiming their own identities. In the current situation of renewed Israeli- Palestinian conflict the relation between the Palestinian minority in Israel and the Jewish majority has become even more problematic. The economic depression has enlarged socio- economic gaps - a problem still closely tied to ethnic splits. During the last decade also the non- Arab, non- Jewish population has increased drastically. To date approximately 300 000 foreign workers are living in Israel as well as non- Jewish family members of new immigrants. The search for their place in a future Israeli society poses a great challenge and requires attention and support. projects: The Community Action Against Home Demolition Conference and Publication Mossawa Conference in the European Parliament Building the Medwed Medical Clinic in Wadi Na'am I'lam media center of Palestinian Arab media workers "Civil Society project" in cooperation with Mossawa Center Kav la'Oved Anti-Dropout Program - Committee for Education and Guidance for Arab Students (CEGAS)
	DIALOGUE AND NETWORKING
	The program component Political Dialogue of the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Israel focuses on the improvement and support of the relations between Israel and Germany. The Israel program promotes German-Israeli dialogue and exchange as well as regional and Israeli-European relations. It also maintains a network of contacts in Israel and Germany, offering political advice to partners in dialogue. Thus a wide spectrum of Israeli experts, political activists, academicians or community representatives regularly is invited to participate in debates and events in Germany and Europe. At the same time in Israel, delegations from Germany and Europe are offered precise and subtle information on the socio-political situation and developments in Israel and opportunities to meet with a wide range of people within the framework of the program of their visits. These measures are meant to allow for the emergence of a more sophisticated and subtle presentation and perception of Europe in Israel as well as of Israel in Germany and Europe. The topics for dialogue derive primarily from the areas in which the Heinrich Boell Foundation is engaged: environmental justice, gender democracy, minority rights and empowering civil society. The dialogue includes the exchange among the partners of the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the target groups. Regular participation in such activities enables the participants to share a learning process. Translation of German authors dealing with relevant issues for the civic educational work in Israel into Hebrew in combination with public discussions relating to Israel contributes to the long term and steady flow of the communication and to the understanding between Israel and Germany. The program also promotes the communication and exchange among the partner organizations of the Heinrich-Boell Foundation in the Mediterranean and Arabic-speaking regions. The networking of the Israeli partners is supported in the context of regional, i.e. European-Mediterranean cooperation and social forums. The program will continue to promote exchange and meetings among the partner organizations of the Heinrich-Boell Foundation focusing in their work on women, media and civil rights. Whether or not these measures will be successful will primarily depend on the development of the overall political situation. Until now, the focus on specific issues has made the attendance of Israeli participants possible. But their activities abroad were hardly publicized in Israel. In future, participation will increasingly become conditioned on the partner's contribution to reporting back on the international debates in Israel. Projects “Israel ist von Europa, aber nicht in Europa”, Dialog between German and writers June 2007 Shy Abady - Arendt Project: Exhibition, October 2006 German Green Party Experts Visit to Israel November 2005 Peace of Art – Piece of Art: Report of a preparatory visit
	EMPOWERING CIVIL SOCIETY
	Heinrich Boell Foundation considers civil society a crucial factor for the development of democracy. It is through direct involvement of citizens' concerns and responsibilities that a society can decide on its political and social situation and future. As the 21st century is bringing the nations closer to each other in the process of Globalization it is also the link to international discussions amongst peoples which supports national and even local agendas. The Tel Aviv office supports its partners in the areas of Ecology, Gender Rights and Minority Rights in the context of general understanding of green values in order to strengthen pluralism and critical discourse in Israel. The office cooperates with activists and organizations that deal with questions of the future character of Israel and its society - in terms of the role of military and security considerations, the development of democracy, and in terms of the advancement of peace, with its neighbors, the international sphere as well as within its own borders. Projects: Sapir Conference: On the Future of Another Kind of Politics ‘Social Darwinism’ Czernowitz - A book on Jewish Diaspora in Europe "Rethinking Public Participation", Elisheva Sadan&Arza Churchman, 2002
	WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER DEMOCRACY
	"Women's empowerment should lead to the liberation of men from false value systems and ideologies or opression. It should lead to a situation where each one can become a whole being, regardless of gender, and use their fullest potential to construct a more human society for all." Farida Akhter. Gender democracy is one of the Heinrich Boell Foundation's main tenets. Gender democracy means democratic equality for women and men. To achieve this traditional equal opportunities policy is being supplemented with cross-gender co-operation, though this does not exclude equal opportunities measures such as a quota for women.The Heinrich Boell Foundation attaches great importance to the advancement of the situation of women in their particular environments. Following this policy the Tel Aviv office supports efforts of the Israeli women's movement that help empowering women. Capacity building, economic empowerment, advancing women's representation in decision-making processes and assessment of gender budgets are crucial elements for the realization of true gender democracy in Israel. Projects: Where are all the women? The Implementation of the UN-Resolution 1325 - Isha Le isha Building the Medwed Medical Clinic in Wadi Na'am I'lam media center of Palestinian Arab media workers "Civil Society project" in cooperation with Mossawa Center Anti-Dropout Program - Committee for Education and Guidance for Arab Students (CEGAS)