This month FoEME made strong progress on two critical studies as part of its Jordan River Rehabilitation Project.An Israeli stakeholders meeting was held to advance the Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis, which will examine existing and potential opportunities to transfer fresh water resources to the Jordan River from all sectors of the region’s water economies. Participants included representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Tourism, Environment and Infrustructure. Parallel stakeholder meetings will be held in Jordan and Palestine. In addition, a regional experts meeting of the environmental flow study team was held in Jordan to plan sampling site visits.The environmental flows study will identify the water needs necessary to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River ecosystem.These studies will provide the research foundation to identify the means by which water transfers to the Jordan River could take place and foster the political will to rehabilitate the River.
The Jordan River Rehabilitation Project is supported by USAID, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Foundation, the Green Environment Fund and the Global Nature Fund.
In the framework of our new Community GIS project, FoEME recently held the first of two GIS courses teaching the Quantum GIS software to exceptional high school level kids that are active in the Good Water Neighbor's project. Working together with their classmates, the students will digitize their community’s environmental hazards.The information gathered by the participating schools will serve as the basis for an environmental hazard map and a community campaign to alleviate ground water pollution sources.
The Community GIS project is supported by the European Union’s Partnership for Peace program.
A regional Good Water Neighbors staff meeting was held this month in FoEME's EcoPark in Sheikh Hussein, Jordan bringing together staff from the 21 communities now involved, with project expanding to four new communities in Jordan.The meeting focused on planning upcoming activities including joint youth campaigns and cross border Neighbor's Path tours for mayors, adults and tour guides.
The GWN project is supported by USAID's CMM program.
FoEME participated in an exclusive meeting of funders interested in supporting climate change issues at a UK government supported conference held at WiltonPark.FoEME voiced its concern on the urgency for supporting climate change issues in the Middle East.With water resources already scarce in the region, FoEME has identified that a diminishing water supply brought on by unmitigated climate change, will further exacerbate water insecurity in the region.
FoEME's new easy-to-use Climate Change Resource Guide was well received in a meeting of representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Environment.This guide will be the basis for workshops geared to Israeli Parliamentarians, Ministries, NGO's, the "Forum 15" (15 of Israel's largest cities) and the media.
Visit our Climate Change press coverage page to read recent articles from ClimateArk and the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.
FoEME's Climate Change project is supported by Heinrich Böll Stiftung.
FoEME premieres on YouTube!Our first video, entitled "Sustainable Development in the ZiglabBasin" can now be found at this address:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jai88XdhRU.The video features the development of FoEME's growing Eco-Park in the Sheikh Hussein community in Jordan, as well as the water and land degradation issues facing the JordanValley in general.Created by a FoEME intern, the video is first in a series to be launched on YouTube that will both highlight regional environmental hazards as well as FoEME’s efforts toadvance both sustainable regional development and the creation of necessary conditions for lasting peace in our region.
Friends of the Earth Middle East is excited to invite our friends and supporters from YaleUniversity and the surrounding areas to attend the Premier Screening of BRIDGING WATERS: CREATING A PEACE PARK ON THE RIVER JORDAN, produced by Sofia Solomon, and directed by Reid Wittman.The screening will take place on Tuesday March 3rd, 8:00 p.m. at the JosephSlifkaCenter at YaleUniversity, 80 Wall Street, New Haven, CT.
For one week in May 2008, leading architects from Yale University traveled to the Jordan-Israel border, in order to work with Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian architects and to help design the first Peace Park in the Middle East - the Jordan River Peace Park. Two Yale undergraduates followed the story with a camera to capture this significant moment and share this unique story with others.
The screening will be followed by a reception and Q/A Session with the filmmakers, as well as the professors and graduates making up the Yale Architecture Team.
This new website was made possible by a grant generously donated to FoEME from the Apte Family Fund. Website | Donation | Comments
stakeholders meeting was held to advance the Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis, which will examine existing and potential opportunities to transfer fresh water resources to the 
software to exceptional high school level kids that are active in the Good Water Neighbor's project. Working together with their classmates, the students will digitize their community’s environmental hazards.
A regional 
conference held at 
address:
attend the Premier Screening of BRIDGING WATERS: CREATING A PEACE PARK ON THE RIVER JORDAN, produced by Sofia Solomon, and directed by Reid Wittman.
