This month Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) completed a charrette, an architectural design workshop, led by Yale University's School of Architecture with the participation of architectural teams from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Israel and consulting architects from Jordan and Palestine. Throughout the workshop the teams met with key stakeholders including the area Mayors, community leaders and local consultants, toured the sites and worked to design plans for the proposed Israeli-Jordanian cross border Peace Park located in the areas of the Three Bridges, Naharayim, Bakoora and the Peace Island.
Concurrently, FoEME released a draft of the Jordanian-led pre-feasibility studyfor the proposed Jordan River Peace Park. The pre-feasibility study identified the main benefits and challenges in establishing the park including estimated costs and the quantity of water necessary to support eco-tourism initiatives at the site.
Following the completion of the design workshop, FoEME held events in Jerusalem and Amman to present the proposed designs developed by the international team of architects and a summary of the pre-feasibility report to the public.
For more information on the development of the Jordan River Peace Park including summaries of the workshop and its achievements, the draft pre-feasibility study, pictures from the workshop and to view the design plans and presentations, please visit our Jordan River Peace Park / Charrette – Design Workshop page. For media coverage of the events and the proposed peace park from the New York Times, Ha'aretz, Epoch Times, Media NewsWire, Yale University News, Jewish Telegraph Agency, New Haven Register, Center for Energy, Australian Jewish News and others, please click here.
The pre-feasibility study is sponsored by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, Green Cross France and the Blaustein Foundation.
FoEME hosted a research team from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, visiting the region to investigate the environmental flow needed to rehabilitate the lower Jordan River. The team met with regional and local stakeholders including the Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, the Jordanian Minister of the Environment and toured both banks of the River with the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority and the Jordanian Jordan Valley Authority. The study is the first of its kind to provide a detailed scientific basis for the amount of water needed to rehabilitate the eco-system of the lower Jordan River.
To learn more about FoEME’s work to rehabilitate the lower Jordan River please visit the Jordan River Project page on our website.
FoEME’s Pro-Aquifer project is currently planning a third Geographic Information Systems (GIS) course for Israeli and Palestinian municipal officials. The course will focus on developing basic concepts and tools to help local officials identify and prioritize potential pollutants of the Mountain Aquifer with the aim of helping to prevent contamination in the future. Furthermore, a women's Public Participation GIS group has begun training in mapping environmental hazards in the community of Umm el Fahem. To learn more about the project please visit the Pro-Aquifer project page on our website.
The Pro-Aquifer project is jointly sponsored by the European Union’s LIFE programme and Green Cross France.
FoEME's campaign to Save the Dead Sea and Let the Lower Jordan River Flow continued throughout the month amid growing concerns that the proposed Red Sea - Dead Sea canal project is moving ahead at the governmental level without considering the rehabilitation of the lower Jordan River. Statements to the effect that a scientific study is unnecessary and that the private sector should commence construction of the canal without weighing options nor studying the economic and environmental implications of the proposed canal and the various side projects associated with it including lakes, hotels and casinos built in the middle of the Arava / Arabah Valley have greatly increased alarm. To learn more about FoEME's work in these areas please visit the Red Dead Conduit project page on our website. For recent media coverage from National Geographic, Australian Jewish News and Monash Law Magazine please click here.
FoEME's work in this area is sponsored by the Green Environment Fund.
FoEME has received a grant from the Heinrich Böll Stiftung to develop a resource guide for Israeli policymakers to train them on issues of climate change including climate science, socioeconomic and security impacts, and more. Click on the link for more information on FoEME’s Climate Change project. To read recent press coverage concerning our climate change work from Ha’aretz please click here.
This new website was made possible by a grant generously donated to FoEME from the Apte Family Fund. Website | Donation | Comments
an architectural design workshop, led by Yale University's School of Architecture with the participation of architectural teams from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Israel and consulting architects from Jordan and Palestine. Throughout the workshop the teams met with key stakeholders including the area Mayors, community leaders and local consultants, toured the sites and worked to design plans for the proposed Israeli-Jordanian cross border Peace Park located in the areas of the Three Bridges, Naharayim, Bakoora and the Peace Island.
for the proposed Jordan River Peace Park. The pre-feasibility study identified the main benefits and challenges in establishing the park including estimated costs and the quantity of water necessary to support eco-tourism initiatives at the site.
including summaries of the workshop and its achievements, the draft pre-feasibility study, pictures from the workshop and to view the design plans and presentations, please visit our 
and Environmental Studies, visiting the region to investigate the environmental flow needed to rehabilitate the lower Jordan River. The team met with regional and local stakeholders including the Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, the Jordanian Minister of the Environment and toured both banks of the River with the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority and the Jordanian Jordan Valley Authority. The study is the first of its kind to provide a detailed scientific basis for the amount of water needed to rehabilitate the eco-system of the lower Jordan River. 
Information Systems (GIS) course for Israeli and Palestinian municipal officials. The course will focus on developing basic concepts and tools to help local officials identify and prioritize potential pollutants of the Mountain Aquifer with the aim of helping to prevent contamination in the future. Furthermore, a women's Public Participation GIS group has begun training in mapping environmental hazards in the community of Umm el Fahem. To learn more about the project please visit the 
Flow continued throughout the month amid growing concerns that the proposed Red Sea - Dead Sea canal project is moving ahead at the governmental level without considering the rehabilitation of the lower Jordan River. Statements to the effect that a scientific study is unnecessary and that the private sector should commence construction of the canal without weighing options nor studying the economic and environmental implications of the proposed canal and the various side projects associated with it including lakes, hotels and casinos built in the middle of the Arava / Arabah Valley have greatly increased alarm. To learn more about FoEME's work in these areas please visit the 
resource guide for Israeli policymakers to train them on issues of climate change including climate science, socioeconomic and security impacts, and more. Click on the link for more information on FoEME’s 
