The prize is endowed by the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation and is awarded in Hamburg for “outstanding contributions towards protecting and improving the environment". The members of the Prize Committee decided unanimously to award FoEME, " for the actions of this significant and pioneering environmental organization. FoEME uniquely combines environmental protection with the effort for a peaceful coexistence in the area".
We are deeply honored to receive one of the highest-endowed environmental prizes in the world. Read more in our press release.
On October 17th, FoEME's Jordan Valley Environmental Education Center in Auja saw its official inauguration ceremony. The event was included in the Jericho 10,000 festival, with Ms. Kholoud Deibes, the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, giving welcoming remarks and "cutting the ribbon" for the site. The Minister spoke of the importance of the Environmental Center for raising awareness about the environment and educating youngsters as to the importance of protecting our water sources, especially in the Jordan Valley.
More than 350 people attended the ceremony that included speeches, a short play by the youth of the village, a tour of the building and its rooftop view, and a traditional handicraft fair.
The Good Water Neighbors project is supported by USAID, SIDA and the Belgium Foreign Ministry's Peace Building Desk.
The Auja Environmental Education Center is supported by the Drosos Foundation.
The Transboundary Advocacy to Parliamentarians (TAP) project was very active this month, with 2 cross border meetings held between Palestinian and Israeli residents of participating communities. On Oct. 22 residents from the 9 Mountain Aquifer communities met in Emek Hefer to hear lectures by water experts, to visit the site of an Israeli wastewater treatment plant that treats sewage originating in the West Bank, and to see the headquarters of Emek Hefer's treated wastewater re-use facilities.
On Oct. 29, a second cross border was held, this time in Susya, in the West Bank, with participants visiting a nearby Wadi where Hebron-Qiryat Arba sewage is dumped, as well as the solid waste site near Susya used by both Palestinians and settlers. They also heard a presentation by Mr. Adel Yasin of the Palestinian Water Authority in regards to wastewater management plans in the West Bank.
At the end of both visits, participants discussed the information received and commented on the need for more cooperation on shared water resources, as well as the difficulties presented by the political context.
The "Transboundary Advocacy to Parliamentarians" project is supported by the European Union's Partnerships for Peace program.
Sadly, the Lower Jordan River received the "Grey Globe" award from the World Wetlands Network this month. The dire state of the Jordan River was presented to the World Wetlands Network by FoEME and consequently received enough votes to win this unfortunate 'honor'. FoEME is tirelessly seeking avenues to raise awareness of the demise of the Jordan River and the need for its rehabilitation.
The Jordan River Rehabilitation Project is supported by USAID, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, the Green Environment Fund and the Global Nature Fund / Ursula Merz Foundation.
Joining in the global efforts of the Global Work Party 10/10/10 organized by 350.org. to raise awareness for the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, FoEME organized a Jordan River cycling event on October 9th to call attention to the threatening impacts of climate change on the Lower Jordan River.
The event included 80 cyclists of all ages, and began at the Ein Shokek spring, continued along the Harod Stream and ended near the Lower Jordan River. There were several stops on the way, where participants learned about water pollution and shortage, and after a two hour ride through the scenic landscape of the valley, the group reached the banks of the river and poured a symbolic bottle of water into the river.
Read more on our blog page; to see a video clip of the event - click here; to view photos from our Flickr page - click here
FoEME's Climate Change project is supported by Heinrich Böll Stiftung.
FoEME Israeli Education Coordinator represented the organization at the "11th edition of the Youth meetings and the Mediterranean Sea" that took place in Villefranche-sur-mer, France, organized by the Centre de Decouverte du Monde Marin (CDMM). The conference was a unique opportunity to meet and learn about environmental-educational activities taking place in other Mediterranean countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Albania, Spain and more.
FoEME's model of environmental peacebuilding received great interest from the participants who suggested that such a model should be used to strengthen the network between environmental organizations around the Mediterranean.
FoEME directors held several high level meetings in the USA during the month of October, including with the US State Department, USAID and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Also, a well attended reception was held by the distinguished law firm, Alston & Bird LLP, for the benefit of FoEME in Washington DC.
This new website was made possible by a grant generously donated to FoEME from the Apte Family Fund. Website | Donation | Comments
