AEI programm | AEI activities |
Arab Educational Institute
(AEI - Open Windows)
Bethlehem - Palestina
Working with youth, women and educators AEI-Open Windows is engaged in the field of community education to contribute to the general causes of participation in public life and in peace and justice; the building of a free, democratic and culturally pluralistic Palestine, and the sharing and communication of the daily life reality of Palestine with broader audiences. This is done by a number of programs:
AEI is primarily active in the Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah areas of the West Bank, Palestine. Its local groups include Moslem and Christian school students (teenagers) and older youth up into their twenties. We also work with adults involved in education, such as teachers, administrators and parents. At the international level, AEI integrates interested youth from different backgrounds, religions and nationalities. AEI's supervising board is composed of distinguished community members, including teachers and headmasters from a range of schools and departments at Bethlehem University. AEI also works closely together with Palestinian NGOs at both a local and national level, especially in the fields of education and non-violent activities.
AEI is affiliated with the peace organisation Pax Christy International.
For more information about AEI go to the website www.aeicenter.org or contact directly:
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Arab Educational Institute
Milk Grotto Street 96
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The objective of AEI has led to the current main activities:
About the AEI programs:
The youth activation and leadership program of the Youth House aims to help youngsters from 15 years of the regions Bethlehem and Hebron to develop their leadership skills. They are encouraged to take on responsibilities. AEI tries to give them experience in arranging social and cultural activities and standing up for their rights. In addition exchange with other youth groups inside and outside of Palestine is promoted.
The program of education in values, culture and identity aims to promote the awareness of values. Especially the values of peace and justice. The notions of the own culture, religion and identity as well as those of others are strengthened. The program tries to build up an advanced group of Palestine youth, women, teachers and parents that is conscious of its spiritual heritage and is able to develop a strong message based on universal values.
The Palestinian reality communication program is executed by AEI's School of Communication. It provides training sessions and offers tools, technical assistance and network access to Palestinian youth, women, teachers and parents. It aims to develop communication skills to spread the information about the Palestinian reality, rights and identity.
The program to improve the internal organisation is directed to the internal communication, the management system, the structure of the organisation and the funds raising capacity. It improves the publicity, the teachers network and other cooperative functions.
Other AEI activities:
Together with Sabeel, a Palestine Liberation Theology Centre, AEI developed a visitors program where special places are visited and stories told about Palestine spirituality and theology.
The initiative to establish a story house in the area of Rachel's Tomb is based on the need to give Palestinian women a greater voice in their society and towards an international audience. In the story house Palestinian women bring out their real-life and cultural stories with a spirit of hope, peace and sumud (steadfastness, persistence).
The specialty of the cultural tourism program is the telling of stories and the playing of sketches by Palestinian women during a visit to special places. It is a way of learning a lot about the historic culture of the people and their daily life, in addition to just seeing the environs of Bethlehem.
See also the website www.spiritofsumud.ps.
