Introduction:

The People to People Program was born in the wake of the history agreement, the Declaration of Principles, signed by the PLO and Israel in Washington in 1993. The agreement was the result of secret negotiations in Oslo. Palestinian and Israeli politicians and negotiators committed themselves to a peace process and to the formulation of lasting solutions.

However, one of the Israeli negotiators told he had not met any Palestinians on an equal basis prior to building friendships with his counterparts in the secret negotiations in Oslo. The lesson was clear: peace is agreed upon by politicians, but must be built by the people.

The Objectives of the People to People Program:

  1. The Israeli and Palestinian sides will cooperate enhancing the dialogue and relations between their peoples in accordance with the concepts developed in cooperation with the Kingdom of Norway.
  2. The two sides will cooperate in enhancing dialogue and relations between their peoples, as well as in gaining a wider exposure of the two publics to the peace process, its current situation and predicted results.
  3. The two sides will take steps to foster public debate and involvement, to remove barriers to interaction, and to increase the people to people exchange and interaction within all areas of cooperation.
In order to achieve these objectives, the Program will support joint initiatives by Israeli and Palestinian public and private organizations. Priority will be given to initiatives that have a potential to bridge large audiences in the two societies. The program will emphasize the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in direct people to people interaction and "grass roots" cooperation.

People to People Organization:

The People to People Program is initiated by the two parties and facilitated by the Kingdom of Norway. The two partners in the Program work together in a Joint Planning Group.

The organizational structure of the Program is two tie red: on the top level, is the Steering Group, comprising representatives from Palestinian, Israeli and Norwegian authorities.
Under this level is the non-governmental body, comprised of planning groups from the two communities, and the Norwegian secretariat. The Israeli and Palestinian People to People Planning Groups are connected to an NGO from each community. On the Israeli side, the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies (Keren Karev) provides the Program with the Israeli Planning Group. On the Palestinian side, the Palestinian Center for Peace provides the People to People Program with the Palestinian Planning Group. Norway provides the Joint Planning Group with a secretariat through Fafo Institute for Applied International studies.
The Joint Planning Group serves as an information base for the People to People activities. It assist in finding suitable cooperation partners, and in searching for funding of projects. The Joint Planning Group also facilitates coordination with the authorities as required.

Funding:

Norway is the main sponsor of the People to People Program. Other funding partners are invited to join the Program and to make use of its facilities.

Interim Agreement (1995):
Article VIII: The People-to-People Program

  • The two sides shall cooperate in enhancing the dialogue and relations between their peoples in accordance with the concepts developed in co-operation with the Kingdom if Norway.
  • The two sides shall cooperate in enhancing dialogue relations between their peoples, as well as in gaining a wider exposure of the two publics to the peace process, its current situation and predicted results.
  • The two sides shall take steps to foster public debate and involvement, to remove barriers to interaction, and to increase the people to people exchange and interaction within all areas of cooperation described in this Annex and in accordance with the overall objectives and principle set out in this Annex."

The Israeli - Palestinian People to People Program, supported by Norway

  • Established in the Olso II Agreement in 1995
  • An official program-led and supported by the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, Norway is a facilitator
  • Funded by CRB (Israel) and Norway, implemented by NGOs (grass + root focus)
  • Aim: Enhance Palestinian-Israeli dialogue and relations
      Foster wider public exposure to and involvement in the peace process Strengthen and increase the direct people-to-people relationships and cooperation based on equality and reciprocity

The first joint seminar in Gaza, December 1997 recommended:

  • To make more systematic use of the existing p2p platform and movement
      Hold consultation workshops to review program achievements, and focus more on content & issues Increase learning through contact and exchanges between projects Provide professional help to newcomers Contribute to create symmetry and real cooperation Better follow-up from the Program
  • To support bigger projects, in -depth work
  • To strengthen outreach to include new, broader constituencies, create numerical impact

Purpose of this seminar

  • Consult on program level and exchange views on achievements and challenges in the different projects…
  • …as a first step of planning for gatherings of each program area…
  • …to improve learning between Program and grass-root oriented projects.
  • The Groups:
      Present the projects to each other
      Sum up achievements and challenges
      Select issues for further discussions
      Report to the Plenary

Status by February 1999: 90 projects by 140 organizations; 1,6 mill. USD

       1995_7 1998 Total
Adult seminars, dialogue 20 16 36
Culture 3 7 10
Environment 4 4 8
Youth 14 7 21
School and education   7 7
Media 8   8
Sum 49 41 90
Application (approx.) 180 160 340

The 1998 projects: Aim

  • Aim: Increase participation form Gaza, North and South of West Bank, new organizations
  • Aim: Develop program on School and education
  • Around 160 applications through the year
  • 42 selected for funding, more projects were recommendable for funding, 39 launched by now

The 1998 projects: Content and issues

  • Adult dialogue and seminars: 16 / 26 orgs Religious dialogue, interfaith
      Training nurses, kindergarten teachers, childbirth educators, leaders, facilitators, health professionals Healing, crisis aid, parents network & advocacy Women in trade unions, career women Outreach to new groups
  • Culture: 7p / 12 orgs
      Film productions, translation
      Cultural tourism
      Art workshops, exhibitions
      Music as a vehicle of communication

The 1998 projects: Content and issues

  • Environment: 3p / 5 orgs
      Art & ecology for children
      Ecological field laboratory for youth, meetings
  • School twinning and education 6p / 9 orgs
      Meeting, joint activities, workshops, and community meetings
      Courses on peace, democracy
      Exchanges between principals, educators
  • Youth 7p / 14 orgs
      Leadership training
      Meetings, retreats, joint trip & activities
      Youth magazine, pen pals

1999:New round, new challenges?

  • Follow up with meetings within the thematic groups for 1998-project, monitor progress
  • Select new NGO projects for funding
  • With the authorities define and implement a few bigger, more substantial projects
  • Strengthen the use of our internet site