The Representative Office of Finland to Palestine and Witness Center-SHAHID Sign a Cooperation Agreement to Implement the Peacebuilding Academy Project in Five Governorates of the Northern West Bank

The Representative Office of Finland to Palestine and Witness Center-SHAHID have signed a cooperation agreement to implement the project “Peacebuilding Academy: Empowering Youth & Women Leaders in Peace Youth Labs & Elected Youth Councils – North West Bank”, in the presence of H.E. Ambassador Tarja Kangaskorte, Ambassador of Finland to Palestine, and Mr. Saad Joudeh, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Witness Center-SHAHID.

The signing ceremony took place in the city of Nablus and was attended by representatives of the Representative Office of Finland to Palestine, including Project Manager Lara Ghawi, members of the Board of Directors Yasmeen Shamlawi and Ghazi Mortaja, and Riham Abu Aita, Director of the Kashif Platform, the Center’s executive staff and volunteers, as well as members of the National Youth Council in Nablus Governorate.

The project aims to strengthen the role of youth and women in community participation, civic leadership, and peacebuilding by enhancing their capacities and leadership skills and promoting their engagement in community initiatives, dialogue, and cooperation among different segments of society.

The project will be implemented in five governorates across the northern West Bank: Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Tubas. It will provide youth with opportunities to participate in training programs, community activities, and local initiatives that contribute to strengthening social cohesion and promoting the values of dialogue and active citizenship.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Saad Joudeh emphasized that the agreement represents an important step toward expanding international cooperation in support of Palestinian youth and enhancing opportunities for their meaningful participation in serving their communities and contributing to sustainable development.

For his part, Ahmad Jaroushi, Executive Director of Witness Center-SHAHID, noted that the project aligns with the Center’s vision of empowering youth and women and strengthening their role as active partners in community development. He added that this partnership will contribute to building the capacities of a new generation of young leaders capable of creating positive and sustainable impact within their local communities while promoting a culture of participation, dialogue, and collective action.

H.E. Ambassador Tarja Kangaskorte expressed her pleasure at the signing of the agreement and reaffirmed Finland’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance the participation of youth and women and enable them to play a greater role in their communities.

She stated: “We believe that youth play a pivotal role in building strong and sustainable societies. We are pleased to cooperate with Witness Center-SHAHID in supporting initiatives that create opportunities for youth to participate, learn, and lead, while promoting the values of dialogue, cooperation, community engagement, and peacebuilding”.