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Al-Quds University, as part of its desire to make a significant contribution to the attainment of lasting peace in the region, has created this specialized institute. The ISSAM SARTAWI Center for the Advancement of Peace and Democracy (ISCAPD) is a Palestinian non-governmental organization, a research oriented university-body with specific interest in community outreach, as well as regional and worldwide initiatives. It was founded by a group of leading Palestinian academics in 1998, led by Professor Sari Nusseibeh and hosted at Al Quds University.
The center has been named "Issam Sartawi" specifically in reference to the life and work of Dr Issam Sartawi (1936-1983), a medical doctor. The creation of the center in his name is recognition of Dr. Sartawi's invaluable contribution to Peace in the Middle East. His efforts were recognized internationally, culminating in him being awarded the Kreisky Prize in 1979. He was assassinated in April 1983 in a hotel lobby in Albufeira, Portugal while participating in the Building of the Peace Process. His assassins hoped to stop his peace efforts. The Center is dedicated to the advancement of peace and democratic values, the improvement of civil discourse, understanding and effectiveness, at a stage when Palestinians are moving forward in a young democracy.
The founder is Professor Sari Nusseibeh, and the present Director is Professor Munther S. Dajani, University Professor of Political Science at Al Quds University. With its growing professional staff, ISCAPD is building a focused portfolio of carefully designed, non-partisan civil society projects to achieve the following strategic objectives:
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Assist in the establishment of political parties and improve the overall political party accountability: ISCAPD is committed to a democratic Palestine where the political parties and process are fully accountable and responsive to its citizen electorate. To achieve this, ISCAPD has supported open political debates at the local level, formalization of ethical standards for both political activity and office-holders, cross-party, issue-based alliances, and accountability to citizens for political representations. Early reports suggest that these efforts are producing positive results.
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Strengthen Civic Leadership in Palestine: A democratic Palestine needs a civic leadership that is trained in the principles and practices of democratic culture and genuine citizen participation in building democracy. To address this need, ISCPS has developed programs focused on awareness and capacity building of Palestinian community leaders and, especially, of Palestinian youth.
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Reduce Community Conflict: A prosperous and peaceful future for Palestine requires that Palestine establish the attitudes and tools for the effective reconciliation of inevitable present and future differences. As a training pilot project in this effort, ISCPS is implementing an increasingly successful community-academic relations project to improve contacts between the local citizenry and the academic community in two locations. Piloted in Jericho, Jedera, Al Jeeb, Beernabala, and Bethlehem, the Community-Academicians project is being implemented also in Nablus, Jenin and Qalqilia with concrete national objectives. Through use of training courses to disseminate democratic values, computer skills and the use of open forums and public confidence building, this approach served as a replicable model in many other communities and in many other situations of potential conflict. ISCAPD's search for creative means to address community conflict continues.
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Increase Regional Leadership to Solve Regional Problems: While extremely appreciative of the supportive efforts of the international community to-date, ISCAPD recognizes and is deeply committed to the need for the nations of the region to develop and implement their own enduring solutions to the region's problems. Focusing on both the regional leadership and on youth, ISCAPD supports a broad range of higher level regional confidence building initiatives and expanded interaction of youth in the interests of cross-border cooperation.
The founding of ISCAPD is an effort by leading Palestinians to institutionalize:
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Palestinian perspectives and commitment concerning profound issues of economic and political growth for a viable democracy, and
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genuine regional perspectives and a commitment to find means that most effectively achieve sustainable harmonious regional relations.
ISCAPD choice of activities to achieve its strategic objectives is an effort to go beyond simple one-time delivery projects. They form part of a continuing attempt by ISCAPD to find common ground, and to strengthen shared values and shared confidences across the broad spectrum of political and non-political actors in Palestine. Wherever possible, ISCAPD activities reinforce political inclusion, across party lines. In addition, ISCAPD sees important opportunities in the considerable energies of this country's youth. With this in mind, ISCAPD designs its programs with optimism that by utilizing and reinforcing these energies of youth, ISCPS projects can have greater long-term impact.
The ISCAPD is a fully non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization. Its accounting books are open to inspection. Funding for specific projects is provided through international private and public organizations, governments, and friends of the Center including committed businesses and individuals.
ISCAPD
Issam Sartawi Center for Advancement of Peace and Democracy
P. O. Box 51000, Jerusalem
Tel. + 972 2 585 9955, Fax +972 2 5853918
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