Program for Water Security: Workshop on Middle East Water Security and Environmental Peacebuilding

Aug 9, 2018

The workshop will be held from 10 to 15 December 2018, in Jordan, with the possibility to continue on a 2 day trip in Israel/Palestine, on 16-17 December. Participation is open to civil society organizations from around the world, especially those working in conflict areas. Civil society organizations from Jordan, Israel and Palestine are not eligible. Limited space is also available for individuals from academia, think tanks, development agencies and foundations interested in our unique methodology. Civil society organizations coming from conflict areas may be eligible for financial support. 

Click here to fill out the APPLICATION FORM.

The workshop is offered by EcoPeace’s Program for Water Security to connect EcoPeace’s experience in the Middle East with the capacity building needs of civil society organizations coping with conflict, poor governance and water insecurity worldwide. Through the Program for Water Security, which is supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, EcoPeace seeks to create long-term partnerships with civil society organizations worldwide and create a global network of environmental peacebuilders.

The workshop will gather representatives of civil society organizations involved in conflict resolution and/or environmental challenges to discuss the role civil society can play in promoting peace and fostering environmental cooperation. The workshop will create opportunities for an exchange of experiences and capacity building – providing tools, technical advice and training to support strategic planning, political advocacy and grassroots activities that employ EcoPeace’s unique methodology.  It will allow participants to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and best practices of environmental peacebuilding with a special focus on fostering dialogue and cooperation on the protection, equitable and sustainable use of water and environmental resources.

The workshop will take place in Jordan on December 10-15 (five days), followed by an optional 1-2-day trip to Israel and Palestine.

The program will include:

• Presentations by EcoPeace’s regional directors and senior staff. This will explore EcoPeace’s experiences over the past 24 years, particularly the development of the Good Water Neighbors program in Jordan, Israel and Palestine.
• Meetings with local stakeholders from Jordan, Israel and Palestine, such as representatives of local authorities, youth, religious leaders, experts and educators.
• Expert presentations on environmental peacebuilding
• An opportunity for organizations to share and present their own work.
• Site visits in Jordan to see EcoPeace’s Good Water Neighbors model in practice – including the Jordan River Baptism Site and optional site visits in Israel and Palestine

Participants

The workshop is designed for representatives of civil society organizations living and/or working in conflict areas affected by water insecurity, as well as policymakers, local leaders, and representatives of academia, think tanks, development agencies and foundations. Given the global character of the workshop, candidates from Jordan, Israel and Palestine will not be eligible. Participants will be selected based on their current roles, work experience and interest in environmental peacebuilding.

Costs

The workshop will be hosted at the SHE EcoPark in the Jordan Valley, in Jordan. Accommodation will be in shared cabins. A set fee of US$ 2,000 will cover direct costs for the 5 days in Jordan, including accommodation at SHE, meals, local transport and site visits, and excluding the optional two-day trip to Israel and Palestine. Participants will need to cover their own travel costs to the region, visa fees, and health insurance. Civil society organizations from conflict areas may be eligible for financial support.

Criteria for Financial Support

Only civil society organizations are eligible to apply for financial support to cover partial or full costs of attending the workshop.

• Region/Country of origin: the workshop is primarily focused on environmental peacebuilding and conflict transformation, therefore priority will be given to candidates from fragile areas, either from conflict or post-conflict settings, internal or international conflicts. The overlay of water related conflicts, conditions of water insecurity or more broadly environmental problems, with political, religious, and ethnic  divides will be taken into consideration.
• Field of work: participation is limited to a) representatives of civil society organizations already working on environmental peacebuilding issues, who desire to learn about EcoPeace’s model in order to replicate the experience in their region ; b) representatives of civil society organizations working on environmental issues who would like to learn about the connections with peacebuilding; c) representatives of civil society organizations working on peacebuilding and conflict transformation who desire to learn about the role natural resources can play in fostering dialogue and cooperation.
• Characteristics of the organization: size, number of employees, number of projects implemented, and other relevant details that describe the organization will be taken into account.

More information will be available upon request.

Women are especially encouraged to apply.

EcoPeace reserves the right to grant or refuse applications to participate based on its own criteria of diversity and gender balance. Space will be limited to 25 participants.

The deadline to submit your APPLICATION FORM is September 30^th.

For any queries contact Giulia Giordano, Ph.D. International Affairs Manager, at giulia@ecopeaceme.org.