The European Union (EU) is partnering with UNOPS and Al-Nayzak Organization for Scientific Innovation to increase access to quality inclusive education for Palestinian girls and boys in East Jerusalem, through the construction of the Jerusalem Innovation Park (JIP).

The European Union Representative in Jerusalem, Mr. Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, and the Director of UNOPS in Palestine, Mr. Tokumitsu Kobayashi, and the founder of Al-Nayzak Organization for Scientific Innovation Eng. Aref F. Husseini joined a ceremony for laying the corner stone of the Jerusalem Innovation Park (JIP) educational complex.

The Jerusalem Innovation Park (JIP) is a flagship educational complex of 5385m2 at the heart of Jerusalem in the Mount of Olives, compromising an innovation, technology and science hub and first of its kind educational facility complex specialized in STEM- science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The EU is providing four million EUR out of the 5.6 million EUR which is the total cost of the current phase of the project.

“Education is a fundamental right for every human being and every child but here in East Jerusalem quality education is a challenge. Palestinian children are facing the tough impact of the prolonged Israeli occupation: schools are narrow, classrooms are full, and barriers are numerous. Yet there is always a glimpse of hope! Our support to the ‘Jerusalem Innovation Park’ Program, demonstrates our commitment to basic human rights and to the importance of creative thinking and innovation. This park will spread the culture of science and technology education and innovation in East Jerusalem. It will also help in preserving and maintaining the Palestinian identity of the city,’’ said theEU Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff during the event.

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EU Delegation to Palestine website and Facebook page

Al-Nayzak Organization for Scientific Innovation