On 16 February 2022, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) signed an Arrangement Letter at the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, based in Ramallah, the State of Palestine, to support a UNESCO-led project on “Improving Student Skills for Innovation and Sustainable Development through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and Coding in Palestinian Schools”. The project is aligned with the priorities of the Government’s National Policy Agenda for the State of Palestine and the priorities of the Ministry of Education to provide quality education for all.   UNESCO believes that STEAM and coding have a powerful role to play in helping students achieve their highest potential and talents because they integrate core contents to enhance students' understanding of the material. It will build on the successful results of the CapED project on Artificial Intelligence and Coding, through which 500 students were reached in both West Bank and Gaza during 2021. The overall objective of the new project, supported by Japan, is to further empower teachers and students, especially girls, with skills for innovation and sustainable development through STEAM and coding in primary and secondary education. In addition, it is envisaged to increase the number of coding clubs in public schools in Palestine.   In her remarks, Ms. Noha Bawazir, UNESCO Head of Office and UNESCO Representative, while expressing deep gratitude to the Government of Japan for the new significant contribution, stated: “With COVID-19 introducing a new set of challenges to the educational system across the world and to the Palestinian schools in particular, it is anticipated that this project will provide an opportunity to improve the educational process in Palestine through proven means of equipping Palestinian youth with digital, soft, and technical skills demanded by the labour market”.   For his remarks, Mr. MAGOSHI Masayuki, Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs / Representative of Japan to Palestine stated: “We are impressed by the high literacy rate in Palestine that paints a positive picture of its education system. However, we believe the Palestinian education system is still in the middle of the path to promote innovation for the younger generation. To clear the way for this end, Japan has committed to providing a new package of assistance through UNESCO to help Palestinian youth excel skills for innovation and sustainable development as well as expand and promote digital learning”.  UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in education, sciences and culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. As a member of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Palestine, UNESCO contributes to the overall efforts of the UN system to ensure that its work is aligned with the Palestinian Authority's National Policy Agenda.   Since the Oslo Accords, Japan has been committed to assisting the Palestinians with a view to creating a favorable environment for the achievement of peace in the Middle East and has so far provided assistance that exceeds 2.1 billion US dollars since 1993. Japan has continued support for the Palestinians' right of self-determination, and their desire to establish a state. Japan has been working to mitigate the hardships and difficulties faced by the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and to support their economic development. Japan is also determined to contribute to the capacity and institution building that is required to build a viable Palestinian state. 

Ramallah, November 4 – Within the framework of the project "Developing Digital skills and Education for Sustainable Development through Distance Learning in Palestine", funded by Japan, UNESCO Ramallah and the Ministry of Education launched training to produce educational videos for the Palestinian Educational TV channel. The training on educational design, technical skills, and best practice guidelines took place at Al-Quds Open University in Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus from 27 October to 20 November 2021. The training targeted 75 key teachers over 30 training hours. UNESCO Ramallah’s Education Unit supports the Ministry of Education in achieving its distance learning goals by developing and enhancing the Educational TV channel through the provision of equipment as well as building capacities of educational supervisors, teachers, and TV staff to improve their digital and 21st-century skills. Bassam Tahboob, Director of Education Directorate in Hebron, emphasized: “This is an essential training as it will allow teachers to incorporate technology when developing educational lessons, which will be broadcasted on the Educational TV channel”.

  In 2015, Khitam al-Hissi and her sister, Marah al-Hissi joined the IBBY Library in Al-Shawka, Gaza. Passionate about the world of writing and arts since the young age of 5, Khitam was inspired to start writing her own short stories. “I loved to try writing, so I wrote a lot. I did not stop at any attempt. I insisted on continuing to write and strengthen my writing skills.” Khitam al-Hissi stated. Indeed, all her determination and attempts paid off as this year Khitam won in third place her first UNESCO – Idries Saleh Foundation (ISF) “World of Tales” short story competition award. Aiming to foster imagination, resourcefulness and ingenuity, UNESCO and the Idries Shah Foundation (ISF) launched the World Tales Short Story Competition. Young teenagers from all over the globe were invited to write about challenges of today and tomorrow in the format of a short story and share their perspectives. “When they told me about my success, I was very happy. The whole world could not contain the joy in my heart. When I received the financial award from the IBBY my joy grew bigger and bigger as I saw everyone interested in me and encouraging me to continue being successful.” The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) in Palestine has helped to establish two children's libraries in the most remote and marginalized areas in Gaza, in cooperation with two community-based centers in Beit Hanoun and Rafah. IBBY organizes psycho-social activities, book discussions as well as storytelling, creative writing, drama, expression through illustrations and painting workshops. Mr. Giovanni Scepi, Head of Culture Unit at the UNESCO Ramallah Office, delivered the Award to Khitam at the IBBY Library in Al-Shawka (Gaza), and congratulated her on the wonderful tale she wrote and her great success. Khitam expressed her gratitude to UNESCO Ramallah for hand delivering the Award, saying: “This encourages me more and more to write and to continue being creative. I’ll improve to be a writer of short stories and novels.” The visit to the IBBY library ended with these inspiring words from Khitam: “My wish for the future is to be a famous writer but also to become a dentist. My wish to realize these two dreams started from my childhood. Despite a little upper lip defect since I was born, I was able to overcome my condition and accept myself. I want to encourage children in similar conditions to be strong. I want to show the world that I am very strong, and I want to fulfil my dreams!”.

Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. In Palestine, educational achievement at all levels continues to be affected by the political situation and resulting conflict. While Palestine has one of the highest enrollment rates in the region for students in elementary education, substantial challenges to access education remain, especially for students from vulnerable groups and communities. COVID-19 has also deeply affected education, for children with no access to digital learning opportunities. This divide is often present in remote and disadvantaged areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Many students lack internet access, devices, and adequate digital literacy. Less than half of households with children between the ages of 10-17 who are currently enrolled in schools have the desktop, laptop, or tablet they need for remote learning. Prolonged and intermittent school closures have also resulted in learning loss – only 37% of students attended educational classes during school closure and only an average of 64% of the curricula was covered during 2020-2021. The 11-day escalation of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities in May 2021 aggravated existing vulnerabilities and affected children’s well-being and protection. The damage to 136 schools run by the Palestinian Authority affected 121,092 children, worsening an existing shortage of classrooms in Gaza. Sixty-five percent of schools in Gaza operate on double or triple shifts, shortening the school day, sometimes to only 4 hours.   Message from the Director General of UNESCO: “In these exceptional times, business as usual is no longer an option.  If we are to transform the future, if we are to change course, we must rethink education. This means forging a new social contract for education, as called for by the UNESCO report on the Futures of Education, released last November.  We need to repair past injustices and orient the digital transformation around inclusion and equity. And we need education to fully contribute to sustainable development - for instance, by integrating environmental education in all curricula and by training teachers in this field.” - Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, on the occasion of International Day of Education 2022.   “On this International Day for Education, I invite all stakeholders to reflect on how to strengthen education, including the digital transformation, as a public endeavor for the common good, in and for Palestine.” -Lynn Hastings, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, from a statement on the International Day for Education 2022. 2022 Celebrations: On 24 January, the day will be celebrated through a platform to showcase the most important transformations that have to be nurtured to realize everyone’s fundamental right to education and build a more sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful future. It will generate debate around how to strengthen education as a public endeavor and common good, how to steer the digital transformation, support teachers, safeguard the planet and unlock the potential in every person to contribute to collective well-being and our shared home.  In February, UNESCO Ramallah will organize a webinar under the theme; “TVET and Digital Education”. Students and educators will discuss innovations, digital skills, and transversal competencies to make education more fit for the future and satisfy market needs.

Ramallah, 18 January 2022: UNESCO Ramallah, Prime Minister’s office, the Japanese Representative office, Birzeit University (BZU) and  Media Development Center (MDC), celebrated in a ceremony thrown at the Prime Minister’s office, MDC’s great achievement of winning the ESD Prize on their “Media and Information Literacy for Sustainable Societies”. The MDC project strives to develop media and information literacy in a practical approach through dialogue. In addition to that the project aims to foster societal change through youth empowerment. MDC has always been committed to providing space and the necessary tools to create an environment in which press freedom can thrive in Palestine.   Ms. Noha Bawazir, Head of office and UNESCO Representative to Palestine, renewed her congratulations to MDC, by saying “ I am encouraged by the strong recognition in Palestine of education's role in steering societal change. In this case, through Media and Information Literacy, as we recognize the key role of MIL in the early stages of life and the importance of integrating it into the educational process.”  The initial Prize-giving ceremony was held online last November, during the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO, organized this year in the framework of the UNESCO’s 75th Anniversary. In spite of the fact that the celebrations happened virtually, the speeches delivered by the winners were very moving and empowering. 

Bethlehem, 17 January 2022: Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Palestine, Ms. Noha Bawazir, signed an agreement with the Mayor of Bethlehem, H.E. Mr. Anton Salman. The agreement aims to enhance the Cultural Creative Industries in Bethlehem. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Mr. Giovanni Scepi, the Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah, as well as municipal council members. This project is among UNESCO’s contributions to celebrating the city of Bethlehem as the Capital of Arab Culture 2020. The signing goes in motion with the framework of the 2021 International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. UNESCO and the Municipality of Bethlehem are implementing this activity in the framework of the Re|Shaping Cultural Policies for the Promotion of Fundamental Freedoms and the Diversity of Cultural Expressions project that is being generously funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).