Speakers
Writer, Translator, and Editor; Co-editor, Maktoob – The Van Leer Institute’s series for Arabic literature
Freelance Tour Guide; Doctorate of Philosophy, School of Theology, Religious Studies & Islamic Studies, University of Wales, UK
Digital Marketing & Transformation Consultant, speaker & trainer, Co-Founder of Go-Social
Course Outline
Training Program on Advocacy, Communication and Planning Skills
Building on its longstanding work in and on Jerusalem, PASSIA organized this training seminar to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of young Palestinians to successfully engage in advocacy, media, and public awareness activities against the background of their threatened historic and religious heritage and culture in Jerusalem. Based on the notion that local stakeholders and the community play a vital role in protecting national heritage and identity, the course will provide participants with the knowledge, tools and skills to develop advocacy goals, strategies and campaigns for use at local and international levels. This training is part of the “Protecting Islamic and Christian Culture in Jerusalem” project, which is jointly implemented by Palestinian Vision Organization, PASSIA and ACT, and funded by the EU.
Course Outline
- Preparation: Selected participants were provided with preparatory material and are required to complete a brief writing assignment on a subject related to the seminar.
- Intensive seminar: During the four-day seminar, key issues, concepts, and practices of advocacy & lobbying, planning, and communication were introduced, focusing on the need to protect Palestinian culture and heritage in Jerusalem. The program included:
- Islamic & Christian Cultural Heritage in Jerusalem
- Effective Communication Skills
- Analyzing the Context for Advocacy
- Identifying Target Audiences & Messages
- Advocacy Methods & Skills
- Digital Advocacy (social media, new technologies)
- Planning Campaigns
- Case studies & field visit
- Conclusion: Certificates were awarded to participants who completed the program.
Procedure:
Candidates interested in the training seminar had to complete and return PASSIA’s application forms by the given deadline. Upon selection, participants had to confirm their commitment to full-time participation in writing.
The PASSIA Training Program itself took place from 13-16 September 2020 at the Legacy Hotel in Jerusalem. Due to the situation caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the course was partly conducted online, i.e., those participants who could not make it to Jerusalem in person joined via Zoom. There were no costs involved for the participants.
