Program Structure and Content

The training program is designed to enhance participants’ knowledge of party practices in order to foster the institutional development and capacity building of political parties in Palestine. The course will focus on practical training and hands-on exercises in relevant fields and concepts and is structured as follows:

Preparation. Prior to the seminar the selected participants will be provided with a reading package, which will enable them to become familiar with the course material. Each participant will be required to write a brief paper on a subject related to the seminar.

Intensive Seminar. During a five-day intensive seminar experts will introduce key issues in the field of party development and party politics and establish a fundamental background on the concepts and practice of related issues (e.g., communication skills, leadership skills, party formation, financing, membership, policy formulation etc.). The five day-seminar will be followed by an extra five workshop days dealing with specific issues such as elections, campaigning, and parliamentary work. Participants will learn from exercises and case studies. More specifically, this course will tackle the following issues:

Seminar Topics include:

• Definition of ‘party’ and ‘party system’
• Role and work of political parties
• Formation and establishment of opposition parties
• Party Law and System in Palestine
• Legal and constitutional frameworks of party formation
• History of Palestinian political parties
• Institutional and Organizational Requirements of Parties
• Party leadership
• Membership recruitment
• Organization of party congress or events
• Coalition Building
• Leadership Styles and Skills
• Developing messages, party policies and strategies
• Communication and Media Skills
• Issue and policy research
• Party financing / Fundraising
• How Parliament Works
• Parameters of Political Debate
• Political Parties and Elections

Conclusion. At the close of the training program, certificates will be awarded by PASSIA to participants who successfully complete the program.

Application Requirements

The training program is designed for Palestinian candidates, aged 25-45 years, who are involved in one way or the other in political parties or intend to get involved and who want to enhance their knowledge and skills. Applicants must be able to commit themselves full-time throughout the required period – a total of 10 days – and to undertake preparatory reading and written work.

Procedure

Completed application forms must be submitted to PASSIA by Wednesday, 17 May 2006. PASSIA will then invite short-listed applicants to interviews. Applicants will be notified of the results and, upon selection, participants will have to confirm their commitment to full-time participation in writing as well as submit a letter from their employers confirming that they will be exempted from work during the required period.

The PASSIA Training Program will take place from 8-12 June 2006 in Ramallah. Accommodation will be provided for participants from Gaza.

June 27, 2006

9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. – How Parliament Works

Ali Jirbawi, Professor of Political Science, Birzeit University

11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Break

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Palestinian Party Politics and the PNC

Adel Samara, PNC member

12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Lunch

1:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Parameters of Political Debate; Issues being debated in the political arena; Motives for positions (e.g., vote maximization, constituent representation, personal ideologies, values of party leaders, etc).

Abdul Jawad Saleh, Member of the PNC, former PLC member

June 28, 2006

9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. – The Palestinian Legislative Council; Structure, Mandate and Basic Law; Standing Orders; Committees; Resolutions/decisions; Decision-making processes

Firas Milhem, Lecturer in Law at Birzeit University

11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Break

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Being Opposition – Rights, Roles and Constraints

Azmi Shua’ibi, General Coordinator for Transparency Palestine

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – How Parliament Works – Experience from the Knesset

Abdul Malek Dehamshe, Former Knesset Member