FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Israel
Address
The Arava Institute for Environmental StudiesKibbutz Ketura, D. N. Eilot, 88840, Israel.D. N. EilotIsraelCountry
IsraelCity
D. N. EilotStreet address 2
The Arava Institute for Environmental StudiesKibbutz Ketura, D. N. Eilot, 88840, Israel.Mobile Phone
0549798987Telephone
08 635 6618Website
Click HereYear of Establishment
1996Contact Person1
Eliza MayoJob Title 1
Director of DevelopmentOrganisation Type
Individual PersonFields of Activity
Environment/Sustainable developmentGeneral Information
The Arava Institute is a non-profit organization with Israeli 'amutah' status. The staff of administrators, academics, and researchers comprise 28 employees. The 12-member Board of Directors in Israel oversee the financial health of the organization. In the United States, the Institute's partner, Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI) has tax-exempt 501(c) (3) status. The organization's annual budget is approximately $1,500,000. In order to raise the funds necessary for our activities, with the help of FAI, the Arava Institute has developed external funding sources through a combination of government and foundation assistance, individual supporters and a sponsored bike ride. The Arava Institute is also partnered with the Jewish National Fund which is raising money for endowments and for the capital campaign to build a campus. The main project of the institute is a year-long academic program, as well as long-term research studies and alumni projects.
Mission and Objectives
Our mission is to create a world-class environmental teaching and research institute at Kibbutz Ketura, which will: • Prepare future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges. • Maintain high academic standards. • Deliver teaching and trans-boundary research opportunities at the highest quality and level to students from the Middle East and from all over the world. • Play a leading role in research, conservation, environmental protection and sustainable development in the region. • Generate capacity building for conciliation and cooperation in the Middle East, in order to transcend political boundaries and achieve environmental change.
Main Projects / Activities
• Academic Programs: The Arava Program and a master’s program in Desert Studies. The student body is generally comprised of a third Israelis, a third Arabs (Jordanian and Palestinian), and a third overseas students. • Peace-building: The Arava Institute encourages cross-cultural dialogue among students. We created the Peace-building and Environmental Leadership Seminar (PELS) to provide students with a facilitated forum for expressing their views on race, religion, identity, and the political situation. • Alumni Program: Career development and project support for over 500 alumni in the fields of environment and peace, especially through the Arava Alumni Peace & Environmental Network (AAPEN). • Research: A number of cross-border projects with the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Morocco in the areas of bio-diversity, air quality, river restoration, arid agriculture, and the preservation of the Dead Sea. Recent initiatives include the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC), and Integrated Water Resource Management.