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About Civic
Forum Institute:
Civic Forum
Institute (CFI) was founded in 1995 as a grassroots civic education
program managed by the National Democratic Institute for International
Affairs (NDI), as part of that organization’s efforts to support and
strengthen a democratic Palestinian society in the West Bank, Gaza Strip
and East Jerusalem.
In June 1998, CFI
formally established itself as an independent Palestinian organization
and on 23 August 1998 CFI was registered in Jerusalem. CFI is also
registered as a non-profit organization in the Palestinian Authority
controlled areas according to the Law of NGOs signed by President Arafat
in February 2000.
CFI pursues the goals of building and strengthening the foundations of
democracy in Palestine and developing Palestinian civil society
organizations. CFI is dedicated to democratic development so as to raise
citizens’ awareness of democratic principles and processes. It also
works to empower local leaders and organizations through meaningful and
consistent programs and activities organized in local communities
throughout Palestine. CFI works in cooperative efforts to build and
strengthen ties between local, Arab and international organizations to
build a stable democratic society that benefits all Palestinian
citizens.
In the frame of its projects, CFI organizes workshops and civic
education sessions on topics of democracy and citizens rights and
responsibilities; town hall meetings with citizens and decision-makers,
representing different branches of power; and training of volunteers in
various skills.
For the last four years approximately 4,000 civic education discussion
sessions on particular civic education topics were held in various parts
of Palestine with particular focus on rural areas and marginalized
groups.
Approximately 29,500 participants from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and
Jerusalem have graduated from the civic education program. Program
participants represent all social, economic, educational and political
spectra in Palestinian society.
A total of 180 volunteer moderators were trained and began moderating
their own sessions in their communities. The volunteers, under the
supervision of CFI's regular staff moderators, have so far conducted
over 1,000 sessions.
A total of 170 town hall meetings on topics of local concern and
involving decision-makers, private sector representatives and the
general public have been held. CFI played an effective follow up role in
cooperation with its extensive network of local organizations to pursue
the issues raised during these meetings.
The CFI program provided opportunities for participants to learn about
the practices of democratic governance, and the role and
responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.
CFI intends to continue its actions towards the goal of strengthening
civil society and grassroots democratic development addressing the
emerging socio-political changes in Palestine, helping citizens
understand new and complicated democratic concepts and processes
affecting their own lives.
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+972 2
2420733
+972 2
2420734
