Press Release: Med Culture holds the first meeting of the “National Focus Group” on the development of the cultural sector in Palestine

January 6, 2015 Ramallah

Med Culture, a regional EU-funded programme, held the first meeting of the Palestinian “National Focus Group” on the development of the cultural sector, on Tuesday, 6 January, 2015 hosted by the Ministry of Urban Planning and Development in Ramallah.

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Following two roundtable consultations held in Ramallah and Bethlehem with the Palestinian authorities and stakeholders in the cultural sector earlier in May 2014, a “National Focus Group” has been established to work closely with Med Culture on activities aimed at developing the cultural sector in Palestine, in addition to taking part in collaborations across the region. The activities will include among other:

• A workshop addressing higher education in disciplines relative to culture such as vocational education and training (VET), lifelong learning, and their relevance to the job market, particularly for the employability of younger people

• A workshop concerning the development of strategic action plans for culture at the level of authorities where the Palestinian experience in this regard is shared with countries such as Jordan and Lebanon

• A workshop focusing on the promotion of culture in the peripheries where culture practitioners are isolated and where means lack both in terms of infrastructure and resources.

The “National Focus Group” is composed of Palestinian cultural practitioners from diverse cultural disciplines, as well as representatives of the Palestinian line ministries such as the Director Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Director Ministry of Planning and Development, Director Ministry of Culture and Labour, and the Assistant Deputy Ministery of Higher Education.

The meeting took place in two parts: a review of the activities planned for Palestine in 2015, followed by a training workshop on one of the cultural management aspects related to seeking support from the private sector to invest in cultural activities. The aim of the training is to reach a better understanding of how the available resources can be better oriented and exploited in real contexts. It is a collective exploration to dismantle existing misconceptions around the issue of fund-raising.  

Med CultureMed Culture is a 4 year (2014-2018) regional programme funded by the European Union to support partner countries in South of the Mediterranean in the development & reform of their cultural policies by facilitating the design and implementation of relevant actions. Med Culture’s ultimate goal is to help pave the way towards the creation of institutional & social environments that will validate culture as vector for freedom of expression and sustainable development.

For further information pls contact Suhair Muhye Al Deen, Communication & Networking Expert s.muhyealdeen@medculture.eu