Beit Sahour Municipality Signs Contract for
On Tuesday, April 20, 2010, Beit Sahour Municipality signed a 15-month contract with USAID implementing agency CHF and their implementing partner, Sharek Youth Forum of Ramallah for the Youth Council Project. The Youth Council Project is part of the Local Democratic Reform (LDR) program-commonly known as TAWASOL-implemented by CHF on behalf of USAID. The project entails the creation of a youth council that mimics the current municipal council. The target group for the youth council is young adults between the ages of 15-23. The project calls for the creation of a youth public committee in which each
individual must register in order to be able to vote or nominate themselves in the up-coming elections which are tentatively scheduled for early May. The youth committee will undergo training in the election process and in leadership skills which will prepare them to participate in and manage the elections under the supervision and guidance of Sharek and Beit Sahour Municipality. Subsequent trainings will be held after the elections for the youth committee and council in order to further develop their skills as community leaders. The elected youth council will be provided with funding from CHF in order to implement various projects of their choosing in the municipality. The Beit Sahour Municipality will provide the youth council with office space and technical and moral support.
In preparation for the project, Beit Sahour Municipality held a meeting April 12, 2010 with all the local high school principals to explain the project and obtain permission to visit the students at the schools. Afterwards, representatives from Beit Sahour Municipality spoke with all the eligible students regarding the project. In addition, a meeting was held Thursday, April 15, 2010 in Dar Dakarat Community Center in order to inform the eligible university students and for anyone who had questions or concerns about the proceedings of the project. The meeting was attended by Mayor Hani Al-Hayek, Mr. Hazem Abu Helal (the project coordinator from Sharek) a handful of municipal council members and the municipal staff in charge of managing the project. The meeting was well attended, attracting over 50 interested young adults. The last day to register in the youth committee and be eligible to run in the youth election is April 25, 2010.
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