Gaza: Ashrawi meets with Mission Director of Mercy Corps

February 17, 2014

Dr. Ashrawi meets with Mission Director of Mercy Corps in the West Bank and Gaza, Stuart Willcuts

PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi who has served on the Advisory Board of Mercy Corps, met with Stuart Willcuts, the Mission Director of Mercy Corps in the West Bank and Gaza.

Dr. Ashrawi discussed the projects of Mercy Corps being undertaken in the West Bank and in Gaza, as well as the latest political developments.

Dr. Ashrawi stressed, “Without ending the occupation and Israel’s system of total control over Palestinian rights, lives land and resources, there can be no genuine development or nation-building. ‘Real’ quality of life comes from attaining freedom and dignity, not just from economic well-being.”

In a separate meeting, Dr. Ashrawi met with Rateb Rabie, the co-founder and President of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) who informed her that the HCEF Board of Directors voted her as the recipient of the 2014 Path of Peace Award. Dr. Ashrawi, who serves on the Know Thy Heritage Advisory Board and meets regularly with visiting youth delegations to Palestine, expressed her appreciation for the award and described it as “humbling and empowering.”

Yesterday, on February 16, Dr. Ashrawi met with Helen Clark, the Administrator of the UNDP and relayed a message from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Ms. Clark who conveyed his best wishes, as well as his appreciation for the work of the UNDP and its commitment to development and its economic and social initiatives based on self-determination, equality and freedom.

In a separate meeting, Dr. Ashrawi led and engaged in a discussion with the Gender Unit of the Palestinian Security Forces. Both parties discussed issues of gender equality and rights, and explored concrete ways of supporting and encouraging women’s participation and empowerment in all sectors of Palestinian life.

ENDS

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