Since 1996, the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies (AIES) has challenged and educated Arab and Jewish graduate students in the field of environmental studies. Located in Eilat, AIES accepts students from all over the world to study and cooperatively solve the most pressing environmental issues in the region. Founded on the basis that “nature knows no borders,” AIES believes that one of the best ways to build transcultural bridges is to have students study together at the eco-institute; the very word “arava” means “to mix” in Hebrew. The Institute has a student body comprised of Jordanians, Palestinians, Israelis, and students from around the world, and now boasts just under 600 alumni, many of which have gone on to not only solve environmental issues in the world at large, but also to work toward intercultural collaboration.
Dr. Alon Tal, founder of AIES and visiting professor at Stanford University, is slated to kick off a series of lectures on Jan 9, 2012. Entitled “The Environment: Arabs and Israelis Work Together to Protect the Region’s Resources,” Tal’s lecture will discuss Arava’s environmental work over the past 16 years.
This spring, AIES will host a trans-boundary eco-tour, which will give environmental enthusiasts the opportunity to study water availability and distribution in Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. This program aims to showcase the natural beauty present in the region, and present some of the environmental challenges that leaders face today.
The Friends of the Arava Institute (the AIES 501©3 fundraising arm in the U.S.) has established a donor-advised fund with CAAP for the purpose of providing scholarships to Arab students attending AIES. If you are interested in contributing to the “Arava Institute Arab Student Scholarship Fund” at CAAP, please contact us.