Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (AIES)

National Network
Israel
Address

The Arava Institute for Environmental StudiesKibbutz Ketura, D. N. Eilot, 88840, Israel.
D. N. Eilot
Israel

Telephone
08 635 6618
Telephone (other)
08 635 6604
Fax
08 635 6634
E-Mail
eliza@arava.org
Mobile Phone
0549798987
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
1996
Fields of Activity
  1. Environment/Sustainable development
  2. International/Cultural relations
General Information
The Arava Institute is a non-profit organization with Israeli 'amutah' status. The staff of administrators, academics, and researchers comprise 28 employees. The 12-member Board of Directors in Israel oversee the financial health of the organization. In the United States, the Institute's partner, Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI) has tax-exempt 501(c) (3) status. The organization's annual budget is approximately $1,500,000. In order to raise the funds necessary for our activities, with the help of FAI, the Arava Institute has developed external funding sources through a combination of government and foundation assistance, individual supporters and a sponsored bike ride. The Arava Institute is also partnered with the Jewish National Fund which is raising money for endowments and for the capital campaign to build a campus. The main project of the institute is a year-long academic program, as well as long-term research studies and alumni projects.
Mission and Objectives

Our mission is to create a world-class environmental teaching and research institute at Kibbutz Ketura, which will: • Prepare future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges. • Maintain high academic standards. • Deliver teaching and trans-boundary research opportunities at the highest quality and level to students from the Middle East and from all over the world. • Play a leading role in research, conservation, environmental protection and sustainable development in the region. • Generate capacity building for conciliation and cooperation in the Middle East, in order to transcend political boundaries and achieve environmental change.

Main Projects / Activities

• Academic Programs: The Arava Program and a master’s program in Desert Studies. The student body is generally comprised of a third Israelis, a third Arabs (Jordanian and Palestinian), and a third overseas students. • Peace-building: The Arava Institute encourages cross-cultural dialogue among students. We created the Peace-building and Environmental Leadership Seminar (PELS) to provide students with a facilitated forum for expressing their views on race, religion, identity, and the political situation. • Alumni Program: Career development and project support for over 500 alumni in the fields of environment and peace, especially through the Arava Alumni Peace & Environmental Network (AAPEN). • Research: A number of cross-border projects with the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Morocco in the areas of bio-diversity, air quality, river restoration, arid agriculture, and the preservation of the Dead Sea. Recent initiatives include the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC), and Integrated Water Resource Management.

Contact (1) Full Name
Eliza Mayo
Job Title
Director of Development
Head of the organisation
David Lehrer, Executive Director