In cooperation with thirty grassroots civil society organizations, the Mossawa Center launched the first annual National Day of Giving this past week in five localities. The National Day of Giving seeks to strengthen Arab Palestinian civil society in Israel by fostering community involvement in civil society initiatives and support for them. Through the framework of the National Day of Giving, local civil society organizations have developed programs that seek to promote the financial stability of their local councils, increase community support for civil society organizations, and increase civic engagement. National Day of Giving, which is funded by the European Union, was held in twenty five localities across the country throughout the week leading up to Land Day on March 30th.

Ain Mahil

A youth group, “Your Country, Your Life,” did a workshop on being active community members and held a treasure hunt on March 21st with the local school groups in Ain Mahil.

Der Hana

In Der Hana, volunteers worked together on March 21st to make the city center and a bus stop overgrown, to avoid collisions with oncoming traffic and lower the danger for people using public transportation.

Umm il Fahm:

In Umm il Fahm, on March 21st, the local council held a Mother’s Day event for women with children with disabilities.

Tireh

The giving group in Tireh held a children’s festival on March 22nd for family friendly fun.

Musmus

On March 23rd, in Musmus, a local civil society named Raam coordinated with the villagers to the maintenance of public spaces, mural painting, blood donation drive, and cemetery restoration with Raam, a local civil society organization

Sakhnin

The Mossawa Center toured Sakhnin with the Honorable Ambassador Giaufret, examining the challenges facing the locality and the efforts take by the local authority and local civil society organizations to fill the gaps left by the central government.

Kufr Kanna

In Kufr Kanna on the 28th, five different schools came together under the direction of the Head of Volunteering for the Local Council Municipality, to clean the local area and forge new bonds across age divides. Attended by children from three special education schools, the morning started with a discussion on the lack of local facilities for children and young people with disabilities- particularly for wheelchair users.

Taybe

Taybe youth, as part of “Our Music Association,” hosted a two day event of a series of music workshops with a local girl’s home on the 28th and 29th.

Haifa

The “Childhood in March” festival was hosted at the Mossawa Center on Friday the 29th, featuring theatrical performances, games, art stations, pantomime, and storytelling for children and families. The Haifa Women’s group and the Young Leadership group organized this night of events.