Ever since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Palestinian soil in May 1994, the overwhelming majority of Palestinians have remained convinced that by passing through several transitional stages – involving the transformation from an ‘Intifada society’ into a civil society, the establishment of democratic structures, and the development of accountable and transparent governance – they will be able to achieve their national aspirations. Most of them agree that in order to achieve the ultimate goal – the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital - a vibrant civil society with an active role in the decision-making process must emerge, while the government institutions must develop proficiency, constituency outreach and institutional stability. This is particularly significant in view of the developing, dynamic environment prevailing in Palestine and the relatively limited resources at hand.

The PASSIA Training Programs were therefore designed to help in increasing the skills of Palestinian civil society organizations and their capacity to deal more effectively with both their constituencies and the tasks ahead. Only with trained staff and strong organizational skills will Palestinians be in a position to play a key role in nurturing a democratic society and in facing the enormous administrative challenges of forming their own system. The PASSIA project on Civil Society Empowerment through Training and Skills Development thus attempts to strengthen the professionalism of the local sectors and empower Palestinians with the knowledge and skills they will rely upon in meeting the challenge of building the various national institutions and developing a strong civil society.

The subject of strategic planning was chosen because strategic planning is a significant tool whose use will be crucial in defining future directions. Only by knowing where an institution is going will it be possible to set priorities and strategies and achieve progress. Whether an NGO or public or private institution, every organization requires sound management and supervisory skills in order to be successful and translate its overall aims into a workable strategy.

By definition, strategic planning is an effort that aims to produce decisions and practical steps that shape and guide what an organization aspires to do and to become, while taking into consideration both external and internal environmental challenges and changes.

The relevance of strategic planning in the Palestinian context – on both the civil society and government/national levels – is obvious. It does not only identify collective visions or missions for an organization or the nation as a whole, it also assesses de facto opportunities and threats to that vision, focuses on the important issues, and allocates resources (time, abilities, funds) to those activities that provide the most benefit.

Whilst preparing for this training program, we at PASSIA put a lot of thought into choosing an appropriate topic for the first writing assignment, which the participants were required to prepare prior to the actual lecture program. The topic eventually chosen was ‘Where do you think Palestinian civil society will be in five years from now?’ The idea behind this was to make the participants a) think deeply about the role, situation and meaning of civil society in general, and b) relate their findings to a vision of civil society five years from now.

To answer this question requires an examination of both the external environment and the internal factors that determine the status of Palestinian civil society. Will the political situation that exists over the next five years result in a sort of de facto situation and keep crippling the Palestinians’ political will? Will the PA still be restricted in its power and geographical range? Will the Israelis still refuse withdrawal from one more inch of the Palestinian land while their settlements continue to expand? Will society still suffer from the absence of law and social justice? Will the Palestinians still be divided between those inside and outside? Will the World Bank and the donors continue to give financial support? Will the economic situation in the Palestinian Territories continue to deteriorate? What will be the nature of Palestinian Law: do we want a contemporary, modern law that takes into account all the developments and streams in society? How should the Christian and Moslem roots be integrated? Or do we envision a Western-style law?

All the above questions must be considered when formulating a vision for the future, regardless of whether the vision relates to an organization or the nation as a whole.

In May 1999, when the five-year interim phase stipulated in the Oslo Accords comes to an end, the Palestinian leadership is expected to declare the Palestinian state. The major components of a state are there: the land, the people, an elected and recognized national assembly (the PLC), a government, and recognition. On the other hand, however, the borders are practically closed and the leadership is confined. It is against this background that our civil society will be obliged to develop over the next few years. Bearing in mind the present and potential difficulties, it is not surprising that there is currently a lack of zeal amongst so many young Palestinians – the future of Palestine – whose lives are ruled by constraints, corruption and a seemingly weak leadership. Indeed, the current situation has begun to undermine our pride in belonging to the homeland at a time when people should be making every possible effort to achieve self-reliance and the preservation of their identity.

On the organizational level, another angle should be added. In any organization, be it an independent institute like PASSIA, a health organization or a ministry, the people - the employees who work on the programs and projects - must be convinced that what they are doing is worthwhile and that the overall goal is valid in order for there to be motivation, devotion and sustainability. If someone is not convinced that the program on which he is working promises to be beneficial, then the program is not going to last. This is where the issue of credibility comes in. A project should never be carried out simply for the sake of carrying out a project or because it is a tool for bringing in funds; money is important, but of equal – if not greater – importance are ability and the willingness to implement a project and see it through to the end, regardless of any problems.

To achieve a healthy working environment that motivates everyone to contribute to our ongoing state-building efforts and meets the widely shared vision of an independent democratic Palestinian state, people’s understanding of the complexity and long-term nature of change, capacity-building and institutional development, as well as of the internal and external factors that influence the dynamic of change, must be enhanced.

PASSIA hopes that its training program series will make a significant contribution towards this end by doing the following: helping familiarize the seminar participants with existing practical methods and tools for analyzing organizations, identifying their problems, and addressing them in the most efficient and effective ways; strengthening their professional skills and relations, whilst improving their understanding of each other’s work; and allowing them to discuss current issues, problems and challenges related to civil society and institutional development in Palestine and to explore possible solutions at different levels.