In their process of state-building, Palestinians face a challenging task: they have to build the citizens before there is a functioning state. It is a difficult unique undertaking, yet it can be very rewarding as well. The Palestinian people have been striving for independence and the right to self-determination for more than half a century. The ultimate goal is to have a democratic state, where the rule of law prevails and all citizens enjoy equal rights.

It is imperative at this critical stage of the history of Palestinians that people who are and will be shaping their future are equipped with relevant knowledge and experience. It is in this context that especially young professionals bear great responsibilities. In their capacity as the leaders of tomorrow, they - in their different positions - lay the basis of civic life in the anticipated state, and promote the practice of a rule-of-law regime.

Yet, if one surveys actual conditions, it is evident that there is a huge lack of the basics of civics among Palestinians, including appropriate understandings of constitutional principles (rule of law, separation of powers, individual freedoms and rights), concepts and purposes of citizenship and governments, and political and legal processes created to make decisions, seek consensus, and resolve conflicts in a free society.

PASSIA believes that it is therefore of profound importance to give civic education a priority in the learning agendas of Palestinians. Civic knowledge enables individuals not only to define their roles as citizens and to better participate in the ongoing efforts and debates pertaining to a Palestinian constitution, but also increases their capacities to take a more active role in developing the legal system of Palestine, where the jurisprudence will reflect the aspirational character of a new state, understand about the exercise of power, evaluate domestic and international policy, and to exert influence in public affairs.

With this in mind, PASSIA is undertaking a project, which will provide training courses in civics and governance for young professionals, to be selected from a pool of applicants, with the aim to achieve a level of understanding and acceptance of the rights and responsibilities among the citizens that is required for the maintenance and improvement of any constitutional democracy.

The project’s target audience is comprised of professionals working in the governmental, private and NGO sectors and who would benefit from an opportunity to develop their civic education skills and knowledge and become more active and informed with regard to political processes and participation.

It is hoped that by teaching about democratic institutions, principles, and practices in a range of courses an ethic of democracy can be instilled and the groundwork for creating more effective and informed democratic citizens be laid.

Background:

For a democracy to survive and flourish, its citizens must know about the basic features of a democratic political system to be able to access it when their interests are at stake, and they must believe in the importance of certain key democratic values, such as tolerance for divergent viewpoints and support for the rule of law. They must also be willing and able to participate in local and national politics, and they must believe that their participation is important to the continued viability of the democratic political system.

In countries emerging from authoritarian rule, citizens often lack democratic experience, especially with regard to knowledge about formal democratic structures and processes and thus about the opportunities that exist for advancing their interests. Another common aspect in transitioning countries is that citizens experience difficulty adjusting to the competition, compromise, and loss that are inherent parts of the democratic political process. Without values such as political tolerance, trust in democratic institutions, and respect for the rule of law prevailing, this can be severely destabilizing, particularly if it ignites or exacerbates economic, ethnic, religious, and other forms of tensions.

The tool to counter the lack of democratic socialization is civic education, which, by imparting the necessary skills and knowledge, helps promoting support for democratic behaviors and values among ordinary citizens.

Drawing upon PASSIA’s previous experience in conducting training seminars, its record of facilitating dialogue and the exchange of ideas among the various sectors of society, the PASSIA project is thus designed to provide hands-on training in fields where an urgent need for civic knowledge and skills enhancement has been identified.

The seminars will incorporate theoretical approaches, but focus on practical training (exercises, case studies, and real-world applications) with the ultimate goal to impart knowledge and skills to empower young Palestinians intellectually and analytically to take an active role in the ongoing initiatives of developing a Palestinian constitution and the democratic character of the anticipated state. At the close of the seminars, participants will:

	understand how governments function and share governing authority;
	have an understanding of the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances;
	display comprehension of the core democratic values and the responsibilities of the citizen living in a democracy;
	have gained an understanding of the responsibilities of being a citizen in relation to the constitution.