Bank of Palestine and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, concluded the Public Schools Maintenance Project in the Gaza Strip. The closing ceremony was held at the Mustafa Rifai’ school in the presence of Mr. Alaa Radwan, the Deputy General Director of Bank of Palestine, Mr. Basil Nasser, the Programme Coordinator at UNDP/PAPP in Gaza, Engineer Iman Husseini, Mr. Jamal Abdul Bari, General Director of Buildings at the Ministry of Education, and Mr. Fathi Radwan, Manager of the Ministry of Education in west Gaza, with the participation of several officials, organizations, school students, journalists and media figures.
The Public Schools Maintenance Project is considered one of the most important projects implemented by Bank of Palestine in partnership with local and international organizations. The project, which was implemented over a period of three consecutive years following the last aggression on the Gaza Strip, involves the maintenance of 11 schools in various governorates and areas across the Gaza Strip.
During the opening of the ceremony, the management of Mustafa Rifai welcomed the guests and expressed their gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the project, pointing out the importance of developing a suitable and exceptional educational environment for students. The management also stressed that such projects contribute to the rebuilding process following the latest aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Mr. Fathi Radwan expressed thanked all parties who contribute to education and its promotion, pointing out that investment in the field of education is one of the most important investments that create educated generations who express strength in the fields of agriculture, industry and commerce, especially in the Gaza Strip where there is an insufficient stock of material resources.
Mr. Alaa Radwan pointed out that the Public Schools Maintenance Project in the Gaza Strip, which commenced three years ago involving the maintenance of 11 public school, forms an important part of the bank’s contribution to support education and rebuild what has been destroyed in Palestine. He believes that such endeavors bring hope to the future of Palestinian children and generations, as well as the future of this country. Radwan pointed out that such efforts stem from the bank’s national responsibility, its humanitarian mission and duty towards Palestinians. He ensured that the corporate social responsibility practiced by the bank is considered one of the most important strategies that have been adopted to support society in all fields, including education, health and the environment, culture and arts, youth and innovation, women’s issues, sports, and the various humanitarian and relief efforts and endeavors. He added that the bank allocated approximately 6% of its annual profits for such endeavors and in order to achieve its mission and leading role, pointing out that Bank of Palestine is among the very few institutions in the Middle East that allocate such a high percentage of their annual profits towards corporate social responsibility, when usually such allocations fall between 2% and 2.5%.
Mr. Basil Nasser, the Programme Coordinator at UNDP/PAPP in Gaza, stressed that this achievement would not have been possible without the support of Bank of Palestine, because investment in education means investment in humanity. He pointed out the lack of oil and material resources in Palestine, and that the genuine wealth of the Palestinian people is their humanity. He added that the UNDP has been working for several years and investing in the development of Palestine in all fields, but education, according to him, remains to be the most important.
At the end of the ceremony, guests were taken on a short tour of the school where they observed the new developments following the maintenance works.