Bank of Palestine, Beitjala Municipality, ANERA and Mona Bassem Hishmeh Foundation inaugurated the fifteenth recreational park with the name Aspere Awwad Abu Saady, who is a Palestinian business man living outside of Palestine and funded the establishment of this park within “Al-Bayyara Parks” project, executed by the Bank, in partnership with a number of NGOs inside and outside of Palestine.
The opening ceremony took place in the presence of Mr. Rushdi Ghalayini, Deputy General Manager of the Bank of Palestine, Mr. Hanna AlTarh, Deputy Mayor of Beitjala Municipality, Mazen al-Dabbagh, a representative of ANERA in Palestine, Mona and Bassem Hishmeh, project partners, and Thaer Hamayel, Director of Marketing and Public Relations Department at the Bank of Palestine, in addition to the participation of a number of official representatives of institutions, governmental bodies and parties.
The inauguration of the new playground in the Sidr area in the middle of Beitjala city, through the partnership with several organizations including Welfare Association, ANERA, Mona & Bassem Hishmeh, George & Ronda Salem, with contribution from Mr. Odeh Khaliliyeh, who donated the land for the establishment of the park. Bank of Palestine has inaugurated fourteen recreational parks for children in different governorates of Palestine.
Mr. Hanna AlTarh, Deputy Mayor of Beitjala Municipality praised the Bank’s initiative to establish amusement parks for children within “Al-Bayyara” project, considering the establishment of this park as adding a landmark to the city and aiming to initiate activities and provide entertainment and development to our children. AlTarh expressed his appreciation to the Bank of Palestine and its partners, indicating that the project contributes to the constructive development process, and expressed his appreciation to Mr. Odeh Salem Khaliliyeh who donated the land for the establishment of the park.
Mr. Rushdi Ghalayini, Deputy General Manager of the Bank of Palestine, indicated that the opening of the park in Beitjala coincide with the International Children’s Day, a global occasion to remember children and their rights and hopes; he adds that the Palestinian children are still suffering through a difficult life in all aspects of educational, social, economical and entertainment, and that “Al-Bayyara” project provides them with a small part of their right to play and entertain in a safe place.
Ghalayini emphasized that the Bank initiated this project as part of its social responsibility, joining the Bank a group of partners who believe in the right of the Palestinian children to play and their rights in education and movement. He added that the establishment of one park in a small village in Palestine will contribute to a healthy upbringing for the children, and will help them to think, develop and innovate, in addition to spending distinctive and fun times with friends and family, which is rarely found in our communities yet greatly needed like any other community in the world. Indicating at the same time that the project began with a small idea and its goals grew with the partners, beginning with establishing a small number of parks to increase to hundreds of parks in all villages and governorates of Palestine.
Mazen al-Dabbagh valued the efforts to establish recreational parks for children, indicating that establishing places where children can entertain themselves under difficult political and economical conditions reflects proper thinking and the humans’ attachment to develop their lives.
Basem Hishmeh, one of the partners in this project who lives outside of Palestine, expressed his belief in the importance of taking care of Palestinian children, referring to the Bank’s role to recruit Palestinians living outside the country who contributed to establish new recreational parks. Hishmeh stated that without the Bank’s efforts, we would not have seen such parks or witnessed Palestinian contributions from outside the country.