On Sunday 31 March 2013 Bank of Palestine, in conjunction with expatriate institutions and NGOs, inaugurated the 3rd recreational playground as part of the Al-Bayyara Playgrounds Project that is implemented by Bank of Palestine. Bank of Palestine, Welfare Association, American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), and United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) have reached an agreement to build more than 40 recreational playgrounds for children in different parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The inauguration ceremony of the new playground took place in the village of Ras Karkar west of Ramallah and was attended by Bank of Palestine Deputy General Manager Mr Rushdi Ghalayini, Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governor Dr Layla Ghannam, Head of Ras Karkar Village Council Mr Bahjat Samhan, ANERA Office Manager Naser Qdous, Muna and Bassem Hishmeh who contributed to the establishment of the playgrounds, and senior officials from Ramallah and Al-Bireh.
Ras Karkar playground is the 3rd playground that has been inaugurated as part of Al-Bayyara Playgrounds Project. The 1st playground was in Ein Munjid Area in Ramallah and the 2nd in Obaiddiye village in Bethlehem. Both playgrounds were supervised and implemented by ANERA.
In his opening speech, Mr Hishmeh expressed his pleasure to see the playground has become a reality and to see children play in it. He extended gratitude to all stakeholders who joined efforts to realize the project.
Al-Bayyara Playgrounds Project is one of the most important national projects. Initiating parties seek to encourage Palestinian private sector institutions and companies to contribute to the project and expand it further. The project aims to increase green areas throughout Palestine and create job opportunities in the areas where playgrounds are established. In addition, recreational playgrounds are a place where people living in the same neighborhood can strengthen and build social relations.