The University Hosts a Workshop entitled Towards a National Strategy for the Development of Palestinian Sports .... Reality and Ambition

The workshop took place with the presence of the President of the Palestinian Football Federation, and the Olympic Committee chief Gen. Jibril Rjoub, and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Lemke, and the President of the Arab American University Prof. Dr. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri, and the former Jordanian Minister of Youth and Sports Prof. Dr. Mohammed Khair Mamser, and the Heads of sports federations, and representatives of civil and official institutions, and heads of clubs, and the mobilization of athletic academics and a number of people interested in the sports.

The word of the Arab American University

In his word, the President of the Arab American University Dr. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri welcomed the huge attendance, and he recalled the words of late leader of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, when he said: "Sports has the authority to change the world, the authority of revelation, and the authority to unite people.  Sports create hope in a place where there is nothing except despair.  It is more powerful than governments in overthrowing the barriers of racism”.  Prof. Dr. Abu Zuhri then added: “My word in this workshop is inspired from a quote for the great person who enriched humanity in a unique experience which brought about justice and freedom, he is Mandela, whom the stadium of the historical match between the team of New Zealand and the team of South Africa which was packed with thousands of people who echoed for him: "The world loves you, Mandela."”

Prof. Dr. Abu Zuhri said: "when I look back at a time of no more than eight years, to see that we acquired one of the most important tools to achieve the Palestinian dream, and the attainment our people goals, at the time when Gen. Jibril Rjoub succeeded in investing the constituents of Sports as a soft tool for conflict management, and to achieve justice to our children and our youth to live humanely and play.  A right that was absent for long, and remained a hope in the eyes of the sons of this aspiring peoples to freedom and to connect with the rest of the peoples in a language of dialogue, love and justice".  He confirmed that the achievements of the sports movement in Palestine since 2008, which is represented in the presence of sports facilities throughout the country, and the achievements of our national teams, is a real identity for the steadfastness of our people, and a large gate that achieved to Palestine and its flag and anthem what it deserves on the international map.

Prof. Dr. Abu Zuhri then explained that the Arab American University and its board of directors have adopted a national philosophy stems from the belief of the importance of investing money to build and develop the human with components in harmony with the tremendous development of data around us in this global village, so it was an obligatory to put the plans, and since we believe that sports is the language of the peoples and the index of civilization and development, it has been an important hub to include in the university’s developmental plan in terms of facilities and capabilities, so the  international football stadium and the multipurpose gym were built, and we are in the final stages of developing the Olympic swimming pool schemes, to complete with it the elements of the sports village that we aspire to be a means to achieve the national strategy for Palestinian sports, and to contribute to the dissemination of games and raise the level of community participation, and to provide the ingredients for the development of performance and achievements of our national teams on the road to regional and international benefits.

He concluded by saying: "The holding of this workshop towards a national strategy for Palestinian sport, with this distinguished crowd of experts in the Arab world, is a part of the state of regeneration and a start to a national vision that carries the responsibility for our homeland and the national sports, as befits the dreams of our children our youth and our elders, and an honorable investment to all the sacrifices and to each case of steadfastness of our people".

The word of the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations

The Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Lemke said in his speech that the Palestinian sports existed in the international forums after long years of enforced absence, and it conveyed a message from the people who struggled to communicate with the world and build friendships.

He added that sport unites peoples in spite of conflicts and differences in religion, politics and culture, and make us stand and applaud out of respect for the other, and in respect for other cultures.  My message to this workshop is the necessity to focus on and discuss the upbringing of children on sport concepts, and to raise our children to love to exercise at least one sport at an early age, as well as to practice music and to play one instrument at least.

He said that women are half of the society and must take a more prominent bigger and better role in the practice of sports and to be present and participate in various local, regional and international sports.

Statement by the former Jordanian Minister of Youth and Sports

The former Jordanian Minister of Youth and Sports Prof. Dr. Mohammed Khair Mamser said in his speech: "Sports is an important message in the upbringing of generations and their protection from violence, drugs and other social ills. We in Jordan are well aware of what you face in Palestine from occupation and blockade that affects all walks of life, most notably the Palestinian sports movement, as well we know that you will keep your struggle for freedom and for your presence amongst the peoples of the free world in all sports events and raise the flag of Palestine, and to spread the message of the people that own human constituents that exceeds expectations.”

He added, we in Jordan will continue our presence with you and participate with you in all activities, you are our brothers and you cause is ours, and the sun of freedom will shine someday”.

The word of Gen. Jibril Rajoub

In his word, the President of the Palestinian Football Association and President of the Palestinian Olympic Committee Major General Jibril Rajoub greeted the Arab American University represented by its Board of Directors President Dr. Yousef Asfour, and its president Prof. Dr. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri and he said: "We are proud of this scientific edifice that was able in short years to establish a model sports village, and embrace students from interior Palestine occupied in 1948, every respect and appreciation to you, and to the efforts of employees at this university.”

He also thanked the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Lemke for his interest in the Palestinian sports and athletes and for embracing a feminist club in Bethlehem.  He also saluted the Dean of Jordanian Sports Dr. Mohammed Khair Mamser for his presence and participation in this workshop, and he said: "The workshop aims to develop a structural Palestinian sport, and determine the relationship between the IOC and the government and heads of unions, and the development of Palestinian sports towards a national strategy that enhance the educational approach to sports and the dissemination of sports education for all."

He added: “we as Palestinians, consider sports a special struggle we wage now for freedom from occupation, where we could within years with hard work and continuous efforts to put Palestine on the international sports map through our participation in various universal, continental and Arab sports’ events, and we have made good achievements, and conveyed the message of love and peace to the whole world.”

Maj. Gen. Rajoub, stressed that the Palestinian sports is going at a steady pace to achieve its goals in the consolidation of the best values ​​among young Palestinians, in spite of the obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation on us and on the development of our Palestinian sports because it seeks with all its potentials to ensure that the Palestinian people stay in isolation from the world, but with our determination and our solid will we vanquished this blockade. We will continue to develop the Palestinian sports to be an approach and a message of love for the world to make it known for the near and on this earth that in Palestine there are sportive and civilized people, and we will continue our challenge to the occupation and to expose its practices against the sport and the athletes.  We will continue to build friendships and participate in international sports events, and the Palestinian flag will stay high in the various sports, and the universal palms will remain clapping for our achievements, our presence and our determination to be and we will be. "

The workshop included a short film about the progress of the Palestinian sports movement, and its continental and international participations, and Palestine hosting international tournaments, and achievements.

The opening of the workshop was followed by a lecture for Brigadier Rjoub during which a debate took place and many questions were raised about the importance of sport in promoting communication, and its role in the liberation of our people from occupation, and mechanisms of resilience and the fixation of all the achievements, and continuing the approach.