Association for Arab Youth – Baladna

HAAMUTA LEMAAN NOAR VETZEIRIM ARAVIM – BALADNA

GOALS
To encourage social involvement among Arab youth through the establishment of an independent, non-partisan youth movement.

BACKGROUND
Baladna was established by young educated Palestinian Israelis who were experienced in working with youth. The organization strives to establish a non-partisan, independent

Arab Youth Movement in Israel that will reconnect its members with their cultural and national roots. In order to achieve this goal, Baladna has developed a special educational–social program, based on the various aspects of Palestinian-Israeli identity – national, ethnic, gender and civic.

STRATEGIES
Training youth leaders and counselors for the youth movement; forming youth groups as a pool for future leadership activities; raising consciousness and developing tools for a public campaign to promote Arab youth in Israel .

HIGHLIGHTS

• Young leadership and counselor training for some 60 people
• 18 groups (some 500 youth) in 12 localities met once a week.
• Continued publication of a monthly magazine focusing on current affairs - 8,000
  copies were distributed.
• The "Mumkin" (Possible) Project, seeking to develop critical thinking among youth
  and promote the use of advocacy strategies for enhancing their rights, was initiated - a
  group of 10 people met in Haifa once a week to study advocacy skills.
• Meetings with groups of Jewish youth, international meetings and seminars.