On the 3rd of October, Hebron Municipality marked the laying of the foundation stone for the Abdallah bin Abdel Aziz Center for Vocational and Technical Training for underprivileged Women. The Center, to be built on a piece of land owned by Hebron Municipality in Khillet Al Magharbeh in Northern Hebron, aims at developing the capacities and providing vocational and technical training to marginalized and underprivileged Palestinian women. The total project cost is estimated at 1.6 million USD which covers the costs for building the center’s premises and for the provision of training programs. The Center is part of the comprehensive “King Abdallah bin Abdel Aziz City Charity Project for the Housing of Widows” which comprises 120 housing units. 72 fully-serviced housing units have already been built at a total cost of 8 million USD provided as a grant by the Saudi Government through UNHABITAT. The land on which this city is built was offered by Hebron Municipality at a cost estimated at 1.5 million USD.

The ceremony started with the laying of the foundation stone by Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily, Hebron Governor Kamel Hamid, Philip De Court, Head of UNHABITAT in the Palestinian Territories, Dr. No’man Amre, Head of the Hebron Education Precinct at Al Quds Open University, municipal engineer Tawfiq Arafa and a number of officials and personalities from Hebron Governorate.

After welcoming his guests, Osaily addressed his thanks to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, mainly to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdallah bin Abdel Aziz for the financial and political support and personal attention he pays to Palestinians and to all just causes. “There is evidence of such support in every Palestinian town and village”, Osaily said.

Osaily added that this project has two dimensions, an economic one and a social one as it provides housing and safe shelter to poor and needy families and helps free them from deprivation and misery. Moreover, such housing units have a collective benefit as they serve widows and orphans who have no-one to support them. “This project shall also feature a training center providing vocational training to underprivileged women to enable them to support themselves, ensure a decent life for their children and enter the Palestinian job market. We are marking this important event at a time when Palestinians are witnessing dire conditions and when President Abbas is making tremendous efforts on the international scene and at the UN. I hope that these efforts will bear their fruits and that Palestine becomes the 194th State to join the UN”, he added. At the end of his speech, Osaily thanked Hebron Governorate and all local and international organizations which provide support to projects in the city.

Governor Hamid lauded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Hebron Municipality for their efforts aimed at increasing the number of vital high quality projects in the city. He underlined the importance of empowering Palestinian women who work hard alongside men to achieve freedom and build a Palestinian State. “There are many projects of which we are proud in Hebron. We endeavor to provide the ground that would enable Palestinians to live the best life possible, build a Palestinian State and fulfill the dream of each and every Palestinian. This dream must and will come true”, he added.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr. De Court expressed his satisfaction with municipal capacities as well as with the level of cooperation with Hebron Municipality. Hebron is a city were unique projects are being executed and is the best place for successful projects, he said. He hoped that the project would achieve its goals according to the plan developed to this end.