"Start Your Business" project to Close its Activities by Organizing Second Yuns Social Business Festival

West Bank - Bethlehem - ActionAid-Palestine(AAP) participated in the activities of Second Yuns Social Business Festival at the Bethlehem University Theater, which was organized by the Bethlehem Business Incubator (BBI) and the Yunus Social Business Center (YSBC) to conclude the "Start Your Business" project, which AAP implements in partnership with International Voluntary Service for Development (VIS), the "International Committee for the Development of Peoples", BBI and YSBC and  funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

This festival aimed at concluding the activities of the "Start Your Business” project and presenting the achievements and results of the project in creating spaces for exchanging knowledge and success stories for young men and women, promoting entrepreneurial projects from various sectors, and promoting social accountability related to the importance of the entrepreneurship sector and small projects. The festival also provided young entrepreneurs with an opportunity to present their projects and market their products through the booths that were provided to them.

The festival included many activities, starting with the national anthems of Palestine and Italy, in the presence of the head of AICS, representatives of the Bethlehem University administration, partner organizations implementing the project and private sector and the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The festival included speeches emphasizing the importance of supporting the entrepreneurship of Palestinian youth. Round tables were also organized where representatives of the project partners including AICS and other governmental and private sector organizations participated in their discussion. The topics of the round tables focused on discussing the results of the "Start Your Business" project, the role of research institutions that analyze and enhance the ecosystems’ capacities to support social business and social enterprises, and the role of microfinance institutions in supporting enterprises. The last round table, which was supervised by APP, focused on the role of networking between international institutions, local institutions, chambers of commerce and the Ministry of Labor in supporting young entrepreneurs.

The festival allowed the attendees and guests to tour and learn about a number of entrepreneurial enterprises and buy some products of those enterprises.

It is worth mentioning that the "Start Your Business" project aims to enhance the economic empowerment of youth in Palestine through the development and creation of traditional and social start-up projects and creation of a stimulating environment for emerging projects in the governorates of Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm, Jenin and Jericho. The project also seeks to stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit of young men and women who are change makers and support them to make a positive impact in their societies and in business systems and sectors in particular.

Background Information

ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty in more than 45 countries around the world. AAP started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.

For more information, please contact

Riham Jafari

Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Palestine

Mobile:

+972 (0) 595242890

Office:

+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org