On December 10th the US-Palestinian Partnership welcomed the leaders of four Palestinian Youth Development and Resource Centers (YDRC). As an integral component of UPP’s efforts to develop opportunities for Palestinian youth, the YDRCs focus on providing training and educational programming for young Palestinians. The delegation, which consisted of YDRC executive directors, board members and officials from the Palestinian Ministry of Youth and Sports, was in Washington as part of an exchange program run by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

UPP co-chairs Walter Isaacson and Dr. Ziad Asali spoke with the group about the ongoing commitment to support the YDRCs and how pleased they were at the progress being made. They then listened to the leadership talk about their experiences running the centers. The YDRC executive directors spoke of the popular demand for the Cisco-sponsored computer classes they were running and the considerable increase of youths coming to the centers after school. The challenges were also discussed, with the Ministry officials telling the co-chairs about the difficulties in ensuring kids who lived away from the city centers had access to the centers.

Before coming to Washington, the group spent a week in Atlanta, where they were hosted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). BGCA designed a comprehensive training program designed to share their insights on youth development, leadership, developing a mission, and effectively coordinating with youth center governing boards.

The delegation’s time in the Capital also included a meeting with Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman, a briefing on USAID’s activities in the Palestinian Territories, American cultural activities, and participation in local prayer services in celebration of Eid Al-Adha.

To learn more about the YDRCs and how you can get involved, please visit the UPP website.