Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
20. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a report on the work of a project (details supplied), including the financial and human resources provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39772/23]
View answerDuring my recent visit to the Middle East, I met representatives of Abraham Initiatives. The meeting took place in Lod, which is one of Israel's eight traditional mixed Jewish-Arab cities, with an Arab-Israeli population of slightly over 30%.
Abraham Initiatives is a civil society organisation working to promote and mainstream shared living between Jewish and Arab Israelis, including by sharing experience of cross-community engagement from the island of Ireland. Through its Stability Fund, my Department provided a grant of €55,000 in 2023 to develop, roll out and evaluate a pilot program for anti-racism instruction in Arab and Jewish high schools in Israel. The project affords youth a first opportunity to engage with members of the other community and to open a dialogue. The Abraham Initiative methodology also focuses on working with national and local government. I was pleased that my visit afforded me the opportunity to meet with local political representatives from both the Jewish and Arab Israeli communities, from the cities of Lod, Haifa and Tel Aviv-Jaffa, some of whom had recently visited Belfast to share lessons and experiences.
