BETHEHEM, December 14, 2015 (WAFA) – Minister of Local
Government Hussein al-‘Araj Monday inaugurated a cluster of rehabilitated sites,
as part of a twinning agreement with the Italian government, in the southern
West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Al-‘Araj presided over the inauguration ceremony of a number
of rehabilitation projects, including the Syriac Complex (Hoash al-Syrian), a
local ice cream factory, an Italian bakery and Bethlehem Municipality building.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Consul-General
of Italy in Jerusalem Davide La Cecilia,
mayors of several Italian municipalities and Palestinian Municipalities’
Support Program (PMSP) Director Antonio
La Rocca.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Mayor of Bethlehem Vera Baboun, members of
Bethlehem Municipality, Chairman of John Paul II Foundation Rev. Ibrahim Faltas
together a number of representatives of local organizations and a Local
Government staff.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, al-‘Araj stressed
that the next strategic goal of the ministry is achieving sustainable economic
development for municipalities and local councils, noting that the ministry
would implement a number of income-generating projects for local municipalities
and councils and alternative energy projects in cooperation with donors.
Mayor of Bethlehem Vera Baboun expressed her gratitude to the
Italian partners for their generous support and noted that these cultural
preservation projects have contributed in building bridges of cooperation
between the Palestinian and Italian people.
The Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem Davide La Cecilia
thanked Bethlehem Municipality for their cooperation in implementing this joint
project and underscored the rock-solid friendship between the Italian
government and Bethlehem.
The rehabilitation of these sites came as part of the
Palestinian Municipalities Support Program (PMSP), which was started in 2004
under an agreement between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Palestinian
Authority (PA).
The 25 million Euro program seeks to promote technical and
economic partnerships between Italian and Palestinian local authorities. It has
paid primary importance to the following sectors: water and sanitation, solid
waste management, cultural heritage with particular focus to tourism, social
development with particular focus to people with special needs and
institutional and capacity building.
The Syrian Complex Rehabilitation Project for example was
approved in 2011 with a total budget of about 447,000 Euros. The funds were
provided from several Italian partners including Municipality of Montevarchi,
Municipality of San Miniato, Municipality of Florence, Municipality of Civita
Castellana and Municipality of Fiesole.
The project was implemented in cooperation with the Center
for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
K.F./T.R.
