NEW YORK, September 28, 2018 – IIE is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the annual Victor J. Goldberg IIE Prize for Peace in the Middle East. 2019 represents the 15th anniversary of the Prize and we are honored to continue our recognition and support of these important peacebuilding initiatives. The Prize recognizes outstanding work being conducted jointly by two individuals: one Israeli Jew, and one Arab Muslim whether or not a citizen of Israel, working together to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. The two individuals whose work is judged to be most successful in bringing people together and meeting the goals of the Prize share a US$10,000 prize.
The 2018 Goldberg Prize recognized three separate initiatives. Roie Ravitsky and Raed Badir won for their Mosaica Religious Peace Initiative. Dor Dayan and Shadi Khatib won for Middle East Peace Players Tamra/Naharia’s All-Star team. Harb Amara and Dr. Nava Sonnenschein won for Change Agents: Jewish and Palestinian Professionals.
Goals of the Prize:
- Advance the cause of peace in the Middle East
- Reward those who are courageous and committed to work to overcome the religious, cultural, ethnic and political issues which divide the region
- Break down barriers of hate towards “the other”
- Recognize innovation
- Inspire others working at the grassroots level and demonstrate that their efforts are worthy of wider recognition.
Victor J. Goldberg with recipients of the 2018 prize.
To recognize the full range of excellent work being done in this very difficult and important area, IIE is encouraging applications from any two individuals whose activities meet the criteria and goals outlined above. Eligibility in the past was limited to teams in which one member had some prior connection with IIE’s programs or sponsors. Such prior connection will still get preference in close judgements but will not automatically determine the winner. Examples of relevant “prior connection” include State Department programs such as Fulbright Programs, Humphrey Fellowships, International Visitor Leadership Programs, as well as USAID, U.S. Institute for Peace, Ford Foundation and other foundations, government agencies, and corporate-sponsored programs associated with IIE.
Nominations may be submitted by the individuals themselves or by a third party. The Nomination deadline is February 1, 2019, and the winners will be announced in the spring. For further information and to apply, please visit our website. We would also greatly appreciate your assistance in publicizing this Prize to anyone you know who may be eligible, or who may be interested in nominating others. Please send any questions or comments to iiegoldbergprize@iie.org.
About IIE
IIE has been a world leader in international education since 1919. IIE works to build more peaceful and equitable societies by advancing scholarship, building economies and promoting access to opportunity. As a not-for-profit with 18 offices and affiliates worldwide, IIE collaborates with a range of corporate, government and foundation partners across the globe to design and manage scholarship, study abroad, workforce training and leadership development programs.
About the Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East
IIE annually awards the Goldberg Prize to recognize outstanding work being conducted jointly by two individuals, one Muslim Arab and one Jewish Israeli, working together to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. The two individuals whose work is judged to be most successful in bringing people together and breaking down the barriers of hatred toward “the other” share a $10,000 prize. The Selection Committee for the Prize includes leaders from business, academia, the not-for-profit sector, and government.
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