Sunday, December 22, 2013

University and beyond: Younger Bedouin moving forward


Jamal Al-Karnawi - a Bedouin who is an advisor for Arab students at Ben Gurion University in southern Israel and a social activist - relates his views on the Bedouin communities of the Negev and their participation in higher education, the advancement of women and the Begin Plan for bettering the lives of the Bedouin in the Negev.
With thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs


Al-Karnawi doesn't only talk the talk: his job - helping Arab students at BGU - will enable the younger generation of Israeli Bedouin and other Arab-Israelis to succeed in their studies and their life after university. Arab-Israelis face many difficulties in higher education, from language to cultural barriers. Advisors like Al-Karnawi, and the many programs to assist them, help these young men and women obtain the degrees so important for meaningful careers.

Al-Karnawi emphasizes the need for the Bedouin and the government to find common ground. While he expresses his support for the current process of talks related to the implementation of the Begin Plan as well as for projects to enhance living conditions in Bedouin society, he also emphasizes the need for better communication with the Bedouin to reduce their apprehension regarding the government's plans for development of the Negev.

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