Program Overview

The “Good Water Neighbors” (GWN) project utilizes the mutual dependence on shared water resources as a basis for developing dialogue and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians.   USAID supports this project, which will run for 24-months and have a total estimated cost of $1,121,000. 

The project is implemented in 17 cross-border communities, meaning that there exists a border/political divide between the partnered communities.  In each community, field staff works in close partnership with youth, adults and municipalities to improve awareness of the environment, particularly the neighboring community’s water. By undertaking concrete activities that are highly relevant to the needs of the communities involved, GWN promotes a common understanding of water and environmental issues and helps build trust between the cross-border communities as a basis for conflict resolution and peace building. 

USAID’s implementing partners of this project, EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), received the 2008 Heroes of the Environment Award from Time Magazine due to their strategy of environmental activism to foster peace.   The GWN program was specifically cited in EcoPeace/FoEME’s 2009 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship as a leading example of a cross-border initiative that fosters collaboration and increased awareness of common interests.
For successes under the previous USAID funded FoEME project please see http://www.usaid.gov/wbg/FS_DGO_15.html

Goals

• Advance dialogue in cross-border communities by utilizing the mutual interest of common water and environmental issues

• Promote common understanding, conflict resolution and the shared interest of achieving peace

• Improve environmental awareness relevant to each respective community, particularly related to water resource.