The Munib & Angela Masri Foundation, represented by its Projects Manager, Eng. Ziad Abu Rdaineh, participated in an event to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University.
The Foundation's participation comes as part of its strategic partnership with the university, which culminated in an agreement signed between them in 2022, which includes the Foundation's contribution to the renovation of the museum, in addition to rehabilitating the Munib & Angela Masri building located within the university campus.
The institute is a wonderful and unique educational tool for everyone, including students, children, teachers, and researchers. Attracting around 20,000 international and local visitors a year, it features trails, a botanical garden, a children's playground, a community garden, hydroponic systems, aquaculture, and a mobile museum. Furthermore, staff at the institute have contributed to the publication of 128 scientific research papers, the national report for the Convention on Biological Diversity, and a national biodiversity strategy and action plan.
The event witnessed wide attendance from various bodies and institutions in Bethlehem. The program included a tour for the attendees around the vicinity of the new building, which is currently under construction by the university. This new building aims to expand the previous facilities of the institute tenfold, reaching an area of 1100 square meters. It will feature exhibits displaying the history of Palestine, including the Palestinian Nakba.
The Munib & Angela Masri Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization instrumental in the creation and support of many important educational institutions, including the Munib and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources at the American University of Beirut, the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin and the Al-Quds Academy for Scientific Research in Jerusalem. Elsewhere in Palestine, MAF has funded the construction of several important institutions, including the Munib R. Masri Center for Innovation and Excellence at the Palestine Polytechnic University, the Munib R. Masri Scientific Research Complex at the Islamic University of Gaza, the Engineering Faculty at Al Najah University, the Information Technology faculty and Center for Innovation and Excellence at Birzeit University and the Business Economics and Scientific Research Complex at the Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie. The Masri Foundation also supports local projects in the Arab world, including the rebuilding of schools in Yemen.