Consulate of the United States

2009 Press Releases

U.S. Consulate General and Business Women Forum Launch Internship Program for West Bank University Graduates

Press Release 
May 21, 2009

Ramallah – Manal Zraiq, Chairwoman of the Business Women Forum, welcomed top Palestinian business leaders and U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem representatives to the Business Women Forum’s launch of their second U.S.-government funded internship program on May 21. Ms. Manal thanked the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for the significant financial support to the program and also highlighted the important role of the many companies and banks who will be hosting the 50 female students who will be drawn from universities throughout the West Bank.
Speaking at the event, U.S. Consul for Press and Cultural Affairs Ms. Schweitzer-Bluhm explained that the U.S. Consulate General was pleased to support the program as part of its support to the Palestinian economy. She congratulated the Forum on creating professional opportunities for young Palestinian women adding, “We believe that by investing in these student entrepreneurs, we are creating a dynamic cadre of business professionals to build the future Palestinian state. As Secretary Clinton said this week in Washington, no country will be successful if women, who are half the population, cannot lend their talents, their energy and their intelligence to the development of their countries.”

Ms. Doa Wadi, Executive Director of the Business Women Forum (BWF) stressed that the internships are but one in a series of activities that will target Palestinian youth under the BWF’s strategic plan. The internship program will provide hands-on work experience, formal training and workshops that are tailored to meet each student’s educational and professional goals. The 50 female interns will come from the following universities: Birzeit, Al Quds-Abu Dis, Al- Najah, AAUJ, Al-Quds Open University, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Polytechnic. The students will be placed in Palestinians companies specialized in information technology and management. To supplement their internship experience, the Business Women Forum will also provide training in resume writing, job interview skills and other skills needed by the recent university graduates.

For more information please contact the Business Women Forum at 02-242-5612/3.

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