On April 22nd, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, visited the University of Bethlehem during his visit to Palestine.
After the morning meeting with the authorities of the ANP in Ramallah, the Minister went to Bethlehem to visit the Convention with the title “Improving the quality of primary and secondary education in the Palestinian Territories”. This project has been carried out since 2010 by the FPSC and the University of Bethlehem.
The Minister José Manuel García-Margallo was joined by the FPSC´s President, Ms Pilar Lara Alen.
Others present were the representatives of the Palestinian Ministry of Education along with the Ministry of the Higher Education and the representatives of Bethlehem´s City Council, whose Major, Ms Vera Baboun, is a former student of the University.
H.E. Apostolic Nuncio, Giuseppe Lazzarotto, was also present together with 40 beneficiaries of the Convention, which included directors, students and teachers of the 58 Beneficiary Schools.
During the visit the new building was showed of the Faculty of Education at the University of Bethlehem, whose construction and equipment is contributed under the Convention by the AECID.
Besides, there was a presentation of the activities assigned to the Resource Center Zuroub and created and equipped by the Convention.
Both the University and the beneficiaries thanked the support of Spain, especially during the difficult times of the economic crisis and the financial cuts which are affecting the country.
The Minister thanked the host, which received a plaque of mother-of-pearl and olive wood, offered as a gift to the University. He also reiterated the support of Spain to Palestine and especially to the Bethlehem University.
TV News RTVE 23/04/13 (Min. 18:02)