Khaled Osaily. خالد العسيلي رئيس بلدية الخيل السابق خالد العسيلي
Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily and the Belgian Consul inaugurated the Plastic Arts Unit at the Childhood Happiness Center in Hebron. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Head of the Belgian Cooperation as well as by representatives from numerous NGOs in the city. Osaily and his guests toured the Center and its Arts Unit where they admired works of art produced by 20 students who took part in an arts course under the supervision of artist Youssef Katlo.
Following the tour, Osaily handed his two Belgian guests symbolic gifts and thanked them for the support they have provided to the Plastic Arts Unit -established with support from the Belgian Cooperation- as well as for their cooperation with Hebronites in general. Osaily said this Unit will provide breathing space to all young artists and to all talented people in the city.
The Belgian Consul thanked the Mayor, the Center’s staff and participating students for their warm welcome and for all services provided by the Municipality to the local community, especially to children in order to enhance their talents and develop their minds in a constructive manner.
The Head of the Belgian Cooperation hoped that efforts will be made to develop the Unit so that it would become the largest Arts Unit in Palestine.
Following the inauguration ceremony, Mayor Osaily accompanied his guests on a tour to the Municipality’s various sections. He briefed them on projects implemented and on achievements made during the past three years. Moreover, Osaily held a meeting with his guests at his office to discuss means to provide support and strengthen partnerships with the Belgian government and its organs working in the field of international cooperation. Osaily also spoke about the acute shortage in classrooms in Hebron and possible cooperation with the Belgian government to implement projects aimed at solving this problem. He touched on the economic situation in Palestine in general and in Hebron in particular, underlining the key role to be played by the European Union and the International Community to protect Palestinian industries in Hebron which constitute around 34% of Palestinian GDP and to improve the economic conditions and lives of Palestinians. He added that the EU can play a major role in the peace process and can influence the Israeli government. A serious intervention and pressure is needed to put an end to settlements and to restrain settlers and prevent them from attacking Palestinians, their properties and their holy places, he added. He called on his guests to support Hebron’s efforts aimed at inscribing the city on Unesco’s world heritage list in order to protect the city and its history.
Mr. Cockx expressed his joy at the state of cooperation with Hebron Municipality in particular and with Palestinian Municipalities in general. “I shall make every effort possible to establish twinning agreements between Palestinian and Belgian municipalities. We shall continue to cooperate in order to improve the lives of Palestinians, to help them and to ensure peace in the region, which is one of the main objectives of the Belgian government”, he said.
