Mayor Osaily and KOICA launch a $6.5 million project

Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily and Kim Tae-Young, Representative of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Palestine, announced today an agreement to build a school and a multi-purpose cultural centre for a total of $6.5 million in Hebron. The project shall be built on a piece of land of more than 12 dunums located in the area of “Ninkor” to the South-West of Hebron

The announcement ceremony as well as the signature of its implementation mechanisms with the Executing Firm took place at the Korean Representative Office in Ramallah. They were attended by the Firm’s representative as well as by engineering, architectural and managerial staff from Hebron Municipality and representatives from KOICA.

Following the ceremony, Khaled Osaily said this project will provide part of the infrastructure for the cultural sector in Hebron Governorate. “This project falls within the Municipality’s policies aimed at supporting young people, promoting their talents, enriching their experiences, limiting classroom shortages and ending double-shift (evening) schooling in Hebron”, he said.

Osaily added that the project shall encompass a modern school (2450m2), a youth centre (3250m2), a large sports hall and a theatre with a seating capacity of more than 450 spectators equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment, as well as a music hall, lecture rooms, multi-purpose rooms, labs and computer rooms. According to Osaily, the project shall increase the geographic diversity of facilities and service centres in Hebron and shall complement the other two Hebron Municipality centres which are the “Child Happiness Centre” in the North of the city and the “Cultural Centre” in the South of Hebron.

In his speech, Osaily also thanked President Abou Mazen and Prime Minister Fayyad as well as the Ministries of Planning, Education and Finance for their support and cooperation aimed at ensuring the success of this partnership with KOICA. He called upon Mr. Kim to convey the thanks and gratitude of Hebronites to the people and government of Korea as well as to KOICA and its staff for their support and aid to projects in Hebron in particular and in Palestinian Governorates in general. He also called for more cooperation with Hebron Municipality as well as for more partnerships in various sectors.

Mr. Kim expressed his joy at the signature of this partnership agreement with Hebron Municipality and hoped to see this project materialize in the coming days. He underlined KOICA’s eagerness to provide support to Palestinians and to seek and fulfil their various needs.