Jerusalem
Media Projects
Under The Same Sun
 We are currently working on the production of our forthcoming docu-drama Under The Same Sun funded by the European Union.
Under The Same Sun follows the lives of two businessmen—one Palestinian and one Israeli—as they struggle to forge a business relationship. The film focuses on how these business leaders cope with the unique political and personal challenges posed by operating in societies where there is a strong stigma against working with "the other."
This newly envisioned and entertaining docu-drama stems from the original four-part TV documentary, Shape of the Future, that was created by Common Ground Productions (CGP) in 2005 and which focused on final status issues in a common ground way.
The film ultimately looks ahead to a future reflecting a vision of peace in the region and is grounded in the idea that for meaningful peace negotiations to resume, the two publics need a vision worth striving for. Its aim is to dispel the belief held by many in both societies that there is "no partner" on the other side.
The film is a co-production of CGP and Lama Films and is due to be broadcast simultaneously on both Israeli and Palestinian TV in May 2012.
Carmel Fire Documentary
The Carmel Fire is a documentary film being produced by the Ma'an Network and Search for Common Ground. The film tells the story of the historic cooperation that took place between firefighters of the Palestinian Civil Defense and Israel Fire and Rescue during the tragic Carmel fire in December 2010 near Haifa. The story will be told through the voices and first-hand testimony of firefighters who took part and their commanders. Firefighters from the Palestinian Civil Defense will be joined in telling the story by counterparts from Israel Fire and Rescue.
Highlighting the common humanity of individual firefighters, and the shared humanitarian interests and concerns of their institutions, the film explores the intersection of human values, national institutions and statehood - of possibilities for the future whose groundwork is being laid by the trust-building activities, capacity-development and practical cooperation of civil security institutions.
The film is due to broadcast on Ma'an in October or November of 2012.
Read more about SFCG's projects on Media...
Leadership Projects
Israeli-Palestinian Leadership Network
The Israeli-Palestinian Leadership Network is a multi-year initiative to build a broad-based, cross-sector network of Palestinian and Israeli leaders in the Middle East that can effect positive change in the region. Working in close partnership with the Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding (OBCP) to ensure outstanding results, activities include outdoor wilderness expeditions, retreats and individual coaching which focus on strengthening leadership and conflict resolution skills and building deep personal relationships amongst strategically positioned emerging leaders across key sectors. With funding from the Fetzer Institute and private sources, this program addresses the distrust, tension and instability that undermine possible relationships between Israelis and Palestinians and encourages a culture of positive engagement. The Leadership Network already comprises civil society, political and business leaders and a religious leadership group will join in 2012. This network forms a strong base upon which to build lasting initiatives that aim towards a stable peace.
Health Projects
Cooperative Disease Monitoring System
 Since 2003, we have facilitated regional cooperation against the threat posed by biological attacks and natural disease outbreaks. In partnership with the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s (NTI) Global Health and Security Initiative, we formed the Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS), through which the Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian Ministries of Health are sharing data about disease outbreaks. MECIDS focuses on the continuous upgrading of surveillance methods in order to prevent and control the occurrence and transmission of food-borne and other diseases amongst these three communities. Funding for this initiative is received from NTI and the World Bank.
Plans are afoot to use the MECIDS model for a cross-border health project focusing on reducing the ‘epidemic’ of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, as well as a project to control the recent, regional spread of the infectious disease Leishmaniasis.
Israeli/Palestinian Disaster Relief Team
We are creating a joint Israeli/Palestinian disaster relief team using the MECIDS model that will focus on treating psychosocial trauma in young children resulting from natural and human-made disasters.
Interfaith Projects
Universal Code on Holy Sites
 SFCG's Jerusalem office has partnered with three other NGOs—the Oslo Center for Peace, One World in Dialogue and Religions for Peace—to develop a universal Code on Holy Sites. After a three year process which included meetings amongst religious, political and civil society leaders from Europe and the Middle East, and input from senior leaders of the world's major faiths, this ground-breaking Code is now complete. Funded by the Norwegian Government, it maps out a detailed code of conduct in relation to sacred places worldwide and is now being endorsed by world religious leaders and institutions representing over 10 faiths. A one year pilot project is presently underway in Bosnia Herzegovina under the auspices of the Bosnian Inter-Religious Council to implement the Code. The intention is for Code to be legally adapted and adopted by a United Nations body that would set up a monitoring mechanism to assess the progress (or lack thereof) of countries committed to abide by it. Click here for more information and to read the Universal Code on Holy Sites.
Council of Religious Insitutions of the Holy Land
The Secretariat of the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land rents space in SFCG's Jerusalem office enabling close working relationships and synergy on projects.
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