The second Palestine Educational Exhibition (PEDEX 2006) was opened at the Friends Boys High School in Ramallah. The exhibition, which was organized under the patronage of President Mahmoud Abbas, was officially opened by former Minister of Higher Education Dr. Naeem Abu Al Humous. It featured booths by local and regional universities, colleges, research centers, and cultural institutions.
The exhibition took place for the second year in a row, and was organized by the Eastern Mediterranean Educational Services. It aims to give high school graduates the opportunity to meet with representatives of universities and colleges, and to give these different institutions the chance to meet and discuss academic and cultural projects and exchanges. The event sponsors are the Palestinian Telecommunications Company (PALTEL), The Arab Islamic Bank, and MOSECO Company.
During a press conference before the opening, Dr. Abu Al Humous underscored the importance of education, which he considers the strongest investment of the Palestinian people. He stressed that the Ministry of Education is putting considerable effort into making education in Palestine proceed as normally as possible, and into resisting and deflecting Israeli attempts to disrupt this vital sector of public life.
The Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology of An-Najah participated in this year’s exhibition with the support of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The college’s booth featured publications on the college and on other technical and vocational Palestinian Institutions, as well as screenings of a recent documentary on the college.
Also part of the exhibition was a series of workshops and lectures aimed at high school graduates to help guide them in their choice of major at university. The workshop by Hisham Hijjawi College focused on two recent additions to the college’s majors: Computerized Information Technology and Graphic Design.