“Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better Society in Israel”

We cordially invite you to a conference “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better Society in Israel” commemorating Dr. Yehudah Paz, the founding chairman of AJEEC-NISPED. The conference will take place on June 12, 2014 from 8:30-15:00 at Beit Brandt Hall in Ramat Efal, Israel The conference with the participation of Dame Pauline Green ICA President will focus on new ways to build and strengthen the Cooperative Enterprises in Israel. Dr. Yehudah Paz was born in New York in 1930 and immigrated to Israel in 1950. In 1951 he was one of the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim in the Negev. Dr. Paz served in many leadership, managerial, and educational positions in the kibbutz, the Israel cooperative movement, and the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), and was the first Israeli ever elected to the ICA’s Board. One of his most significant achievements in this role was leading the creation of the Cooperative Learning Center, an online portal and framework that provides access to research material and studies on cooperatives in tens of universities. Dr. Paz had a B.Sc. in Economics, an M.Sc. in Sociology, and a Ph.D. in Social Philosophy. He earned degrees at Columbia University, the University of London, and the Jewish Teachers Institute. Dr. Paz was the author of numerous studies, monographs, and articles in English and Hebrew. Translations of his works have appeared in Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and other languages. He also served as a visiting lecturer at universities and colleges in Australia, Canada, China, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dr. Paz has received numerous citations, awards, and honors from academic institutions, cooperatives, and other organizations across the world. Two of his most prestigious recognitions were the Rochdale Award from the ICA (2005) and the Golden Dove of Peace Prize from the President of Italy (2006). About AJEEC-NISPED Founded in 1998, AJEEC-NISPED is an Arab-Jewish organization based in Israel’s Negev, dedicated to strengthening active citizenship through education economic and cooperatives empowerment. Since the organization’s inception, our local, regional, and international projects have been changing the lives of thousands of participants by promoting equitable democratic societies for communities in transition. AJEEC-NISPED (the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development) works towards creating equal, inclusive, and flourishing cooperatives and societies. Our programming includes an array of strategies including economic development through the formation of cooperatives and social enterprises, volunteerism, quality early childhood education, health promotion, and Arab-Jewish partnership. All programs emphasize cooperative values community ownership and are holistic, empowering, and culturally competent. • In Israel we focus primarily on the most marginalized populations, particularly the Negev Arab Bedouin and in Cooperative development all over Israel together with the Israel Coop Movement. • In the Middle East we promote a comprehensive peace through people-to-people cross border projects • Internationally we work to advance sustainable human development and Cooperatives in societies in transition by education and training projects Mully Dor Chair AJEEC-NISPED