Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence / Activity Report 2023

The Board of Directors of the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence held its 35th meeting on September 5th at the Council’s headquarters in the Al-Rayhan suburb and via Zoom in the presence of its members from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The most prominent recommendations and decisions presented during the meeting are:

• The Council’s blessing on holding the eighth National Forum entitled Digital Life and Innovation (October 3-4/2023).
• Announcing the submission of applications to attract creative projects three times a year and on specific dates determined by the Council in order to improve the quality of attracting and supporting creative projects and assigning the Central Evaluation Committee to prepare the necessary mechanism for that.

Announcing competitions to solve the problems of different economic sectors and educating creative youth to understand the difference between entrepreneurial projects and creative ideas.

Five coordinators from countries have been selected to become members of the Council’s Board of Directors abroad so far: Australia, Turkey, Germany, Ireland, and China, and work is underway to select coordinators from the Arab Gulf countries.

A delegation from the Council’s Board of Directors visited His Excellency Mr. President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential headquarters in the city of Ramallah to hand him the annual achievement book for the year 2022. The annual achievement report included the projects of young innovators and pioneers and the plans drawn up to develop the Council’s achievements to support the process of Innovation and excellence in Palestinian society.

His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas stated the importance of Innovation in building a modern Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, stressing his full support for the creative and distinguished projects that we are proud of as Palestinians.

Mr. President pointed out the importance of continuing to work on developing and strengthening the environment of Innovation in Palestine and harnessing the necessary capabilities for that.

The Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence held a workshop to exchange knowledge and coordinate the efforts of institutions working in the field of the green economy at the council’s headquarters in the Al-Rayhan suburb in the city of Ramallah, with the participation of 25 institutions specialized in the field of the green economy. The council has so far embraced 92 projects, many of which are in the field of green economy.
The Council contributes to providing expertise, advice, networking, and training to hundreds of projects by organizing and coordinating the efforts of institutions that support Innovation. Considering this role is no less important than direct support for projects.
The green economy needs to innovate and adopt modern methods to confront pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and resource depletion.

The Ministry of National Economy, through the projects it has implemented, considers the green economy to be one of the tools of sustainable development, which contributes to reducing environmental risks that deplete non-renewable natural resources with the aim of building a green and sustainable Palestinian economy and promotes the creation of awareness and capacity development in the governmental and private sectors.
During the workshop, a representative from the Technology Park in Birzeit gave a presentation on the activities it hosted in the field of training, building, and developing ideas and stressed the need to exchange experiences among institutions interested in the green economy and the need to coordinate efforts.
Participants from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) reviewed some of the projects implemented by UNIDO in Palestine, which are compatible with the sustainable development goals, especially the “Sustainable” program in the industrial sector, which focuses on clean and renewable energy and includes work on policies, training and accelerating Start-up companies in incubators and accelerators.
The meeting discussed the most prominent recommendations related to green economy, which are as follows:
– The importance of coordinating institutions working in the field of the green economy.
– The need to spread awareness of the green economy among the private sector and clarify the feasibility of investing in it.
– Motivating universities to actively participate in research and development in the field of green economy.
– Seeking the assistance of experts specialized in green training programs to transfer knowledge and skills.
– The necessity of having nationally approved indicators to evaluate and measure development in the green economy.
The green economy is defined as an economy built on generating low amounts of carbon, and income and employment growth in it are driven by private and public investment in economic activities, assets, and infrastructure that enhance the efficiency of resource and energy use. This also will allow for reducing the percentage of pollution and the amounts of carbon emitted and avoiding loss of energy. Biodiversity represents a methodology that supports interaction between nature and humans and attempts to meet the needs of both at the same time.

In cooperation with the General Assembly for Innovation Abroad and the Federation of Engineers Australia Branch, a workshop was held on artificial intelligence, including electronic learning and in-depth learning, which discussed the applications of artificial intelligence in various industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and customer service. The workshop included 15 experts from the Federation of Engineers -Australia Branch, as well as some professors from Palestinian universities and specialists from the government and private sectors. The transformative potential of artificial intelligence and the challenges and ethical considerations that accompany these technologies were discussed with the aim of promoting a responsible approach to artificial intelligence and giving attendees a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence. The recommendation was to adopt this pioneering technology and work with it responsibly.

The Higher Council for Innovation & Excellence held a meeting via Zoom with experts from the Palestinian community in the Gulf countries on September 17th. Scientists from the States of Kuwait, Qatar, the Emirates, and Oman attended, during which the project of establishing bodies for Innovation and Excellence in the Arab Gulf countries was discussed.

The guests and participants of the Higher Council were introduced to the tasks that the Council undertakes to reduce obstacles facing Palestinian innovators around the world, transfer technology from the outside world to Palestine, and open channels of communication with the outside world. An overview of the Council and its tasks in supporting Palestinian innovators and transferring technology to Palestine was also presented. Inviting attendees to participate in the upcoming national forum, entitled “Digital Life and Innovation,” which will be held in October under the patronage and presence of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The importance of developing communication technology in Palestine and placing it on the national and international map, achieving national economic independence and cooperating with Palestinian scientists, exploiting the opportunities available in research laboratories at their universities, and relying on Arab and international academics and researchers, was emphasized to build the knowledge economy in Palestine and strengthen the people’s resilience. Palestinian, providing communication mechanisms that contribute to achieving this goal, and optimism in seeing the growth of the building of Innovation and excellence in Palestine in the future. The participants stressed the necessity of activating the Palestinian cause through the role of engineers in supporting this cause, the unity of the Palestinian people at home and abroad, and the importance of cooperation between Palestinians at home and abroad in light of the major transformations in international relations.
The establishment of the Innovation, Excellence and Work Authority and the increase in the number of members in the Council from 80 to 195 scientists were reviewed, and the Council’s ambition to register and attract 1,000 Palestinian scientists and innovators, and to enhance applied research and their need for additional support and investment through cooperation with international institutions such as TUBITAK Turkey, and waste recycling and the crisis were discussed. Water scarcity, Israeli obstacles, and ways to overcome those obstacles.
The attendees came up with a number of recommendations, including:
Expanding membership and expertise: The Council should work to expand its membership further by inviting more individuals, especially experts and professionals from the Palestinian community in the Arab Gulf states. Diversifying expertise within the Council will enhance its effectiveness.
Strengthening international cooperation: To enhance the transfer of technology to Palestine and support the Palestinian creative community, the Council must enhance cooperation with international institutions and organizations in the Arab Gulf region. This could include partnering with universities, research laboratories, and organizations focused on innovation and technology.

Knowledge exchange: Working to organize regular knowledge exchange events, workshops, and seminars in which Palestinian and international academics and researchers participate. These events can help bridge the knowledge gap between Palestine and the rest of the world. Projects to support Palestinian economic independence: Push and focus on projects and initiatives that aim to achieve economic independence for Palestine. This includes supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology start-ups. The President inaugurates the eighth National Forum, “Digital Life and Innovation”

Today, Tuesday, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, opened the work of the eighth National Forum, “Digital Life and Innovation Smart Life,” at the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Al-Bireh. His Excellency Mr. President began his tour by opening the exhibition accompanying the forum, in which many institutions working in the field of Innovation participated, by giving these institutions the opportunity to display their creative projects. The number of projects participating in the exhibition reached 86 creative projects, and the Ministry of Education, the Flow Foundation, and the Flow Foundation participated. Umake Foundation, Technology Park, Information Systems Union Company, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Piketty Company, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Unit, Birzeit University, GAZA Sky Geeks, Al-Quds University, the banks and institutions sponsoring the forum, and many participants from university and school students from various Pal- estinian governorates. 
His Excellency Mr. President began his tour by opening the exhibition accompanying the forum, in which many institutions working in the field of Innovation participated, by giving these institutions the opportunity to display their creative projects. The number of projects participating in the exhibition reached 86 creative projects, and the Ministry of Education, the Flow Foundation, and the Flow Foundation participated. Umake Foundation, Technology Park, Information Systems Union Company, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Piketty Company, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Unit, Birzeit University, GAZA Sky Geeks, Al-Quds University, the banks and institutions sponsoring the forum, and many participants from university and school students from various Palestinian governorates.
More than 19 participants from institutions working in the field of Innovation participated in the exhibition, in addition to more than 8 scientific research from various medical, technological, and environmental fields, and school students participated in more than 42 school projects and 17 projects ready for investment.
The opening of the forum, which lasted for two days and was organized by the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence, was attended by members of the Executive Committees of the PLO and the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement, national leaders, several ministers, representatives of government institutions and the private sector, and many researchers and scholars from various countries of the world. And students of Palestinian universities and schools.
In his speech during the opening of the forum, the President affirmed, “Our heroic and struggling people will remain steadfast in their land and the land of their ancestors, and we will continue to work for our Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence.”
His Excellency added, “The sons and daughters of our Palestinian people around the world and in Palestine provide a creative model in serving their communities and all of humanity, despite the obstacles of the occupation and the challenges facing our development process.”

He added that one of the council’s main tasks is to embrace and nurture creative women and men. 92 projects have been incubated in all fields since its establishment until now, and it has established a network of institutions that support Innovation in Palestine to form a unified window to facilitate the provision of services to creative people, as the number of institutions that have joined the network so far is 42 institutions, in addition to establishing a network for creative people to ensure their participation in decision-making efficiently and effectively and to represent Palestine in events and exhibitions.
He pointed out that the Fund to Support Innovation and Excellence was established at the initiative of President Mahmoud Abbas, who invested in 13 emerging companies in various fields, stressing that the Council is working hard to create a possible environment for Innovation in Palestine by issuing laws regulating this field while developing tax policies that encourage business owners. Emerging projects. The new law for companies has been issued, including some provisions that cover the needs of these companies, but we are still trying to issue a special law for them due to the importance of this sector in supporting the national economy.
He continued: The Council has completed the National Strategy for Innovation and Innovation 2022- 2027, which constitutes the first Palestinian national strategy that outlines the future path for the State of Palestine towards transforming into a creative state possible for its human potential. Implementation plans have been developed in partnership with the relevant authorities to implement this strategy.

He explained that, given the circumstances in which they live, our people believe in innovation as a way to advance and take a natural position among nations. There is no prestigious international institution or successful company that does not have Palestinian fingerprints and important contributions, such as NASA, Google, and Intel. , Microsoft, and other international companies, not to mention Innovation and excellence in medicine, engineering, and others.
It is noteworthy that the activities of the National Forum are held through the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence every year in the presence of many researchers, scientific institutions, and students of Palestinian universities from various Arab and European cities and countries.