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WaterCare--A Student Resource Book on Water in the Middle East
Omar Awwad, Head, Water Resources & Planning General Directorate
Palestinian Water Authority
Adnan
Al-Zoubi, Assistant Secretary General for Awareness & Information
Jordanian Ministry of Water & Irrigation
Ya'acov Keidar, Director, Multilateral Peace Talks Coordination & Water Issues
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Jerusalem
Abstract
Successful integrated water resources management planning must have the full support and cooperation of the public. Such support and cooperation is increased by educating the public about the water available to them and the potential impact of their actions in using that water. In 1992, The Middle East Peace Process initiated a Working Group on Water Resources (WGWR), one of five multilateral working groups. The WGWR subsequently initiated a Public Awareness and Water Conservation project that fostered an activity known as WaterCare. WaterCare began in 1999 and has focused on the preparation of a student resource book entitled WATER, a teacher's guide, and a complementary website. The project was supported by the United States, but the regional partners were responsible for identifying their needs, developing an implementation plan, and creating educational materials. Jordanian, Israeli, and Palestinian professional educational writers prepared the resource book, teacher's guide, and website (www.watercare.org) jointly in a fully cooperative manner. Teachers in Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank used the resources as supplemental education materials. They also worked together to enhance the "teachability" of the materials, to refine the message of water awareness, and to make personal responsibility resonate in the hearts and minds of middle school children.
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