Sustainable Engineering in the Eastern Mediterranean
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March 3-6, 2010 Meeting, Larnaca, Cyprus
Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows |
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Background
Development in the
Eastern Mediterranean region that does not take into
account delicate environmental and geopolitical
constraints may contribute to further problems that
cross national borders. Engineers Without Borders
International (EWB-I) in participation with its Eastern
Mediterranean in-country member groups and local groups
met in Cyprus from March 3-6, 2010 to develop an action
plan for collaborative initiatives in sustainable
community development that cross borders in that region.
The meeting was a follow-up to the
2009 meeting.
Objectives
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Update one another on community development
projects discussed/initiated at the
2009 meeting
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Learn from existing initiatives in the
region, build on those initiatives, and create new
initiatives
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Experience through discussion and hands-on
workshops replicable projects and technologies
- Strengthen and build upon the
collaboration between network members though joint
projects and information sharing
Continuing
Projects
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Use the Arial Home built in Bet Sehour as a showcase
for sustainable solutions for Palestinian
communities (water, energy, etc.)
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Integrate renewable energy in the curriculum at the UNRWA Kalendia
vocational school (KTC) in
Ramallah. This project involves UNRWA, EWB-Palestine, and CU
Boulder.
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Explore Arial Home as possible permanent affordable shelter in Gaza.
This project involves EWB-Gaza and EWB-Palestine.
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Solar Energy Project, Agriculture and Schools:
involving EWB-Greece, -Macedonia, -Kosovo, and
-Cyprus
New
Projects
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Develop training of students and faculty in solar water heating technology at Kalendia
School. This project involves Brian Howard (Cyprus), EWB-Palestine,
EWB-Egypt, UNRWA
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Contribute to the
South Jordan River Project in partnership with
FOEME.
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Contribute to the
Kidron River Valley Project in partnership with the
Milken
Institute. A multi-disciplinary approach involving
small community development in Israel and the West Bank.
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Develop
Solar project for Gaza and Sderot involving Tufts University
IGL, EWB-Gaza,
EWB-Israel, EWB-Jordan
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Contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza on an as-possible and as-needed basis.
New
Approaches/Concepts
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Use on-line interaction platform when in-person meetings
are not possible due to geo-political constraints.
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Use the ASME Engineering for Change platform to post
projects and solutions for the region.
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Offer training workshops and train the
trainers sessions to various groups in the region
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Emphasize
Peace through Education and Technology projects.
PPT Presentations
Links
Abraham Path Initiative:
www.abrahampath.org
Arial Foundation:
www.arialhome.org
Community, Energy, and Technology in the Middle East:
www.comet-me.org
Engineering for Change (ASME):
http://beta.engineeringforchange.org.
Engineers Without Borders-International:
www.ewb-international.org
Foundation for Sustainable Technologies (FoST-Nepal):
www.fost-nepal.org
Friends of the Earth - Middle East:
www.foeme.org
Madrona Institute:
www.madrona.org
Milken Institute:
www.milkeninstitute.org
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East:
www.unrwa.org
Funding
This meeting was funded by
an anonymous donor and organized by the Mortenson Center in
Engineering for Developing Communities at the University
of Colorado at Boulder.
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