Birzeit University grants Mohammed Haj Ahmed Community Work Excellence Award
Birzeit University granted Mohammed Haj Ahmed, activities coordinator at the Deanship of Student Affairs, the Community Work Excellence Award.
This recognition is the result of his active community contributions over the past five years, which expanded geographically to reach Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Lebanon. In addition to being well-documented, his community service activities are interactive and diverse, encompassing a wide range of activities such as animal welfare initiatives. His cultural, theatrical, artistic and entertaining contributions have benefited broad sections and groups, including patients, orphans and people in need.
Since its establishment as a university, community work has been an integral element of Birzeit University’s vision, mission and values. This commitment to community development is reflected in the university’s strategic goals and interventions taking place through its academic programs, research projects and curricular and extracurricular activities. Other interventions include producing knowledge that serves the community, providing internships as well as capacity building and advocacy programs, assisting in policy making and evaluation, collaborating with local and international partners in drafting and implementing projects that support the community. To honor this commitment, Birzeit University introduced this award this year and opened the door for applications.
Applicants are assessed based on several criteria, including the level of innovation demonstrated, active participation in credible community institutions, direct and indirect services provided through their voluntary work, number and type of initiatives undertaken, number of beneficiaries positively impacted by community services and geographical areas covered. Applicants are also evaluated based on their involvement in various activities, including supervising community initiatives and organizing conferences, panels, workshops, festivals, artistic and cultural performances, awareness campaigns and relief and support initiatives. The evaluation criteria also accounts for the applicants’ membership in administrative boards or committees affiliated with civil society institutions, journal editorial boards, artistic troupe, humanitarian relief efforts or community associations.
On being awarded this prize, Ahmad maintained, “I thank Birzeit University for two reasons. First, for establishing this award, introduced for the first time at the level of higher education and scientific research institutions, and perhaps at the national level. Second, for acknowledging my efforts and recognizing that activism has many forms, including building communities and fostering social change through community work as well as serving people humanitarianly, socially, culturally, intellectually and artistically.”
Birzeit University will confer honor upon Ahmad during the 48th graduation ceremony scheduled at the end of July 2023, establishing this award as an annual tradition.
