Peres Center for Peace & Innovation

The Peres Center for Peace & Innovation is an independent, non-governmental and non-political nonprofit organization based in Jaffa, Israel. Established in 1996 by Shimon Peres, the organization was created to carry forward his vision that durable peace in the Middle East should be supported not only by political agreements but also by practical cooperation among ordinary people, civic institutions, professionals, businesses, medical communities, educators, and young people. The Center works at the intersection of peacebuilding and development. Its programs have brought Israelis and Palestinians together through joint activity in agriculture, water management, business, medicine, technology, culture, civic leadership, and sport. The underlying model is people-to-people engagement: participants are expected to work on concrete shared interests while developing relationships and communication channels across political, national, religious, and ethnic divisions. Within Israel, the organization has also supported cooperation between Jewish and Arab communities and has operated community-development initiatives in Jaffa. Its agricultural and environmental work has included cross-border research and training related to crop management, pest control, aquaculture, olive-oil production, environmental protection, and water quality. Business and economics programs have supported professional networking, private-sector partnerships, regional economic research, tourism cooperation, technology initiatives, and the development of information resources for Palestinian businesses. Civic-leadership activities have included youth exchanges, professional training, forums for public debate, and programs intended to connect Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, and Arab community leaders. The Center’s cultural work has used theater, photography, media, and arts education to create contact among adults and children from different communities. Its medical and healthcare programs have focused on strengthening Palestinian medical capacity through professional training, knowledge transfer, and cooperation with Israeli hospitals. Humanitarian initiatives have also enabled Palestinian babies and children to receive treatment in Israeli medical facilities. Digital programs have used online dialogue, school-based computer activities, and educational or diplomacy-oriented games to engage young people who may not otherwise meet in person. Sport is another prominent area of activity. Twinned Peace Sports Schools have brought Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, and Arab children together through football, basketball, wheelchair basketball, cricket, table tennis, and Australian football. The organization presents sport as a practical setting in which children can cooperate, develop mutual familiarity, and challenge stereotypes. Since December 2009, the Center has been housed in the Peres Peace House in Ajami, a predominantly Arab area of Jaffa. The building includes the Shimon Peres Archives, an auditorium, conference rooms, a conflict-resolution library, and space for public lectures, coexistence projects, and local community initiatives. Programs hosted there have included legal assistance, community empowerment, mentoring for disadvantaged children, and economic-empowerment activities for local women. The organization has received international recognition for peace, sport, social entrepreneurship, and architecture, including awards associated with the United Nations, Ashoka, Peace and Sport, the Global Sports Forum Barcelona, and architectural institutions. At the same time, its effectiveness and political approach have attracted criticism, including questioning of whether dialogue-based projects can produce lasting structural change. The Center also faced a tax-status dispute in Israel after the Tax Authority reportedly linked consideration of tax exemption to the Center’s support for training physicians from Gaza in Israeli hospitals. The organization suspended that application rather than discontinue the medical project and later obtained Israeli tax-exempt status in 2016. It also holds tax-exempt status in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy according to the cited reference material.

The Peres Center for Peace was founded in 1996 by Shimon Peres, shortly after he had served in senior Israeli political and diplomatic roles and following his association with the peace process. The organization was designed as an independent civil-society institution rather than a government body. Its central premise was that political negotiations require support from sustained social and economic contact. By creating opportunities for Israelis and Palestinians to collaborate on practical concerns, the Center sought to make peace more tangible and to develop constituencies with an interest in cooperation. During its early years, the Center developed projects in several sectors rather than concentrating exclusively on formal political dialogue. Agriculture and water initiatives encouraged cross-border research, professional training, and cooperation on issues such as crop production, pest management, aquaculture, environmental protection, and water quality. Economic programs provided opportunities for businesses and professionals to meet, supported regional research, and explored cooperation in industries including technology, food, textiles, footwear, and tourism. These activities reflected the Center’s belief that shared economic interests could create durable channels of communication. The organization also built a broad people-to-people portfolio. Civic-leadership projects connected Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, and Arab participants through youth exchanges, professional development, public forums, and leadership programs. Cultural initiatives used theater, photography, arts education, and media to engage children and adults. The Center’s medical program assisted in the development of Palestinian healthcare capacity by supporting physician training, knowledge transfer, and cooperation with Israeli medical institutions. It also helped Palestinian children access treatment in Israeli hospitals, making humanitarian healthcare one of its most visible areas of work. Technology and sport became additional tools for engagement. Online dialogue programs, school-based computer activities, and educational games were intended to connect young people across borders and reduce the limitations imposed by geography and political separation. Twinned Peace Sports Schools brought children together through team and individual sports, including football, basketball, wheelchair basketball, cricket, table tennis, and Australian football. These projects emphasized repeated interaction and teamwork rather than one-time symbolic encounters. A major institutional development was the creation of the Peres Peace House in Ajami, Jaffa. The building opened in December 2009 and became the Center’s headquarters. Designed by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, the approximately 2,500-square-meter structure was conceived as both an architectural landmark and a working community facility. It houses the Shimon Peres Archives, an auditorium, conference facilities, and a conflict-resolution library. The building also hosts public lectures, coexistence activities, and initiatives serving local Arab communities. Among the early activities held there was a graduation event for women who completed an economic-empowerment and computer-technician program. The Center’s work has received recognition from organizations associated with peace, sport, social entrepreneurship, and architecture. Awards cited in reference material include a United Nations Gold Award for the Blood Relations Campaign, the 2010 Wingate Award for best NGO in peace and sport, an Ashoka Entrepreneurship Award, a 2010 Peace and Sport Award in Monaco, a 2010 Global Sports Forum Barcelona award, and architectural prizes connected with the Peace House. The organization has not been free from criticism. Some observers, including author Witt Raczka, questioned the effectiveness of its programs and the broader ability of dialogue initiatives to alter the political conflict. A separate controversy involved its application for Israeli tax-exempt status. The Israel Tax Authority reportedly demanded that the Center stop funding the training of physicians from the Gaza Strip in Israeli hospitals as a condition of the application. The Center chose to suspend the application rather than terminate the medical project. It later received Israeli tax-exempt status in 2016 and has also been described as tax-exempt in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Leadership has included founding Director General Uri Savir, who later served as Honorary President; Ron Pundak, who led the organization for more than a decade; Ido Sharir; and Efrat Duvdevani, identified in the cited material as Director General. The institution continues to present itself as a non-political nonprofit combining peacebuilding with economic, technological, medical, cultural, and community development.

• 2016

  Israeli tax-exempt status granted

  [1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The organization obtained tax-exempt status in Israel after previously suspending its application during a dispute concerning its Gaza physician-training program.

• 2010

  International recognition for peace and sport work

  [1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The Center received several recognitions cited in reference material, including the Wingate Award, a Peace and Sport Award, and a Global Sports Forum Barcelona award.

• 2009

  Peres Peace House opens in Jaffa

  [1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The Center opened its headquarters in Ajami, Jaffa. The building combines offices, archives, event facilities, a conflict-resolution library, and space for local community programs.

• 1996

  Organization founded

  [1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Shimon Peres founded the Peres Center for Peace as an independent nonprofit institution dedicated to practical cooperation and people-to-people peacebuilding in the Middle East.

A nonpartisan peacebuilding and development organization that uses practical cooperation, innovation, and people-to-people programs to create relationships and shared capabilities among Israelis, Palestinians, and wider regional communities.

• Sports-based peacebuilding

  Twinned Peace Sports Schools

  A network of sports activities designed to bring Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, and Arab children into repeated contact. Participants play football, basketball, wheelchair basketball, cricket, table tennis, and Australian football. The program uses shared rules, teamwork, and regular interaction to build familiarity and cooperation while promoting health and inclusion.

• Healthcare and humanitarian assistance

  Cross-border medical cooperation

  A healthcare portfolio supporting Palestinian medical-system development through physician training, professional cooperation, complex-care capacity building, and transfer of knowledge from Israeli medical institutions. Related humanitarian work has helped Palestinian babies and children obtain treatment in Israeli hospitals.

• Agricultural and environmental development

  Agriculture, water, and environmental cooperation

  Cross-border projects addressing crop management, pest control, aquaculture, olive-oil production, water research, water quality, and environmental protection. The projects combine technical training and joint research with the broader objective of creating professional relationships around shared regional challenges.

• Leadership and dialogue

  Civic leadership and youth exchange

  Programs for young people, community leaders, and emerging political or civic actors. Activities include international youth exchanges, professional enrichment, leadership development, and forums for public discussion intended to establish communication channels between Israelis and Palestinians and among Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel.

• Cultural peacebuilding

  Arts, culture, and media programs

  The Center uses theater, photography, arts education, and media projects to create shared experiences among Palestinian, Israeli, Jewish, and Arab participants. Examples include cross-border photojournalism, children’s arts activities, and school performances presenting themes of coexistence.

• Technology-enabled dialogue

  Digital dialogue and technology programs

  Online and technology-assisted initiatives that enable young people and school groups in the region to communicate. Activities have included social-media engagement, dialogue curricula delivered through computer centers, and games designed around diplomacy and conflict resolution.

• Community development · 2009

  Peres Peace House community programs

  Programs based at the Jaffa headquarters that support local residents, particularly in Arab communities in Ajami and surrounding areas. Activities have included legal aid, community empowerment, mentoring for disadvantaged children, public lectures, coexistence events, and women’s economic empowerment.

• Blood Relations Campaign

  Israel · Palestinian territories

  A campaign associated with the Center’s peace and humanitarian work that received a United Nations Gold Award. The available reference material does not provide sufficient detail to describe its exact activities or duration.

  Outcome. Received a United Nations Gold Award.

  Source

• 2009

  Establishment of the Peres Peace House headquartersStrategy

  Background

  The Center sought a permanent venue capable of combining institutional functions with public dialogue, archival preservation, and community work in Jaffa.

  Action taken

  It opened the Peres Peace House in Ajami, placing its offices alongside the Shimon Peres Archives, event facilities, a conflict-resolution library, and local community-program space.

  Aftermath

  The building became the organization’s principal base and a venue for lectures, coexistence activities, and community empowerment initiatives.

  Source

• Continuation of Gaza physician-training supportStrategy

  Background

  During an application for Israeli tax-exempt status, the Israel Tax Authority reportedly demanded that the Center stop funding training for physicians from Gaza in Israeli hospitals.

  Action taken

  The Center suspended its tax-exemption application rather than discontinue the medical-training project.

  Aftermath

  The organization later obtained tax-exempt status in Israel in 2016.

  Source

• 2016

  Peres Center receives Israeli tax-exempt status[1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  After an earlier dispute concerning its medical-training work for physicians from Gaza, the organization obtained tax-exempt status in Israel.

• 2009

  Peres Peace House opens in Jaffa[1]Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Center moved its offices into the newly opened Peres Peace House in Ajami, Jaffa, creating a permanent venue for archives, public events, dialogue programs, and local community initiatives.

1. 1Peres Center for Peaceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Peres Center for Peace and Innovationperes-center.org