Arava’s Upcoming Climate Trip to Israel & the West Bank Advances Peace

At a time when climate disruption and political conflict are colliding in painful and often tragic ways, one extraordinary opportunity offers a rare lens into what constructive, cross-border cooperation can look like—even now.

From September 10–16, 2025, the Cultivating Hope Study Tour, hosted by Friends of the Arava Institute, will bring a small group of participants through Israel and the West Bank for an immersive, behind-the-scenes experience of environmental peacebuilding in action. This isn’t a sightseeing tour—it’s a journey into the heart of regional cooperation, sustainability, and trust-building.

At the center of this experience is the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, one of the most respected environmental and academic institutions in the Middle East. Based at Kibbutz Ketura in the southern Arava desert, the Institute brings together Israeli Jews, Palestinians, Jordanians, and international students to live, learn, and solve urgent environmental challenges together.

“The scarcest resource in the Middle East is not water or energy—it’s trust,” says Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, Executive Director of the Arava Institute and a Palestinian citizen of Israel. “We use the environment, science, and hands-on projects as tools to build that trust and create sustainable partnerships that last—through war, peace, and everything in between.”

Despite the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Arava Institute continues to operate its full academic program. Palestinian and Israeli students are living and studying side by side. Dialogue hasn’t stopped—it’s deepened.

Highlights of the Cultivating Hope Study Tour include:

• A dual narratives tour of Jaffa, offering historical context from Israeli and Palestinian perspectives
• Visits to environmental field projects in the Jordan Valley and the unrecognized Bedouin village of Al-Fura’a, featuring solar energy, sustainable agriculture, and off-grid wastewater treatment
• A guided look at environmental challenges in East and West Jerusalem, led by local experts
• Dinner and dialogue with Israeli and Palestinian alumni who are advancing climate cooperation across borders
• A deep dive into the Arava Institute campus, with time to meet faculty, researchers, and students working on water, energy, and climate innovation
• A visit to the ancient “Methuselah” date palm, sprouted from a 2,000-year-old Judean seed—symbolizing hope, regeneration, and shared roots
• A final day in Eilat at the InterUniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, exploring marine conservation in the Gulf of Aqaba

The trip will be led by Dr. Abu Hamed, along with Ambassador Daniel Shek and Friends of the Arava Institute CEO Rachel Kalikow, offering unparalleled access to thought leaders in environmental diplomacy and cross-border cooperation.

In a region often seen only through the lens of conflict, the Arava Institute represents something different: a living, breathing example of what happens when people choose to collaborate rather than divide. Their alumni now lead environmental initiatives in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Morocco, and beyond—spreading not only knowledge, but trust.

If you’re looking for evidence that peace is still possible—and that climate action can be a bridge rather than a wedge—this tour offers it.
To learn more or reserve your spot, visit https://arava.org/cultivating-hope/ or contact info@friendsofarava.org. Space is limited.