In Memoriam: Shimon Peres
The U.S. Institute of Peace joins with those mourning the passing of Nobel Peace Laureate Shimon Peres. The former Israeli president and prime minister began his tireless efforts for peace as Israel’s Foreign Minister, working with Palestinian leaders to seek a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. More recently, as Israel’s president, he pursued a vision of peace and reconciliation for Israelis, Palestinians and the broader region. And through the Peres Center for Peace, a former USIP grantee, he reinforced that mission and gave it a grounding to continue well into the future.
The USIP grant, completed in June 2015, was for a YaLa Young Leaders project to train Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab youth from across the broader Middle East and North Africa through an online platform to be “citizen journalists." The aim was to create a mechanism for cross-border engagement, as well as broad regional outreach and youth empowerment.
Peres also spoke at an event hosted by the S. Daniel Abraham Center, held at USIP in April 2011, addressing the prospects for Middle East peace and the recent turmoil in the region.
“For 20 years, his institute has supported programs that brought young Israelis, Palestinians and others from the region together in a spirit of cooperation, tolerance and innovation,” USIP President Nancy Lindborg said. “His energy, spirit, and vision will be sorely missed at a time when his vision of peace is more needed than ever.”
