Opening of the First Nablus Employment Event

SadaNews - Today, Monday, the first Nablus Employment Event: "Connect, Qualify, Employ" was inaugurated in the city of Nablus, aimed at enhancing job and training opportunities for youth, graduates, job seekers, and entrepreneurs, under the patronage of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The opening, held in the courtyard of the governorate building, was attended by Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas, Deputy Chairman of Fatah Movement Mahmoud Al-Aloul representing President Mahmoud Abbas, Minister of Local Government Sami Hijawi representing Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions, Nablus Municipality, universities, civil society organizations, as well as several job seekers and private sector representatives.

The event, which will run for two days, aims to connect new graduates and job seekers with real employment opportunities, facilitate direct communication with employers, provide short training workshops on interview skills and professional communication, and conduct employment interviews.

Al-Aloul, who conveyed the President’s greetings to the attendees in his speech, emphasized that this event constitutes an important step that pulls us out of the stagnation faced by Palestinian society due to the Israeli occupation and the immense pressures it endures.

He continued: It is a truly wonderful idea from the Employment Council to gather job seekers from university graduates and workers with businessmen to discuss together, offering an opportunity to see how many job opportunities we can gain from this, and it will be repeated if it proves fruitful.

He added: It is beautiful today that we have managed to stop the war and the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, and our priorities include feeding the hungry children in the sector, and today we will also welcome a group of freedom prisoners who devoted their lives for the freedom and dignity of their homeland.

Al-Aloul stressed that today’s event is crucial not only for employment but also for other ideas that reinvigorate people and bring them together again under the harsh conditions faced by the Palestinian people, stating: The Palestinian people are among the living nations that build amidst the destruction caused by occupation.

For his part, Daghlas clarified that empowering youth is the cornerstone of building our Palestinian state, and it is our duty within all institutions to provide them with platforms that open avenues of hope and work, as they are the most important investment in our present and future, praising the efforts of the Employment Council and partners in organizing this event.

He continued: When the idea of a job day started, I was told there was an idea for a job day, and the first thing that came to my mind was the words written by the colonizers on the checkpoints, "there is no future in Palestine", and this event came to say that the future is all in Palestine; we were born here, and here we will die, and we will build our state.

Daghlas affirmed that the entire national, union, and academic movement came today to confirm to the President that we are with you in the Palestinian national project that is forged from the blood of martyrs, and there will be another employment day, and we will build our economy, and Nablus will return to being the capital of the economy again through our unity and solidarity.

For his part, Hijawi noted that the event embodies the spirit of partnership and integration between stakeholder sectors, and under the guidance of the President and the Prime Minister, we give great attention to the employment file, youth qualification, and supporting entrepreneurial projects to reduce unemployment.

He emphasized that the government views positively the efforts made to support the economy and enhance the role of youth, noting that the challenges are significant amid the arbitrary measures of occupation.

According to the Local Council for Employment and Training, the event provided 590 permanent jobs for job seekers and unemployed graduates, professionals, and craftsmen, in addition to 196 temporary jobs lasting no less than six months, and offered 64 training and qualification programs for entering the labor market, along with 200 jobs where the engineers' union will cover part of the salary and the employer will cover the rest.

During the opening, Nablus Chamber of Commerce President Samih Al-Masri, Mayor Hussam Al-Shukheir, and President of the General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions, Shaher Saad emphasized the importance of the event in providing job opportunities and reducing unemployment, amidst the collective punishments endured by the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation.

It is worth noting that the employment event will include interviews with several job seekers, in addition to entrepreneurs and project owners, as well as several training workshops for graduates and job seekers.