Old City Youth Association

Preface: The Old City Youth Association established in 1990 as a non-profit and non-governmental youth organization (NGO), by a group of enthusiastic youth who believe in assisting the community and solving the problems hindering its development, the OCYA occupies a strategic place in a historical building from the Mamluki Era complex, located in the Old City of Jerusalem with approximately 600 square meters arcaded area, which make it unique with this suitable premises in the Old City. This site employed efficiently in the past time in community based activities aimed at compensating the people about the overcrowded homes, narrow streets, shortage of services, poor education, spread of negative social phenomena's as violence, drugs, etc. The OCYA premises contains a sport hall, library and meeting hall, computer lab, and music center, the site was basically renovated and equipped to be suitable for the implementation of the activities. (OCYA)’s Mission: To act towards developing and upgrading various sectors (, youth, women and children) in the society, according to certain basis and respects, taking into consideration the neglected needs of these marginalized segments, through planned programs and activities, and promoting the values of democracy and human rights in the society. (OCYA)’s Objectives: The OCYA aims at serving the local community in the old city of Jerusalem, Old City Youth Association (OCYA) is a Cultural, Social, Artistic, Sportive Association, extending its services to a wide range of Jerusalem’s community in general, and to the Old City’s in particular, specifically the youth, women and children sectors of both sexes. (OCYA) cares to render various cultural, educational, social and entertainment services for these important segments of the Palestinian Community. This lies within the continuous attempts of (OCYA) to overwhelm the different social corrupted phenomena prevailing in the Old City community, such as ignorance, abandoning school, discipline, etc. 1 - Enlightening Palestinian Youth in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem, and rehabilitating and developing their abilities – being cultural, sportive, social and professional – and evoking their fundamental role in implementing the civil community institutions, and enhancing them to practice this role. 2 - Enlightening the women in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem, and illustrating the importance of their role and stimulating them to fulfill their position side-by-side with the man; and achieving the principal of “Equal Opportunities” to develop their skills. 3 - To originate the Innovation and Contribution Spirits in the targeted Youth Sector, on all the tracks that result in its development, through the adoption of a scientific methodology – as to technique and practice. 4 - Prevailing perception in the democracy and human rights’ concepts among youth, adhering to the Worldwide Issues and International Doctrines of the Human Rights. 5 - Intensifying relations with the Organizations, Associations and Youth Centers (being local or operating in the Arab Countries or abroad) who share the same objectives, in order to get acquainted with the cultures, habits, traditions and problems of youth – residing in the local regions as well as in the neighboring and friendly countries, through the Youth Exchange programs, that eventually serves upgrading and developing the Youth Sector in The Old City. 6 - To participate in upgrading and developing young teens in The Old City of Jerusalem. This includes qualifying them to communicate with other young teens of the same ages in other societies, and overcoming the negative notions developed in their characters by the occupancy. 7- To act for prevailing “Cultural heritage and Environmental Perception among the youth to work on reserving the Heritage and Environment in Jerusalem as a specific place with humanitarian interests