On Monday, October 2, 2022, Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology took a significant step toward empowering local entrepreneurs by signing grant agreements with beneficiaries of the Darze Fashion Design Innovation Hub. This initiative, aimed at fostering innovation in the fashion industry, is being implemented by the college in collaboration with GLOW for Creativity and Al-Nahr Company for Fair Development Services, as part of the UNESCO TVET4Future project. The project is supported by the Belgian government through the Belgian Development Agency.

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The signing ceremony, held at the college, marked the formalization of support for several small business ventures within the Darze Hub. Dr. Amer Massad, Dean of Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology, highlighted the importance of these agreements, explaining that they are designed to create a nurturing entrepreneurial environment. He emphasized the role of entrepreneurship in advancing the Palestinian economy and fostering a society capable of competing in global technological and creative markets.

Ms. Tala Khalifa, Project Officer for UNESCO TVET4Future, commended the college’s leadership in supporting innovative projects, noting that this initiative is a first of its kind in the northern Palestinian governorates. She stressed the importance of developing practical solutions that help bridge the gap between vocational training and the job market.

Engineer Hasan Omar from GLOW praised the participants' achievements, highlighting their dedication throughout the training process. He expressed confidence in the success of their entrepreneurial projects, which have now secured essential funding to move forward.

Alaa Darwish, Coordinator of the Studies and Projects Unit and Head of An-Najah Center for Training and Rehabilitation, described the Darze Hub as a groundbreaking initiative in Palestine’s technical and vocational education sector. He emphasized the Hub’s readiness to support innovative ideas in the fashion industry by providing access to the job market and essential funding opportunities.

Notably, seven entrepreneurial projects received grants through the Darze Hub, reflecting the success of the comprehensive training program provided during the project’s implementation.