United Palestinian Appeal

Arts and Culture Learning for the Empowerment and Advancement of Palestinians (LEAP) Outreach Public Education Local Partners Get Involved Employment Business with UPA IQRAA Friends of UPA Internships Volunteer with UPA Contact Us Donate One Time Donation Recurring Donation Workplace Matching Donation Other Ways to Donate About Mission Directors Advisors Committees Staff Reports News Blog Newsletters Programs Emergency Response Emergency Response in West Bank/East Jerusalem Gaza Recovery & Emergency Response Lebanon Emergency Response Egypt Emergency Response Health and Wellness Primary Care Clinics Children’s Fund Humanitarian Support Community and Economic Development Agriculture Construction and Renovation Small Business Development Program Education Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund Arts and Culture Learning for the Empowerment and Advancement of Palestinians (LEAP) Outreach Public Education Local Partners Get Involved Employment Business with UPA IQRAA Friends of UPA Internships Volunteer with UPA Contact Us Donate One Time Donation Recurring Donation Workplace Matching Donation Other Ways to Donate Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund Education is a sacred endeavor for Palestinians. Through history and due to their multiple plights, Palestinians have come to realize that education is the gift that can’t be confiscated, demolished, or occupied. The Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund has helped 3,000 Palestinian students realize their dream of higher education. UPA awards full-degree scholarships that cover a substantial amount of student’s tuition to study at leading universities in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jordan. Recipients are nominated by universities and must demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a desire to give back to their community and nation. By assisting students to attend local universities, UPA seeks to buttress Palestinian higher education and encourage the development of an independent, sustainable Palestinian economy. In 2018, the University Scholarship Program was renamed the Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund in honor of Mahmoud Darwish’s vast literary contribution to Palestinian literature and in collaboration with the Mahmoud Darwish Foundation . 2018 marked the ten-year anniversary of Mahmoud Darwish’s passing, the 30 th anniversary of UPA’s scholarship program, and the 40 th anniversary of UPA. Scholarships are provided by generous donors like you as well by the members of Iqraa. Iqraa is a running group based in Washington, DC that raises funds for the Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund. Meet Some of Our Participants Zainab Zainab is not afraid to push boundaries “Impossible shouldn’t be a word in our dictionaries!” Marwa Marwa hopes to give back to her community in Gaza by becoming a doctor. “I know that my career choice will help to ease the suffering of my people. Also, I want to work to rebuild the patient/doctor relationship.” Moetasem Moetasem is studying technology in Gaza. “Opportunities do not exist for us, we must create our opportunities; never to give up on your ambitions.” Razan Razan is an Arabic major at Bethlehem University and is defying the odds. “They [the occupation] don’t want us to be an educated society nor to be aware of the reality we live in. They don’t want us to learn, so we defy them and we persist in our studies.” Ibrahim Ibrahim is a medicine Major at Al Azhar University in Gaza and has his eyes set on the future. “I want to open a large clinic with many doctors – classmates and older doctors – to ensure that they benefit the community. Thank you, UPA, my life’s path has changed because of you.” Laith Laith is a graphic design major at Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts & Culture in Bethlehem, hoping to work as a graphic artist. “Education is very important to me. It broadens my horizons, especially in my major, graphic design, because there are some things we can only communicate through visual means. As for Palestinians, we are a nation under occupat…