Hers was a very personal account, yet one illustrated with remarkable anecdotes about the life of an ancient community, its travails and triumphs, and the challenge of modernity. Amal was accompanied by a fellow Israeli Bedouin male colleague, a highly placed official responsible for community development. Also from the Negev, Amal's colleague joined her in answering questions from a lively audience, candidly and with good humour.

Amal Alsana is director of AJEEC (the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation). AJEEC is a key component of NISPED, the Negev Institute for Strategies of Pece and Development. We were privileged to have her with us for a fascinating talk. Amal, a charming and lively speaker, who was warmly recommended by Meretz-Yachad Israel, spoke about equal rights for the Arab minority in Israel and equal rights for Arab women in particular.

Amal Elsana Alh'jooj comes from the Bedouin town of Laqiya in southern Israel. She has a B.A. degree in Social Work from Ben Gurion University and an M.A. degree in Community Organization from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She founded the first Bedouin women's association at the age of 17.

Since then she has been actively engaged in the empowerment of women and the struggle for the rights of the Bedouin-Arab population of the Negev. Amal is also a member of various organizations working for the attainment of equal rights for the Arab minority in Israel.

Ms. Elsana Alh'jooj is the director of AJEEC - the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation.

AWARDS AND PRIZES for Amal Alsana-Alhajooj:

2005: Chosen as one of 1000 women world wide who are jointly being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

2005: Special award by the World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises for contribution to economic empowerment programs for Arab Bedouin women.

2005: In production: television profile on Amal as one of eight leading women in Israel today

2004: Entrepreneur of the Year –Israel Small and Medium Enterprise Authority