While attending the Partners for a New Beginning (PNB) summit run by the U.S. State Department earlier this month, I spoke with Nell, a woman whose non-profit aids refugees in Nablis, Palestine. She shared her heartbreaking observation: that many of the people with whom she works – people who have lived their entire lives as refugees – live without some of the simple joys I take for granted. She found that many parents don’t get on the floor and play with their children or teach them how to count blocks!
Nell started by working with kids in an early childhood program and is now instituting parenting programs. Her view on the education that kids need is remarkably similar to Tanenbaum’s, a fact that was not lost on either of us. Naturally, that meant meeting back in New York to explore collaborations that reinforce our shared vision for learning: a shared vision that prepares students to thrive in a diverse world.
Our conversation embodies the potential of PNB, an alliance whose goal is to facilitate and create partnerships among the United States Government and private sector and civil society leaders to foster a broader and deeper engagement between the United States and local communities and Muslim majority countries abroad.
I am proud that Tanenbaum is a partner in this groundbreaking initiative along with Cisco, Coca-Cola, Intel, the Interfaith Youth Core, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, among others. Of all the takeaways from this month’s summit, though, I am most excited to again find that our work is urgently needed and immediately applicable.
I look forward to keeping you all informed as our work with PNB flourishes and opportunities to work with Nell are identified.
Joyce S. Dubensky
Executive Vice President & CEO, Tanenbaum
Executive Vice President & CEO, Tanenbaum