Nasrin Morkos

Group coordinator and facilitator

morkos@tolerance-net.org

Nasrin was born in the village of Kufer-Yasssief in the western Galilee in Israel. She is one of the six daughters of Nabiha and Nimer Morkos. When she was born her father was fired from his work as a teacher "for political reasons" as he was an active member of a progressive teacher list; which was considered provocative by the military government that was in Israel that period (until 1964).

Growing up within a struggling family that believed in the values of human rights and freedom of speech, equality between the sexes and the coexistence between Arab and Jews; Nasrin joined Arab-Jewish peace youth movement at the age of 14. After graduating from Yanni Yanni high school in Kufer Yasief;

Nasrin started studying Archeology in Ben-Gurion University of the Negev(1980). She soon became an active member in the Arab Student Union which organized protest actions against the discrimination of Arab students in scholarships; housing and national rights. She was also a member of the Jewish-Arab student organization "Campus”

Through these movements Nasrin took part in different protest actions for the rights of Arab minority of the Negev (The Beduin) for lands; authorized housing and for the rights of women and children.

Nasrin was arrested in 1982 for demonstration against the closing of the Palestinian universities in Ramalla and Bethlehem (it was an order from the Israeli military governor in the occupied territories).

The authorities froze Nasrin studying for one year as a "punishment.” When back Nasrin continued to work in organizing student protest action side by side with her Arabs and Jewish mates.

Work experience

1985-1987 field and office assistant in the Jewish -Arab Center Haifa University.

1987-1996 a guide and a group facilitator on co-existence in Kibbutz Ginusar Yigal Alone Center.

1989-2002 Group facilitator in Adam institute in these year she studied also in Haifa University Group analyses.

From 1996 until now National coordinator for the Early childhood school Project for Arab sector and Coordinator of the Galilee and Haifa Project on Education for Democracy and Peace.