Today, the international role of NGOs, or non-government organizations,
is an integral part, and at times even a dominant factor, in the way
nations interact. Yet, back in the 1960s when the Afro-Asian Institute
for Cooperative and Labour Studies in Tel Aviv was established by the
Histadrut, Israel's General Federation of Labour, the Institute
constituted a unique framework - both in terms of scope and content.
Akiva Eger served as the second Director of the Institute - today, the
International Institute - Histadrut near Kfar Saba - throughout its
formative years, a period that corresponded with the heyday of Israeli
cooperative movement. At 84, the German-born kibbutznik from Kibbutz
Netzer Sereni who came to Israel in 1935 remains a strong believer in
the utility of cooperative frameworks, despite the decline of the
kibbutz and the moshav and the labour and trade union movement in
Israel in general.
Looking back he recalls the events that brought about the establishment
of the Institute and the special milieu that prevailed during the first
two decades of its operation when he served as director (1960-80).
"Israel was a young, developing country, made up of different `tribes`
so to speak, without a highly-developed economic infrastructure, with
deserts but few natural resources, rapid population growth, its problem
of forging a common language and cultural base - problems that exist in
many developing countries which, like Israel, had recently achieved
independence. What made Israel unique," he stressed, "was that Israel
had a strong labour organization - the Histadrut - that historically,
out of necessity, came to play a crucial role - past and present - in
the development of the nation - as a people and as a political and
economic entity. It was not just a trade union."
Israel sought to broaden ties with other countries and nurture cadres
of future "movers and shakers" in other developing countries familiar
with Israel; developing countries sought answers to their problems. By
the mid-1950s, Israel and the unique role of the Histadrut began to
generate interest in these nations - first in Burma and India, and also
in some African countries such as Mali, Senegal and Nigeria, and then
elsewhere.
Along with diplomatic ties, one of the catalysts was the presence of
Solel Boneh, the Histadrut construction corporation, which won a number
of large international tenders in Burma, Ghana and Nigeria. Another was
exposure to the first Israeli agricultural experts sent to countries
like Senegal. "Contact generated curiosity to see Israel first hand.
Moreover," added Eger, "Israelis sent abroad developed personal ties
and, being open and hospitable by nature, invited their African and
Asian colleagues to visit them in Israel."
It was this attribute that would colour to a large extent one of the
uncommon attributes of the curriculum and milieu that developed at the
Afro-Asian Institute - programs that went beyond classrooms and course
work, giving participants hands-on experiences living and working on
Israeli collectives, and taking participants into the homes and into
the hearts of run-of-the-mill Israelis through a framework of group
tutors and a network of Israeli citizens who volunteered to "adopt"
participants during their stay.
The tutors not only helped participants with their studies but acted as
mentors and guides, confidants and companions - allowing the
Institute's students to experience other aspects of Israeli society.
The Institute came into being against the backdrop of contacts with
Israeli diplomats, experts and emissaries and contractors - contact
which precipitated requests to visit Israel. In anticipation of the
arrival of individuals and later group missions, hosted by the
Histadrut or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, itineraries were drawn up
and the first courses began to take shape. Some were funded by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, some under the auspices of third parties
such as foundation, Western government or international organization,
or by the nation of the participant.
Three "landmark missions" in 1957 - one mission of union organizers
from the agricultural sector in Mali, two others of young members of
the cooperative movement (ashrams) and agrarian reform movement in
India - hosted by the Diplomatic Section (today, the International
Division) of the Histadrut, set the stage for institutionalization of
these programs.
"These three seminar tours generated tremendous publicity that led to a
wave of requests to attend similar seminars in Israel," says Eger. "The
interest was not only in Israeli agriculture and economic frameworks,
but also Histadrut-run social and cultural institutions, including
sports and womens' organizations."
The Histadrut realized a regular organized framework was called for to
replace sporadic visits which required time and again ad hoc planning,
staffing and changes of venue. What was needed was a permanent setup
and staff that could gain experience and maintain ties with graduates.
Thus, the idea for the Afro-Asian Institute took form: organization of
international seminars that would bring together participants from tens
of different developing nations and a host of different organizations -
academics, trade union activists, cooperative members and government
officials for a more broad and intense three-month seminar in Israel.
The first three-month seminar was held in 1958. It attracted 60
participants from 17 developing nations - both French and English
speaking. The organizers entitled the program "The Afro-Asian Seminar
on Cooperation." The Histadrut organized the seminar and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the still-budding MASHAV, provided the funding. The
seminar's success, despite complex logistics including the problem of
communication in a multilingual setting, generated new waves of
requests from developing countries. By 1965 the first on-the-spot
courses began in order to provide additional contact with those
requesting courses.
While subsequent seminars over the years were split into
English-speaking and French-speaking courses (with a completely
separate apparatus for Spanish language courses - the Centre for
Cooperative and Labour Studies for Latin America, Spain and Portugal)
from the beginning Afro-Asian Institute seminars were a departure in
milieu and structure of Western aid programs - which, Eger clarified,
were more doctrinaire.
The Israeli experience was perceived by the Institute's staff "as a
`laboratory for socioeconomic development` not as a `doctrine` or
`turn-key model` for others," he said. Moreover, the curriculum was far
less structured and theoretical and a lot more open and
practically-oriented. And, Institute staff - administrators and tutors,
and lecturers gathered from among the best in their field in Israel -
viewed one-on-one interaction with Israelis - instructors, tutors,
colleagues and ordinary citizens, be they intellectuals or common folk,
urban or rural inhabitants, independent or salaried people - as no less
important than the course curriculum itself.
Akiva Eger believes these two factors - the lack of a paternalistic
attitude and the wholistic approach to the Israeli experience - were
key factors in the Institute's successes in the two decades he directed
the institution.
"Wholistic" was interpreted not only as exposure to as many aspects of
Israeli society as possible. The first courses were held in the
Histadrut's Educational Centre for Labour Movement Activists in North
Tel Aviv. With funding from the AFL-CIO (the roof organization of the
American trade union movement), in 1961 the Histadrut inaugurated
construction of special facilities to house Institute offices, dorms
and classrooms, adjacent to the Centre. Course participants, however,
continued to eat at the Centre - which served only dairy meals,
recalled Eger. The tutors, who saw it as their "duty" to ensure their
proteges got at least one meat meal a week in the Land of Milk and
Honey, took their groups to Beit Lessin - a nearby Histadrut-run
cultural hall that served inexpensive meat meals to insure participants
"would have nothing to beef about"...
Over the years the composition of participating countries shifted.
While in the first decade (1958-1968) two-thirds of the participants
came from Africa, with the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the severance by
African nations of diplomatic relations with Israel, in the second
decade Asian countries became the dominant group. While during the
first three years courses were funded by Israel, the Institute did not
become a drain on public budgets: Early on, participation became a
"paying proposition": the governments or organizations of the
participants covered costs out of their own budgets or secured
scholarships from Western or international sources; the "investment"
ensured high-level candidates. Indeed, 65% of the Institutes graduates
were university graduates, most aged 30-40.
As news of the seminars spread, other developing countries in Latin
America and the Caribbean applied, as well. Moreover, the seminars
attracted applications from leading emerging economies in the Far East.
Subsequently, special introductory courses on the Israeli labour
movement pattern of development, which links trade unionism with
cooperative Histadrut-owned enterprises, attracted students even from
developed nations in Europe and the Far East - including countries such
as Germany, Italy and Sweden and Singapore, Korea and Japan. In
recognition of the growing global character of the student body, in
1994 the Afro-Asian Institute's name was changed to the International
Institute - Histadrut.
Israel benefitted not only on the diplomatic front, but also from
increased trade with developing nations, notes Akiva Eger. Moreover, he
revealed, even in periods of tension and absence of formal diplomatic
relations, candidates continued to come to Israel to participate in
Institute courses. The growing desire for Israeli courses in
agricultural cooperatives, trade unionism and cooperative economic
frameworks are a sure sign of success. The Institute, not a separate
entity but part and parcel of Israel's own development, counts among
its graduates heads of state, ministers, national trade union leaders,
journalists, professors and lecturers in institutions of higher
learning - the builders of their societies.
This letter was received by Zvi Galor, Academic Director, International
Institute - Histadrut:
Dear Mr. Galor, Thanks for the greetings and facilitation that you
extended to me on my appointment as Finance Minister. I would also like
to thank H.E. Esther Efrat Smilg, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal, for
informing the Institute.
I still recall those good days that I spent at the Afro-Asian
Institute. My association with the Institute since then is a
remembrance of friendship and development cooperation between our two
countries. I feel profound joy to learn that the Institute has been
restructured and expanded to cater to the geopolitical and
socioeconomic needs of different regional countries of the world. The
focuses of the new Institute for leadership training from the
perspective of building a civil society, development progress and the
promotion of social and economic changes deserves appreciation. I hope
and believe that the Institute will succeed in its endeavour and help
contribute to the cause of progress, social justice, human freedom and
international friendship.
Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ramat Gan and the kibbutz I visited during my stay in
Israel must have changed along with the moderization of Israel. I also
remember Mr. Akiva Eger and the discussions we had during my stay.
Please convey my regards and best wishes to him.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the Institute and its
family members for the greetings and good wishes extended to me. I wish
you all the best in your endeavour and the prosperity of Israel.
With warm regards, yours sincerely,
Rabindra Nath Sharma
Minister of Finance
His Majesty's Government
Bagdurbar
Kathmandu
Nepal