 Speakers and participants at these meetings include local and foreign scholars, professionals, activists as well as representatives of political factions and the diplomatic corps.It can be said that PASSIA has proved most successful in serving as a catalyst for civic dialogue and in fostering a better understanding of Palestinian affairs - be they in the domestic or international context.A third pillar of the work undertaken by PASSIA is its Training and Education Programme, which provides a much-needed platform for Palestinian practitioners and professionals to deepen their knowledge and expertise in specific areas of international affairs and institutional/personal capacity building (with courses on strategic planning, leadership, management, and communication skills, to name a few).