The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace () is a research institute at the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...

, located on its

Mount Scopus Mount Scopus ( ', "Mount of the Watchmen/ Sentinels"; ', lit. "Mount Lookout", or ' "Mount of the Scene/Burial Site", or "Mount Syenite") is a mountain (elevation: above sea level) in northeast Jerusalem. Between the 1948 Arab–Israeli ...

campus. It was the first, and is the largest, research institute in Israel and the Middle East that studies advancing peace in the region."About." The Harry S. Truman Research Institute

Accessed 11 July 2022. Truman Institute

Goals

At the institute's initiation ceremony in July 1966, it was declared that the institute shall "become a center for studies dedicated to the pursuit of peace, which it is hoped will make a significant contribution to the fostering of international harmony and the advancement of cooperation between the peoples of the world". Today, the institute operates in two areas in relation to

peace Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence, and everything that discusses achieving human welfare through justice and peaceful conditions. In a societal sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (suc ...

and

conflict resolution Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of Conflict (process), conflict and Revenge, retribution. Committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively co ...

: activities in the academic sphere and activities in the public sphere, serving as a platform for academic and public discourse and action in peace and conflict resolution. While the heart of the institute's research and activities relate to studying and exploring the

Israeli-Arab conflict The Arab citizens of Israel form the country's largest ethnic minority. Their community mainly consists of former Mandatory Palestine citizens (and their descendants) who continued to inhabit the territory that was acknowledged as Israeli by ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

and the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, the Truman Institute also promotes research and thought about peace and conflict resolution in the rest of the world. It examines conflict and resolution processes from historical, cultural, psychological, political, and socio-economic perspectives. The institute has a

doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

and

post-doctoral A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). Postdocs most commonly, but not always, have a temporary academ ...

scholarship program, supports research projects conducted by senior researchers in Israel and abroad, as well as symposiums, workshops and meetings between individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including scholars, statespersons, diplomats, students, journalists and activists.

History

The Truman Institute was founded in 1966 with the encouragement and support of 33rd US president

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

, who was in office during the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel by David Ben Gurion. President Harry Truman was the first international leader to recognize the

state of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. The establishment of the institute took several years from its official founding in 1966 to the completion of the construction of its building in 1970. Dr. Eliyahu Eilat, who was the first Israeli ambassador to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

(1948–1950), actively campaigned to advance the development of a research institute dedicated to peace at the Hebrew University after the end of his tenure as the president of the Hebrew University (1962–1968). The initiation ceremony for the institute's building took place in May 1970. The building was constructed next to Mt. Scopus campus' amphitheater and was among the first buildings to be constructed on the campus following the 1967

Six Day War The Six-Day War, also known as the June War, 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan from 5 to 10June 1967. Military hostilities broke ...

and the university's return to Mt. Scopus.

The Truman Peace Prize

Between 1991 and 2013 the institute awarded the Truman Peace Prize (formerly known as "The Gitelson Peace Award") to "individuals who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of peace regionally or throughout the world." This reward reflects the Truman Institute's commitment to the promotion of peace. The winners of the prize over the years: * 1991 – Former French Health Minister

Simone Veil Simone Veil (; ; 13 July 1927 – 30 June 2017) was a French magistrate, Holocaust survivor, and politician who served as health minister in several governments and was President of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1982, the first woman t ...

– In recognition for her contribution towards European understanding of the

Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about Territory, land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation ...

. * 1994 – Former Norwegian Foreign Minister

Johan Jorgen Holst Johan may refer to: * Johan (given name) * ''Johan'' (1921 film), a Swedish film directed by Mauritz Stiller * Johan (2005 film), a Dutch romantic comedy film * Johan (band), a Dutch pop-group ** ''Johan'' (album), a 1996 album by the group * Joh ...

– In recognition for his contribution to bringing about a rapprochement between the peoples of the Middle East and leading to a new atmosphere in the relationship between formerly hostile peoples. The prize was awarded

posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...

. * 1999 – Former

US Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

George Mitchell – In recognition for his persistent contribution of wise counsel, sensitive diplomacy and unflagging determination and for his lead role in brokering the

Good Friday Peace Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA) or Belfast Agreement ( or ; or ) is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April (Good Friday) 1998 that ended most of the violence of the Troubles, an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland since the la ...

. * 2001 – Former US ambassador

Richard Holbrooke Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977 ...

– In recognition of his pivotal contribution to bringing the conflict in Bosnia closer to resolution. * 2006 – US General (ret.)

Colin L. Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; – ) was an American diplomat, and army officer who was the 65th United States secretary of state from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African-American to hold the office. He was the 15th national security advisor ...

– In recognition of his contribution to fighting the war on terror, his fervent advocacy of the universal ideal of

democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

and his skillful employment of

diplomacy Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of State (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international syste ...

to build trust and forge alliances. * 2008 – Former US ambassador Dennis B. Ross – In recognition of his contributions to building bridges of understanding between nations while upholding his personal commitment to the principles of democracy, freedom and pluralism; in appreciation of his extraordinary diplomatic skills and tireless efforts in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East; and in tribute to his steadfast support for the State of Israel. * 2011 – Former head of the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...

, Sir James D. Wolfensohn – In recognition of his contribution to the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians; in appreciation of his exceptional insight and leadership with regards to the diplomatic process; and in tribute to his concern for the wellbeing of Israel and the

Palestinian people Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous ...

. * 2013 – Former American Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Labor the Honorable George P. Shultz – In recognition for his commitment to advance peace negotiations between Israel and her neighbors, while strengthening Israel's defensive capabilities; his unceasing efforts to secure the right of the

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

in the former

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

to emigrate to Israel and to other countries in the free world; and to acknowledge his leadership role in the efforts to stabilize Israel's economy in the 1980s.

Activities

The institute hosts the following: * The Stanley and Roberta Bogen Library, whose vast collection of journals and special archives support the institute's research areas. * The

Abba Eban Abba Solomon Meir Eban (; ; born Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; 2 February 1915 – 17 November 2002) was a History of the Jews in South Africa, South African-born Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. D ...

Centre for Israeli Diplomacy, which promotes connections among ambassadors and parliamentary representatives from around the world. * The Abba Eban Archive - which contains the personal archive of Abba Eban, Israel's former foreign minister. The Truman Institute serves as a research and cooperation platform for over 50 research fellows, who come from various backgrounds and diverse areas of expertise. Discourse is promoted about peace and conflict resolution and the institute tackles historical as well as current events. In 2022, the Truman Institute held events such as: 40 Years since the First Lebanon War, One Year since the May 2021 Riots, and a 4-part movie series. In 2021, while most events moved online due to the COVID pandemic, the Truman Institute held several books launches for our researcher's publications as well as webinars on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the prisoner escape from Gilboa prison. In 2020, the Truman Institute announced the publication of the ''Truman Institute’s Atlas of Maps of the Israeli-Arab Conflict'', edited by the Institute research fellow Dr. Shaul Arieli. It can be downloaded for free in Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, German, and Russian. Also in 2020, the institute held events analyzing the assassination of

Qasem Soleimani Qasem Soleimani (; 11 March 1957 – 3 January 2020) was an Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). From 1998 until Assassination of Qasem Soleimani, his assassination by the United States in 2020, h ...

, how

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

might influence the conflict between Israel and

Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...

Gaza Gaza may refer to: Places Palestine * Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea ** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip ** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Mandatory Palestine * Gaza Sub ...

, the annexation plan of the Jordan Valley and more. In 2019, former

US president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

, gave a special and exclusive address (which can be found in the institute's YouTube channel) as part of the Truman Peace Conference whose topic was the 40th anniversary for the Israeli-Egyptian peace accords. In addition, the Institute runs a special scholarship program for doctoral and post-doctoral students whose research deals with the topic of peace and conflict resolution."Grants and Scholarships." The Harry S. Truman Research Institute

Accessed 11 July 2022.

Heads of the Institute

* Prof. Ernst Bergmann (philosopher), Ernst D. Bergmann 1966–1975 * Prof. Moshe Ma'oz 1975–1979 * Prof. Harold Z. Schiffrin 1979–1987 * Prof. Ben-Ami Shillony 1987–1990 * Prof.

Naomi Chazan Naomi Chazan (; born 18 November 1946) is an Israeli academic, activist, and politician. As a legislator, Chazan championed the causes of human rights, women's rights, and consumer protection. Chazan is a past president of the New Israel Fund. ...

1990–1992 * Prof. Moshe Ma'oz 1992–1998 * Prof. Amnon Cohen 1998–2003 * Prof. Eyal Ben-Ari 2003–2007 * Prof. Mario Sznajder 2005–2006 (served as interim head) * Prof. Haim D. Rabinowitch 2007–2009 * Prof. Steven Kaplan 2009–2012 * Prof. Menahem Blondheim 2012–2018 * Dr. Oded Lowenheim 2018–2019 (served as interim head) * Prof. Vered Vinitzki-Seroussi 2018–2022 * Prof. Ifat Maoz 2022–present Several noteworthy figures served as the Chair of the Truman Institute's Board of Trustees, such as American ambassadors to Israel William Brown (who held the position for 25 years) and Samuel Lewis, American diplomat

Max Kampelman Max Kampelman (born Max Kampelmacher; November 7, 1920 – January 25, 2013) was an American diplomat. Biography Kampelman was born in New York, New York to Jewish Romanian immigrant parents on 7 November 1920. He grew up in the Bronx, New York ...

, former Israeli ambassador to the United States

Moshe Arad Moshe Arad (15 August 1934 – October 25, 2019) was a former ambassador from Israel to Mexico (1983–1987) and an ambassador from Israel to the United States (1987–1990). He emigrated to Israel in 1950. While Israel's Ambassador to the Uni ...

and former Israeli minister and politician

Dan Meridor Dan Meridor (; born 23 April 1947) is an Israeli politician and minister. A longtime member of the Likud party, in the late 1990s he became one of the founders of the Center Party. He rejoined Likud a decade later, and returned to the Knesset ...

(who currently holds the position).

References

External links

Official website

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Harry S. Truman Peace and conflict studies Peace organizations based in Israel 1966 establishments in Israel Research institutes established in 1966 Research institutes in Israel