The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace was the first, and a leading research institute in Israel and the Middle East that studies advancing peace in the region. The Truman Institute focuses on the countries of the Middle East as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Truman Institute highlights the value of tolerance and dialogue in advancing peaceful co-existence among peoples and nations. The Institute was founded in 1965 at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with the personal support of the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman.
Research
Activities include academic research at the highest level, as well as collaborative studies with other Israeli scholars and foreign researchers from the Palestinian Authority and Middle Eastern countries. The research within the framework of the Truman Institute is conducted by over 70 research fellows and scholars.
Grants and Scholarships
In order to foster and advance research for the advancement of peace, the Truman Institute awards on an annual basis, grants and scholarships to post-doctoral, doctoral and masters' students. Since the Institute fosters an interdisciplinary approach, researchers have come from a varied background including the social sciences, humanities, public health, and government service.
Events
The Truman Institute plays an instrumental role in bringing together people locally and internationally, from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, including politicians and diplomats. A broad spectrum of dynamic programs are offered, including conferences, lectures, seminars, symposiums, Middle East briefings and diplomatic visits on issues of current interest to help foster understanding, discussion and debate on the challenges facing Israelis.
Special Projects and Seminars
Over the past few years, The Truman Institute has established many leading and innovative programs that provide international participants with a political, historical, religious and cultural perspective of Israel and the Middle East. These programs feature lectures from leading academic experts at The Hebrew University, ambassadors and journalists, meetings with Knesset Members, discussions with government officials, as well as tours around Israel. These firsthand experiences and the in-depth understanding and knowledge gained by participants are unique to our programs.
Abba Eban Centre for Israeli Diplomacy
Founded in 1992, the Abba Eban Centre for Israeli Diplomacy operates under the auspices of the Truman Institute. Ambassadors, foreign ministers, and policy makers from all over the world visit the Centre to participate in lectures or briefings by Truman scholars relating to current issues on Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Middle East, as well as topics related to foreign affairs and diplomacy. As a vital resource for scholars exploring Israel's emergence into the international community, the Abba Eban Centre for Israeli Diplomacy houses the Abba Eban Archives, (papers, videocassettes, photographs and recordings) of the former Israeli Ambassador, Member of the Knesset and Foreign Minister, Abba Eban.
Library
The Roberta and Stanley Bogen Library and Documentation Center is unique among the libraries of Israel and, indeed, among the libraries of the Middle East. Its collections focus on the regions of the non-Western world—Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East—the latter two regions in particular. Personal archives donated by former diplomats and researchers on issues concerning the Middle East and Asia are classified and filed under a subject index. The library's excellent resources, which are now also available via the Internet, are now part of the general catalogue of the Hebrew University libraries.