Sharaf Hassan Recipient of the 2024 Human Rights Award

Dr. Sharaf Hassan, a leading member of the Communist Party of Israel, is one of the recipients of the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Awards. Each year, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) gives the award to a person or organization that has made a special contribution to the advancement of human rights in Israel.

The Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award Committee chose to present this award to Dr. Hassan for his “determination and commitment to bringing about change in the Arab education system, and for his enormous contribution to the struggle for an equal and just education.” Emil Grunzweig (1947-1983) was an Israeli teacher and peace activist affiliated with the Peace Now movement. He was killed by a grenade thrown by a fascist at a peace rally near the Prime Minister Office in 1983.

Dr. Hassan is a sociologist, educator, and Communist activist promoting human rights, peace, and social justice, and head the Department of Sociology at the Oranim College of Education, the largest and leading academic college of education in the North of Israel. Sharaf is also the head of the Follow-up Committee on Arab Education and has been active in human rights issues, particularly education, since he was young and throughout his university studies, and served as the Director of the Education Department at ACRI. During his tenure on the Follow-up Committee on Arab Education, he led many campaigns to ensure the rights of Arab students to an equal and quality education.

Dr. Sharaf Hassan during a lecture at the Oranim College of Education (Photo: Oranim College)

Sharaf has continued to work to establish equal status and self-management for the Arab education system within the State education system. He is known for his thorough examinations of curricula for Arab education, while fighting against the influence of problematic institutions and enabling students to develop independent and critical thinking. Particularly when it comes to civics, Sharaf has worked to promote educational programs that would provide all students – Jewish and Arab – with humanistic values, meaningful content, and tools to help develop their ability to understand the complex socio-political reality in which they live and their ability to imagine and aspire to a different and just society: multicultural, democratic, and anti-racist. 

Throughout his work, Sharaf has successfully combined various tools and engaged with diverse audiences to improve the Arab education system. He has worked with educators and students, acted to establish communities and fora for educators, and encouraged education professionals to take initiative and grow as leaders. He has published numerous articles and wrote policy papers in the field of education policy. His work has emphasized the importance of changing the educational discourse and moving from one that is achievement-focused to one that encompasses all students, especially those from poorest and periphery populations, and addresses their needs. Since October 7, 2023, Sharaf has directed his efforts to supporting students, lecturers, and teachers who were penalized for expressing their political views against the war. He worked with university administrations to ensure freedom of expression and the rights of Arab students. 

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31298