13 June 1996
Website Announcement:

"BIRZEIT UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES WEBSITE:
http://www.birzeit.edu

from the Birzeit Webmaster

On 6 June 1996, Birzeit University, located in the Palestinian West Bank, connected it's webserver to the Internet. Within a few hours, our first hit was registered from a user at the University of Missouri.

Despite thousands of new website launches each day, the Birzeit website is significant for a number of reasons:

1. There is very limited amount of Internet information coming out of Palestine from Palestinian organisations, just as there is a limited amount of Internet information flowing from the South to the North. The Birzeit Website aims to be one part of the restoration of this imbalance.
2. Birzeit University is a leading Palestinian institution, known worldwide for its commitment to the principles of academic freedom and democracy. We intend that our website will reflect this.
3. As Palestinians here are discovering the power of the Web, some interesting projects are certainly going to turn up. Keep checking the Palestinian Archive section to see what appears!

The Birzeit University Website is split into 4 sections:

1. Brief information about Birzeit University - Introduction, Historical Background, International Relations, Courses and Programmes for Internationals, The Birzeit Campus and its Facilities, University Research Centres and other Community-related Programmes, Student Life, University Publications, Academic Requirements, Fees and Financial Aid, Academic Programme.
2. Birzeit and the World Wide Web - A brief history of information technology in Palestine, A brief history of Birzeit's Website development and where it is going, Software we use to make Birzeit's Website, Web training at Birzeit, Notes on using the Birzeit Website, People involved in the construction of Birzeit's Website.
3. Birzeit University Archives - Birzeit Newsletter Archive, Birzeit Human Rights Archive, Birzeit Press Release Archive*, Birzeit Photographic Archive, Birzeit Development Archive*, Friends of Birzeit University (UK). [*coming soon]
4. The Palestine Archive - Becoming Palestine, Palestinian Architecture (RIWAQ), Palestinian School Education (EdNet), A Personal Diary.

Funding is currently being sought for the Palestine Archive project. For more details, contact (pr@admin.birzeit.edu).

Volunteers wishing to work on their summer break HTMLing stuff for Birzeit are welcomed. CVs and any comments on the website to the Birzeit Webmaster (webmaster@birzeit.edu).

[ENDS]