The Yasser Arafat Foundation launched the Yasser Arafat Award for Research and Studies in March 2025, targeting young Palestinian students in universities both locally and abroad. The award aims to empower Palestinian youth, promote scientific research in national fields, support student researchers, and raise awareness of  Palestinian national memory through accurate knowledge.

  Details:
 

Target Audience: 
Palestinian university students, both in the homeland and abroad.  

Research and Study Topics:
1. Yasser Arafat and Palestinian national unity.  
2. Yasser Arafat and Palestinian women.  
3. Yasser Arafat’s international outlook and diplomatic relations.  
4. The role of the Palestinian student movement in respecting political pluralism.  
5. The impact of the Palestinian ballot box on free democratic choice.  
6. The international stance on genocide and the future of the Palestinian cause.  

Objectives:
1. Encourage research and academic work among Palestinian university students at home and abroad.  
2. Promote the use of proper scientific methods in research, investigation, data collection, and analysis to reach the truth.  
3. Contribute to raising awareness among Palestinian youth regarding national memory through accurate knowledge and information.  

Research Preparation Requirements:
1. The research must be conducted by a student researcher who is no older than 30 years.  
2. The research should provide new knowledge, be original, and maintain objectivity.  
3. The research must not be part of a published book or submitted for publication elsewhere.  
4. The cover page should include:  
   - The title in both Arabic and English.  
   - The researcher’s name and address (or names and addresses for multiple researchers).  
   - Email addresses for each researcher.  
   - The university affiliation.  
   - The title should be in font size 20, while other details should be in font size 16.  
   - Font type should follow the specifications mentioned in point (7) below.  
5. The research should include two abstracts, one in Arabic and one in English, each containing 150-200 words, along with up to five keywords.  
6. Proper academic citation must follow the latest APA style guidelines.  
7. The research should not exceed 25 pages or 6,000 words, formatted in Word with:  
   - Font: Simplified Arabic (size 14 for text, bold 14 for titles)
   - Line spacing: 1.5
   - Margins: 2.5 cm on the sides, 2 cm at the top, and 2.5 cm at the bottom
   - If written in English, the font should be Times New Roman (size 12 for text and bold 12 for titles).
8. The student researcher(s) may choose a faculty advisor, whose name must be mentioned on the cover page.  
9. The research must be completed within the period from the announcement date (the last week of March 2025) until *June 10, 2025*.  

Research Submission Requirements:
1. Attach a CV of the researcher(s) containing all necessary details in proper format.  
2. Attach a signed declaration stating that the research has not been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere.  
3. Submit the research via email to yafresearch@yaf.ps  between June 11, 2025, and the final submission deadline on  June 20, 2025.  
4. The researcher(s) will be notified via email if their submission is accepted or rejected by the review committee.  
5. If a research paper is accepted but requires modifications, the researcher(s) will be informed and given two weeks to make the necessary revisions.  
6. The review committee reserves the right to reject a submission without providing specific reasons, and the researcher(s) will be informed accordingly.  
7. If the research is accepted with conditions, the researcher(s) must complete the required revisions within the specified period and resubmit it.  
8. If the research is extracted from a master’s or doctoral thesis, this must be clearly stated on the title page.  
9. The researcher(s) must adhere to the APA citation style both in-text and in the reference list.  

Awards:
Accepted research papers will be published in a special volume, ensuring compliance with all preparation and submission criteria. Each researcher will receive a copy.  

Three awards will be given to the top three research papers based on scientific and academic quality, as determined by the review committee:  

- First Prize: $2,500
- Second Prize: $1,500
- Third Prize: $1,000

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony, with details regarding the time and venue announced to all participants. The event will include the presence of the judging panel, representatives from participating institutions, specialists, and researchers.