RIWAQ is a leading non-governmental organization in the field of cultural heritage protection and development: its projects and activities are multidisciplinary focusing on bringing life back to historic buildings and centres in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Since its establishment in 1991, RIWAQ has restored more than 120 historic buildings into communal spaces in more than 80 different villages and towns in the West Bank and Gaza. Also, the 50-village project has enabled RIWAQ to broaden its scope of work towards rehabilitating entire historic centres through rehabilitation projects targeting improvement of services, infrastructure, and living conditions of communities and their surrounding spaces. Since 2005, RIWAQ has intervened in 20 villages and towns out of the 50. This work wouldn't have been possible without RIWAQ’s very specialized team; which is composed of 15-18 members: restorers, planners, architects, civil engineers, community and cultural activities specialist, and support staff, with diverse academic training and experience in conservation, architecture, design, architecture, finance, programme management etc.