The Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI) is a US registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to support the critical work of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel through public awareness, student recruitment, alumni relations, and fundraising campaigns.The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is a specialized environmental and academic institution in the Middle East. Based in southern Israel, in the Arava Desert Valley, the Arava Institute is dedicated to training the next generation of environmental leaders—Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, and students from around the world. Today more than 1,000 alumni are advancing a fundamental common cause: a sustainable future for the region's human and natural resources.