(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis, today (Wednesday, 6 November 2019), at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, hosted the Israeli team https://first.global/2019-nations/israel-2019/ – pupils from the Megiddo Regional High School – that participated in the First Global Challenge robotics olympiad https://first.global/ in Dubai. The Prime Minister congratulated team members on their achievements in the competition. The team members showed the Prime Minister their medal-winning robot.
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
“This is truly a great honor for the State of Israel. You were in Dubai, which is not coincidental. This represents what is above the water. There are, of course, currents under the water that occur, and which occur – inter alia – because of this. You went there with robotics and technology but the reason why the State of Israel has forged ties with many countries in the first place is because we have technologies and capabilities against a common enemy in both the security and civilian spheres. What you have done here is another step in this process, and it is not bad at all.”
The Prime Minister added:
“I wish that you continue to rise higher and higher and fly the Israel flag with pride. May you succeed and continue.”
Science and Technology Minister Akunis:
“The FIRST robotics team from the Megiddo Regional High School brought us huge honor in Dubai and is a genuine reason for national pride! The next generation of high-tech nation, the young researchers and the scientists will rise on the successes of the present generation. This ensures our existence here – no less. Dozens of robotics teams from around the country have already been financed by the Science Ministry, thanks to a government decision that I initiated close to the start of my tenure as minister. I am proud of the team, proud of the decision that I initiated and proud of our country, which is achieving great things in the fields of science, innovation and technology.”
The FIRST robotics team, which operates under the aegis of the Technion, won a silver medal at the competition in Dubai, in which 191 teams, representing 191 countries, participated. The Israeli team reached the finals and won silver after finishing the preliminary stages with the highest points ranking. It also won a special prize for its extraordinary assistance to other groups.