President Reuven Rivlin spoke this evening (Wednesday 16 January 2019), at the Global Impact Awards of the Society for International Development, Israel Branch (SID Israel). The awards, chosen by a public committee established by the organization, honor individuals and projects from Israel and around the world who make a positive impact in the developing world and clearly demonstrate the wide range of bodies, people and companies that work together to create a global impact. CEO of SID Israel Alon Bar and Dr Georgette Bennett also spoke at the event.

 

In his remarks, the president said, “Who would have believed 70 years ago when we saw the miracle called the State of Israel coming to life, that one day our country – small, young and surrounded by enemies – would be strong and sufficiently developed to share knowledge, human capital and technological developments with other countries around the world? The State of Israel is an exceptionally impressive success story today, a developing country that became a global power. Much of Israel’s industry grew out of our experience as a developing country. We became experts in finding solutions simply because we depended on being able to do so.”

 

The president also said, “the winners here tonight, the organizations, the men and the women who will come up onto the stage, represent the best of our academic research, the best of Israeli innovation that has produced companies, innovations and technology of a quality and a quantity that is unparalleled in the world. They also represent civil society, where the depth of specialization and the level of passion have made it groundbreaking, and the cooperation between Israel and Jewish communities around the world which brings a breath of fresh air, and acts as our force multiplier to do good in the world.”

 

At the end of his remarks, the president spoke to the winners and said, “the award you are receiving tonight is our acknowledgement, the State of Israel’s, of your important work and a clear call to all relevant bodies to join the work. Thank you, and thank you to SID Israel for its valuable work and for this moving and important evening. Bless you!”

 

Alon Bar, CEO of SID Israel: “In a time when the divisions between parts of the Jewish world are growing, the field of international development is one of the only areas where we are in agreement. We believe that the president is the only person who can lead a process of creating a shared agenda between Israel and the diaspora at this point in time. The last year was significant in the field of international development mainly because the president put the issue on the agenda, set strategic targets for us and mostly reminded us that alongside discussion of economic and diplomatic value of this kind of activity, we should also remember the ethical and moral dimension, and, if you will allow me, the Jewish dimension of this kind of work.”

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