The Ambassador to Meet and Greet with Israeli Volunteers Nurturing Life-Skills among School children
The Embassy and Consulates of Israel in India have traditionally worked to strengthen Israel’s ties with all parts of Indian society. As a country with a large Muslim population itself, Israel reaches out to the Muslim communities across India to foster good will, understanding and friendship.
Today, Tuesday 27/9, Israel’s Ambassador to India, H.E. Mr. Daniel Carmon, will visit the MCGM Urdu Medium School in Santa Cruz (West) to greet 22 Israeli volunteers of “Fighters for Life”, a program operating in Mumbai for the third consecutive year nurturing life-skills such as, hygiene awareness, first-aid, painting, basic English, math lessons and Krav Maga as a means of self-empowerment among slum communities.
Every year more than 40,000 Israelis, mostly backpackers who have recently completed their mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), visit India. “Fighters for Life”, an Israeli NGO, recruits among these backpackers volunteers to do community work with slum communities in Mumbai in cooperation with the Consulate General of Israel and Triratna Prerana Mandal, a community organization working in the field of sanitation, education and slum development.
The principal of the local municipal school, Dr. Mumtaz Khoja, supported the idea instantly. She saw it as a good opportunity for her students who come from an under-privileged background. The children at the school became friends with the Israeli volunteers instantly, dissolving the barriers of language and nationality.
Israel’s Ambassador Daniel Carmon, who was the head of MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation) in his previous capacity, was impressed by the success stories of this volunteer project and said “This volunteers are a hands on example of People to People connections between India and Israel and are the spirit of modern diplomacy. This project is a very good example of the growing India-Israel Friendship on a community level”.
Ambassador Carmon, along with the Consul General of Israel, Mr. David Akov, will visit the school during his two-day visit to Mumbai.