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120 years ago, Austro-Hungarian journalist and writer Theodor Herzl convened a meeting that changed Jewish – and world – history.
The First Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland on August 29-31, 1897 and launched the organized popular movement to establish a Jewish state in the Holy Land, a campaign that was crowned with success a mere 50 years later with the establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948.
Approximately 200 people from seventeen countries attended the Congress including seventeen women. Ten Christians were also invited as guests, among them Baron Maxim von Mantueffel of St. Michele, France and Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross and the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Herzl was elected as President of the Zionist Organization and Max Nordau first of three Vice-Presidents.
Herzl soon realised that he was facing a quite difficult task “The First Zionist Congress has 200 delegates and 400 opinions.” Nevertheless, he did not lose confidence that his plan would be adopted. As a first step towards its fulfilment the Congress formulated a Zionist platform, known as the Basel programme, and founded the Zionist Organization. It also adopted the HaTikvah as its anthem (later to become the national anthem of the State of Israel).
Through the twitter campaign @Tweeting1897 the Israeli MFA brought the First Zionist Congress back to life. With buzzfeed posts on hipster beards, little kittens and Herzl’s family “selfies” the campaign helps to rediscover a pivotal moment in modern history – the ultimate start-up moment of the start-up nation and its ongoing relevance to Jewish life and global affairs today. In an extraordinary development no less ground-breaking than the First Zionist Congress itself, Herzl himself tweets the story of the Congress.
Check out Herzl’s vision for the Jewish state and his thoughts on the Congress @HerzlTweets , updates on the Congress' deliberations @1897Congress and explore the amazing parallels between Herzl's vision and the modern reality of the Jewish state @ThenAndNow1897 .
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