Yesterday President Shimon Peres marked his 90th birthday. With a star-studded audience, including the likes of former President Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Barbara Streisand and many more, the event was broadcast live on Facebook.
Tony Blair opened the ceremony with a rousing speech honouring President Peres, saying “we in Britain have our Queen, and you have your Shimon”. The former Prime Minister continued, “How he does it I will never know, that he does it better than anyone else, I certainly do know”. Other speakers included President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a performance from Barbara Streisand.
World leaders who were not at the ceremony sent messages via video recordings, including President Barack Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel, King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
President Peres took to the stage and, in English, thanked all the dignitaries for coming. He then returned to Hebrew to welcome the Israeli politicians, the IDF chief of Staff Benny Gantz, bereaved family members, and the family of the late Prime Minister Rabin.
In his closing remarks the President said, “The State of Israel is the living proof that the potential hidden within the human being is richer than the resources buried in the soil,” but added, “Our work is not yet complete. We came to the Promised Land and now we must make it a land of promise, into an exemplary country. Israel is small in territory but can be great in justice. We must make it into a country where no-one goes hungry. A country in which every child has access to quality education. From the day they are born and throughout their entire life. A nation in which the majority governs but the minority always enjoys full and equal rights. A country which welcomes different opinions but rejects all forms of discrimination whether based on religion, nationality, ethnicity or gender. A society which respects the weak and is kind to the foreigner, which cares for the orphan and the widow, the old and the sick. A country of solidarity and tolerance. But a country with zero-tolerance for violence, corruption and bullying.”
The celebration also marked the start of the 5th Presidents’ Conference, Facing Tomorrow 2013, which will continue until Thursday, with a live stream available
here. The conference opened Wednesday morning with a presentation, by President Peres to President Clinton, of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Israel’s highest honour. Peres said that Clinton’s “unwavering commitment to the Jewish People” and his “moving support for Israel will always be cherished by each and every one of us.” Responding to his award, Clinton stated: “There are no perfect solutions to the Israel-Palestine conflict.” However he continued that the “key is to expand the definition of ‘us’ and shrink the definition of ‘them.’”
President Clinton receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Peres
Photo Credit: Chen Galili, Yossi Zlieger, Daniel Bar On