Do you still remember the diplomatic gift design competition launched by the Consulate General of Israel in Shanghai two months ago? After careful deliberation, the long-awaited result finally came out and the award ceremony was held at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai on May 30, 2018. The same day, the Consulate General of Israel in Shanghai also inaugurated the Israeli Independence Day gala event. Mr. Xu Kunlin, vice mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Ms. Song Yan, vice chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, Ms. Xu Mei, vice director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the Shanghai Committee of CPPCC, and Mr. Fan Yufei, vice director general of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office also attended the gala event.

This year marks the 26th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Israel. It is also the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel. According to Dr. Eyal Propper, Consul General of Israel in Shanghai, the Consulate General initiated the design competition in the spirit of innovation and creativity, inviting the participation of all Chinese friends from Shanghai and the neighboring provinces and cities. 15 finalists stood out after a strict selection process by professional judges. Two students from Soochow University became the winners in the scarf and tie categories respectively and won free travel to Israel.

A harmonious balance of colors, the winning scarf design features the story of “Exodus” and aims to connect people with the distant past, while the winning tie design is blue in color and features an Israeli symbol: the hexagram.​