The fifth Israeli Presidential Conference under the auspices of President Shimon Peres – took place in Jerusalem on 18-20 June, 2013. As in previous years, the Conference looked to the future and engaged the central issues that will influence the face of our future: geopolitics, economics, society, environment, culture, identity, education, new media, and more.

In the 2013 Conference, special emphasis was given to the human factor and its role in shaping our tomorrow. Questions that were addressed included:

•   Can the quality of leadership make a difference– in all realms of human activity?

•   What is the desired dynamic in relationships between people and leaders in the face of powerful processes of change?

•   To what degree can human beings really be involved in influencing their futures?

•   What threats may lie in an individual’s tomorrow, in terms of identity, family, health, ability to find happiness, and meaning in life?

The fifth Israeli Presidential Conference engaged these issues, not only by identifying the challenges, but also by suggesting solutions that may lead to a better tomorrow for Israel, the Jewish people and for all of humanity.

As part of the Conference the 90th birthday of the man who inspires us in shaping tomorrow – President Shimon Peres, was celebrated. 16 photos

As in prior conferences, the 2013 Israeli Presidential Conference assembled world leaders, international scholars, activists, poets and scientists, artists and clergy, entrepreneurs, economists and industrialists, as well as representatives of the next generation of leaders — promising young individuals who radiate innovation and creativity. The Conference included plenary sessions, a range of panels, roundtables and master classes that explored a wide spectrum of topics that were brought to life by the best minds in each field.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem contributed in bringing this Conference to fruition, providing its research and intellectual resources toward the development of content and the issues the Conference addressed.

President Peres remains deeply committed to the success of “Facing Tomorrow 2013” and he believes that the insights and ideas that come out of the discussions will help us all create a better future.