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 Once again, last Wednesday evening the elegant Grand Ballroom of Tel Aviv's Hilton Hotel was the scene of another diplomatic success: the reception honoring the 23rd anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Formerly part of the USSR, Uzbekistan became independent on 31st August 1991.

 

The glittering guest list included members of the diplomatic corps, business and commercial leaders, VIPs of the Uzbek and Russian communities in Israel, Israeli political leaders and other "who's who" of the Israel social calendar.
The reception was graciously hosted by His Excellency the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Israel and Mrs. Oybek Eshonov. The traditional dishes of the country were the focus of the delicious and gargantuan meal, accompanied of course by fine wines and a range of alcoholic and other beverages. Guests mingled happily, renewing old friendships and creating new ones.

 

In welcoming the guests, the Ambassador thanked everyone for being there "[in] celebration of this remarkable day for our country .... Today we are rightfully proud of our achievements in all spheres of our society. The proofs of this progress are easily seen in the enormous changes ... large-scale transformation in our towns, villages and the country as a whole".

 

His Excellency added that "The State of Israel was among the first countries to recognize the independence of Uzbekistan and establish the diplomatic relations. Not many countries have a thousand-year long history of friendship, brotherhood and harmony with the Jewish people. This glorious history is a strong foundation of our friendly relations." He also spoke of the strong commercial ties between Israel and Uzbekistan, and mentioned that Israel remains one of that country's major trading partners. "We are interested in deepening political dialog and expanding trade, cultural and economic ties with the State of Israel". His Excellency ended his address by sending greetings to the people of Israel on the occasion of the upcoming New Year.

 

Representing Israel, and responding to the Ambassador, was MK Yair Lapid, Finance Minister and leader of the "Yesh Atid" political party. Mr. Lapid opened his remarks by congratulating the Republic of Uzbekistan and its people on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary. In his address he noted that: "For over two decades, the strong ties between our countries have been based on mutual respect, close cooperation and of course the large community of immigrants from Uzbekistan here in Israel, and the longstanding Jewish community living in Uzbekistan. Israel will never forget the role that the people of Uzbekistan played in providing shelter and salvation to Jews fleeing [the holocaust] during World War II. And from the past we look to the future". Mr. Lapid spoke of the close relationship between the two countries, and thanked the Ambassador personally for his role in advancing & strengthening the bilateral ties. He concluded: "Please convey to your President and your people our very best wishes on your Independence Day. May the future see prosperity for Uzbekistan and a strengthening of the friendship between our two countries".

 

The two men then drank a toast to the two countries and jointly cut a beautifully decorated cake bearing the flag of Uzbekistan. This was followed by a haunting soprano by Ms. Yulia Masti Moroz, who gave a rendition of the Uzbek national anthem, followed by the national anthem of Israel. A truly elegant occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 The walls of the ballroom and the foyer leading to the reception were decorated with Uzbek cultural icons and motifs. The spirit was positively Uzbekistan, even though the celebration took place on a pleasant evening on the shores of the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv.

 

Best wishes for many more years of mutual cooperation and success for the two countries, Uzbekistan and Israel.

 

 

 

  Photos : Silvia G. Golan

 

 

 

 

 

On September 9th the Diplomatic Core, business people and the Slovakian community, were invited to a garden party at the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the State of Israel H.E. Mr Radovan Javorcik and wife Michelle.

 

The occasion is the Constitution Day, and Day of the Armed forces of the Slovak Republic. Despite the heat and humidity, the atmosphere was warm and pleasant.
This yearly event also commemorates the Day of the Victims of Holocaust and of racial violence in Slovakia.

 


Slovakia remembered the victims of the Holocaust in national commemoration events on 9 September.
Since 2001, Slovakia has commemorated the victims of the Holocaust and of racial violence on 9 September as the "Memorial Day for Victims of the Holocaust and of Racial Violence."


The Slovak Parliament chose 9 September because, on this day in 1941, the Slovak Government at the time introduced 290 repressive laws (the "Jewish Codex") by which the process of Jewish deportations was initiated and which resulted in the killing of over 70,000 Slovak Jews.

 


This year, Prime Minister Robert Fico and Education Minister Dušan Čaplovič attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial in Bratislava along with representatives of the Jewish community in Slovakia. During his speech Fico highlighted the importance of Holocaust remembrance, adding that it also provides an opportunity for appeals for peaceful co-existence between nations, ethnic communities and religious groups today.

 


Additional commemoration events included the reading of the names of persecuted and murdered victims of the Holocaust in the historical building of the Slovak National Theatre, as well as the revealing of a "virtual memorial" containing the names of victims by the Museum of Jewish Culture.

 

 Photo  Silvia Golan

 

 

 

 The Pool Bar at Tel Aviv's Hilton Hotel was the perfect sunset location last Tuesday for a party to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Israel and Thailand. As the sun sank into the Mediterranean Sea, members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Israeli business community, VIPs, high society and journalists mingled, chatted, laughed and enjoyed the delicious food and drinks.

 

In the background a Thai sextet played authentic Thai music, while guests were startled to see artists weaving Thai silk, others crafting gorgeous artistic creations out of fruits and vegetables, and yet others hand-painting tiny Thai umbrellas – given to guests as a souvenir of the evening.

 

 Hosting the party was H.E. Mr. Jukr Boon-Long, ambassador to Israel of the Kingdom of Thailand. The ambassador, in a short and gracious address to welcome the guests noted that in honor of this 60th diplomatic anniversary, Thailand Post and Israel Post have jointly issued stamps in their respective countries – an unusual and very creative way of symbolizing the close ties between the two states.

 

He added that Israel and Thailand share cultural, medical, agricultural, scientific, investment and trade ties. "Culture transcends any boundary. Culture could travel beyond territorial; political, religious, and ideological borders. Culture creates understanding amongst people of different races. For this reason, the Embassy is very conscious of how better understanding of each other's cultures and background can lead to a reservoir of goodwill and cooperation among nations."

 

Among the ambassadors and other distinguished guests was the doyen of the Israeli diplomatic corps, H. E. Henri Etoundi Essomba , ambassador of Cameroon; H. E..Lars Faaborg-Andersen; the ambassador to Israel of the European Union; H. E. Sisa Ngombane , ambassador of South Africa; Adv. Joseph Gillor, honorary consul for Thailand in Haifa and President of the Israel-Thailand Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Sawalee Eldar, CEO of Oriental Food Importers Ltd., and of course Ms. Rinat Gilboa who designed the exquisite Israeli stamp. She told your DIPLOMACY correspondent that this is not the first time she has designed stamps for the Israel Postal Authority, and that "it takes endless hours to get it just right".

 

Also honoring the guests with their presence were Hezi Zaieg, Chairman of Israel Postal Company, and Haim Elmoznino, CEO & President of the Company. They participated in the unveiling of the actual stamp, and paid tribute to the close relationship between the two countries, and thanked the stamp's designer again for her brilliant work.

 

 

 Israel's Minister of Communication, Gilad Erdan, represented the government of Israel and replied on behalf of the people of Israel. He noted that it is not coincidental that the theme of the stamp is the Thai mangosteen fruit and the Israeli pomegranate. "These fruits are symbolic of the fruitful and long-standing excellent relations that have existed between the two countries since Israel was only 6 years old", said Mr. Erdan, who then revealed that when he was a young man just released from the army, he chose to spend a long period of time touring Thailand as a backpacker, and added that today Thailand is the 2nd most popular tourist destination for Israelis. Guests at the event were invited to taste the mangosteen fruits, especially imported for the occasion.

 

Also especially "imported" was the cultural troupe who performed authentic Thai dancing and musical excerpts, from the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute of Thailand. They showcased some of Thailand's exquisite culture. They are currently on tour to Beer Sheva, Nazareth, and Haifa with the kind sponsorship of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture.

 

A gift of a day-of-issue cancellation envelope of the two stamps (Thai and Israel) was presented to each guest, together with colorful literature on tourist attractions in Thailand.

 

This will be a hard act to follow.

 

 

 

 Photos Silvia Golan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Statehood Day" is a holiday that occurs on every 25 June in Slovenia. It commemorates the country's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Although the formal declaration of independence did not come until 26 June 1991, Statehood Day is considered to be June 25 since that was the date on which the initial acts regarding independence were passed and when Slovenia became independent.


A few days ago, we joined the Slovenian Ambassadoress, Her Excellency Alenka Suhadolnik, at her residence in Herzeliya Pituach here in Israel to commemorate the twenty third Statehood Day of Slovenia. In addition to the great company, the delicious food, the guests were entertained by a three musicians Slovenian's very own Gašper Bertoncelj on drums,
Alex Katz on piano, and Max Vater on bass.

 

Among the invited guests were Sovenia's Honorary Counsel to Israel, Mr. Eival Giladi and Professor Schectman who was a candidate for Presidency in Israel. Other esteemed guests included Mr. Raphael Gamzou, Deputy Director General, Head of Division of Cultural and Scientific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yehudah Gidron of Europe 1 Department at the Ministry of foreign Affairs, Dr. Erez S. Garty, Editor in Chief, Davidson On-line from the Davidson Institute of Sceence Education, Weizman Institute of Science, foreign Ambassadors and business people as well as other dignitaries.


In her speech, Her Excellency described the good and fruitful ongoing economic, political and other relationship between her country and Israel. "The economic ties are getting stronger;Services, especially transportation and tourism, are showing great results;"

She also noted the great number of Israeli tourists that frequent her country, "the number of Israeli tourists to Slovenia is going up by 30 % per year in the last 2 consecutive years.And the absolute numbers of Israelis traveling to Slovenia are very close to the numbers of Israeli tourists to India.


And while both of our countries, India and Slovenia, are great, mine is a bit on the extra small side, so the numbers are even more impressive. "

The Slovenian Embassy initiated, organized and co-organized fifty two events in the past year.


The Ambassadoress mentioned two of them:

"The First Slovene – Israeli Day of Science and Innovation, with great outreach, was held at the beginning of the year in Ljubljana and I am truly pleased that the event's key note speaker, prof Dan Shechtman, is also celebrating with us today.

 

The second is X – Territorial: A semester long project by the students of the Department of Architecture of the WIZO Haifa Academy of Design and Education and the Faculty of Architecture of Ljubljana University which resulted in conceptual projects for future Emabassies - Slovenian Embassy in Israel : Israel Embassy in Slovenia. The exhibition was opened also at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem and is supposed to travel to Ljubljana."

 

 

 

 

 Photos Silvia Golan

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The 116th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of the Philippines was celebrated on June 12 in the Tel Aviv Carlton Hotel. The invitees included many Distinguished Ambassadors, Consuls and other Diplomatic personalities, military and medical people who participated in the rescue operations following the nature disaster that happened in the Philippine.

 

The Philippine national government declared June 12, 2014 as one of the Regular National Holiday in the entire Philippines in celebration of the country’s Independence Day celebration.

The June 12, 2014 Independence Day Celebration is considered as the 116th anniversary celebration of the Philippine declaration of Independence from the Spanish colonial regime that governed the country for more than 377 years of occupation.

 

The Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippine, His Excellency Generoso D. G. Calonege, welcomed the participants and said:

 

Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs Meir Cohen, Excellencies and other members of the diplomatic corps, friends and fellow Filipinos, good evening and welcome.

 

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, I wish to thank you for joining us this evening as we commemorate the 116tb Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.

 

As I recall events of the last year, I cannot help but note some difficulties that the Philippines encountered. Many of you have beard about the tragic and devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan in the Central Visayas region. The storm and its aftermath affected thousands of families, but the outpouring of support and assistance from the international community has been overwhelming as well.

 

We would like to take this opportunity to once again express the Philippines' deep appreciation to the Government of the State of Israel for sending a humanitarian delegation from the IDF Home Front Command. The state-of-the-art field hospital they established served almost three thousand local residents of Bogo, Cebu during the crucial first few days after the typhoon .

 

I would also like to thank other organizations that took the initiative to send their own teams to the Philippines, such as ZAKA, IsraAID, the Israel Relief Coalition, and the American Jewish Committee, as well private Israeli citizens who sent donations to the affected areas. Your actions are a testament to the deep friendship between our countries and our peoples.

 

As I speak, rehabilitation  and reconstruction  efforts are still ongoing,  but we Filipinos are a resilient and enduring people.

Despite the setbacks suffered in 2013 the Philippine economy has maintained its growth, with an even more positive outlook for the future. During the same year the Philippines achieved investment grade status from all three major global credit-rating agencies: Standard & Poor's, Fitch Ratings, and Moody's.

 

These were achieved through fiscal discipline, a stable political climate, and good governance through the leadership of President Benigno S.Aquino III.

 

Furthermore, the World Bank's 2014 Global Economic Prospects Report forecasts growth of 6.5% this year, 7.1% in 2015, and 6.5% in 2016, while the World Economic Forum raised the Philippines' rank to 59 out of 148 countries in its Global Competitiveness Index.

 

Inflation is also at a four-year low, and with the planned increase in infrastructure

building , prospects for the Philippine economy are very positive indeed. and  as  our  economy  grows,  scvtfo;s  our  number  of  visitors.  In 2013 the Philippines hosted a total of 4.7 million tourists, up by  10% from 2012. Israeli visitors alone posted a 30% increase last year, maintaining the steady double digit increase since 2010.

 

The Philippines' geographic location historically made it the crossroads between the East and the West, and a melting pot of diverse cultures and beliefs.

 

Some may say that our country is an archipelago divided by the waters of the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. We say, however, that the Philippines' seven thousand one hundred and seven different islands are bound together by these bodies of water which, since time immemorial, have served as our source of livelihood, means of transportation, trade and cultural exchanges.

 

Many of you are familiar with  the Filipino culture of warmth, hospitality and openness borne out of this history. For those who are not familiar, I have good news for you.

 

The signing of the Philippines -Israel Air Service Agreement last month will pave the way for direct flights between the Philippines and Israel, bringing the Philippines closer and more accessible to you. Soon enough, those who may wish to escape the heat of an Israeli summer will find it easier to seek refuge in the cool rains and forests of the Philippines . Filipinos who yearn to visit the birthplace of Christianity will also find it easier to travel to Israel.

 

Philippine - Israel relations have always been warm. Our common commitment to the values of freedom and democracy has been a springboard for collaborative efforts in various fields for decades.

 

I am pleased to inform you that agricultural cooperation is going well and strong as demonstrated by the second phase of the Philippines - Israel Center for Agricultural Training, also known as PICAT, and by the Granot Agrostudies Program, both under the Ministry of Foreign Affair's MASHAV.

Originally began with one pilot project in Nueva Ecija in 2006, PICAT provided a venue for Israeli experts to provide on-site training and capacity building for the cultivation of high-value crops to Filipino farmers. The program is now on its eighth year and has expanded to seven other provinces in Central Luzon, namely Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Zambales.

 

Granot Agrostudies provides agricultural training  for Filipino students in Israel. To date, more than one thousand Filipino students have trained under this program and returned to the Philippines where they can put the agricultural techniques they have learned into action.

 

Defense and logistics cooperation between Israel and the Philippines is also well underway, highlighted by the visit of our Secretary of National Defense Voltaire T. Gazmin earlier this year and the recent re-opening of the Office of the Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attache. We welcome this new dimension in Philippines - Israel relations and look forward to working with the Israeli government in this field.

 

The Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to peace and security in the Middle East. Since 2009, it has maintained peacekeepers at the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force stationed in the Golan. Together with other troop contributing countries, the mission plays a pivotal role in ensuring stability in the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria.

 

The most visible indication of the good relations between our countries, however, is in the relationship between our peoples. Filipinos have become part of everyday life in Israel as they care for the most vulnerable members of society: the elderly and the  differently-abled. Their hard work allow Israelis to carry on with their daily lives, confident that their loved ones are in good hands.

 

The Philippines appreciates this important role that has been entrusted to Filipino workers, as well as the policies enacted by the Israeli government to ensure that their rights and welfare are protected.

 

The year 2014 marks the 116th year since our forefathers sowed the seeds of the Republic of the Philippines. It also marks the 57th year since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Israel. As we celebrate both auspicious events this evening, we also invite you to join us as we continue our journey as a country, and as partners in the international community.

 

Thank you very much, toda raba, maraming salamat.

After the Ambassador's speech, addressed the participants the Minister of Welfare and Social Services, Mr. Meir Cohen, and said the following:

I am greatly pleased and honored to represent the Government and the People of Israel in congratulating the government and people of the Philippines as they celebrate the 116th anniversary of their independence.

 

Israel and the Philippines have always enjoyed friendly relations with one another. One can trace the origins of these warm relations all the way back to World War II when the President of the Philippines made a concerted effort to welcome the Jews of Europe into his country during and immediately after the horrors of the Holocaust. Moreover, in 1947, the Philippines was the only country in all of Asia which supported the UN partition plan to give the Jews a state of their own. And even today, the Philippines takes an active role in supporting the wellbeing of Israel’s citizens: it is an active member of UNDOF, the peace keeping  force in the Golan Heights, which is essential to our security.

 

Yet the people of the Philippines do not only care for Israelis through government action. Today there are tens of thousands of Pilipino caregivers working in Israel. Thanks to these caregivers, citizens of the Philippines have earned a reputation in Israel for their dedication, patience, and compassion.   

 

For our part, Israel is glad to be able to reciprocate this dedication and sense of service to the Philippines through MASHAV. Since the establishment of this government agency, thousands of Pilipino students have studied in MASHAV courses. The “PICAT Project” has been particularly successful and we are pleased that it has spread to eight Pilipino provinces since its initial implementation.

 

Moreover, after the destruction caused by  Typhoon Yolanda last year, Israel sent a humanitarian delegation from the IDF Homefront Command and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist the Philippines. Beyond the medical care which Israelis administered to over three thousand Pilipino typhoon victims in a field hoapital built by the Israelis, we also rebuilt two schools and drilled many new water wells. Israelis also offered on the spot courses in numerous subjects to help Pilipino citizens be better prepared for natural disasters.

 

We are also satisfied with the continuation of the “Agrostudies Project” in the Philippines, which enables hundreds of students to come to Israel and receive training in advanced agriculture. Next August, a new generation of 550 students will arrive in Israel for training and we wish them best of luck in their studies here.

 

In terms of economics, many Israeli companies are beginning to turn their attention to the Philippines. They see the vast untapped potential and as we speak, are investing in a variety of sectors in the Pilipino economy, particularly the defense industry which can be helpful to its national security.

 

In the international arena, Israel is also pleased with the Philippines’ actions over the past month. We appreciate that the Philippines took Israel’s position in UNESCO and WHO votes. We hope to see this pattern continue.

 

On June 22, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Mr. Albert Del Rosario, is scheduled to visit Israel. Our own Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avignor Lieberman, is looking forward to this visit and hopes to have a robust dialog with his Pilipino counterpart on variety of topics. More generally, the government of Israel views these high level visits as a powerful demonstration of the strong ties which bind our two nations together.  

 

To conclude, Mr. Ambassador, please convey our congratulations to your Government and to the Pilipino People on the anniversary of your independence. May the Philippines enjoy growing prosperity and success, and may the ties of friendship between our two countries continue to flourish.

 

The national anthems of both countries were sung by a popular Philippine singer - Kathlyn Elegado. Also performed Rose Osang Fostanes - a Philippine singer who works in Israel and won the first place in the Israeli X-Factor contest.

 

I want to add:  I have attended many events commemorating Independence Day of various countries, and heard many speeches. In this particularly event, I  felt deeply the strong friendship between the people of both countries – Philippines and Israel – which was evident in the speeches and atmosphere ( Sima Lahat).

 

Photos Silvia Golan