Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Korčok Inaugurates the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem, Opening a New Chapter in Israel-Slovakia Relations.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic H.E. Ivan Korčok, together with the President of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, H.E. Boris Kollár and Minister of Labor, Social Affairs , H.E. Ambassador of Slovak Republic to the State of Israel Igor Mauks, Director of the Institute Mr. Urik Jakub and Family H.E. Milan Krajniak inaugurated the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening.
"The opening of the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem opens a new chapter in relations between Slovakia and Israel. This piece of Slovak land in Jerusalem will be a meeting place not only for artists and representatives of the cultural community but also for all friends of Slovakia and Israel, including thousands of Slovak pilgrims who visit the Holy Land every year," said Minister Korčok. There are currently nine such cultural institutes in the world, with Jerusalem being only the second one located outside the European Union.
"I see cultural diplomacy as one of the best tools for the presentation of Slovakia abroad, which opens the door to new opportunities for artistic cooperation, but also to support Slovakia's interests abroad. That is also why the support of culture and art is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Diplomacy," said Minister I. Korčok.
At the ceremony, Minister Korčok thanked the present mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, for their helpfulness in setting up the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem. The institute has been operating since September 1, 2021, but due to Covid 19 safety measures, the grand opening ceremony had been postponed. The director of the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem is an experienced cultural diplomat, Jakub Urik.
"We can be proud of this piece of Slovakia on the prestigious King David Street in Jerusalem. It is a modern multifunctional space, which currently has the largest exhibition of Slovak contemporary art abroad," said Jakub Urik, director of the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem. According to him, dozens of top Slovak artists who exhibit in the best galleries in the world will be able to exhibit in Israel for the first time through the Slovak Institute.
"Since September 1, 2021, since the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem began to function officially, we have already managed many projects. At the Institute, we currently have the largest exhibition of Slovak contemporary art abroad, EXPEDITION 10, curated by Vladimír Beskid. The most important Israeli cultural institutions are interested in cooperating with Slovak artists, and the city of Jerusalem, which is visited by 4.5 million tourists a year, placed a statue of the leading Slovak sculptor Bohus Kubinsky in one of its parks in the city center. The Slovak Republic will be the main guest of the jubilee 10th year anniversary of the largest photography festival in Israel, Israel Photo, the best private galleries in Tel Aviv are interested in presenting Slovak artists and the recent tour of Slovak jazz performers was sold out in all clubs in February”.
Slovak institutes belong to the network of diplomatic institutions of the Slovak Republic, which manages the diplomacy department. They are an integral part of the tools through which the Slovak Republic supports cultural cooperation and develops international relations.
At the opening ceremony, Israel Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid spoke on behalf of the government of Israel: “We appreciate and cherish this moment, and even more so - the years to come. We will continue to strengthen cooperation and ties between our countries.”
www.diplomacy.co.il and DebateforPeace congratulate the government, the Embassy and the Slovak Institute for inaugurating this important new chapter in relations between Slovakia and Israel.
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Steven Aiello
Founder--DebateforPeace
Photos credit Silvia G. Golan
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