On Wednesday evening, Ambassador Nikolaus Lutterotti and Mrs. Betina Lutterotti hosted Austria’s National Day celebration at the Ambassador’s residence in Herzliya Pituach. Guests enjoyed live music and refreshments, including imported drinks and cuisine, as they celebrated Austrian sovereignty, and the growth of Austrian-Israel bilateral ties.
After hearing the anthems of Austria, Israel and the European Union, Ambassador Lutterotti opened the speeches. The ambassador talked about the thriving ties between the countries, with a bedrock based on Austria’s staunch commitment to fighting anti-semitism and Holocaust denial. The ambassador noted the December 2020 amended Citizenship law that allows descendants of Austrian refugees to receive Austrian citizenship, with 7,700 applicants from Israel in the last two years.
As evidence of the strong relationship between Austria and Israel, the ambassador mentioned the numerous high level visits to further cooperation, welcoming in that vein a delegation of Austrian parliamentarians, members of the Transatlantic group of friends, present at the celebration. This year Mrs. Goldi Muller Director Marketing-& Sales Office Israel from the Austrian Tourist Board also held an important conference in Tel Aviv in March promoting tourism to Austria and business ties. Ambassador Lutterotti also acknowledged the Austrian Jewish community in Israel and in Austria as key to advancing the ties between the two nations.
Minister of Education, Mrs. Yifat Shasha-Biton, spoke on behalf of the state of Israel. Minister Biton began by thanking the Ambassador for Austria’s staunch support for Israel, including raising the Israeli flag above the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Vienna during Operation Guardian of the Walls, as well as international fora including the EU and UN.
The minister noted the close ties between the two nations, predating both modern states, with Theodor Herzl living in Vienna for years, the first hospice for Christian pilgrims in the Old City of Jerusalem founded in 1854 by the Archbishop of Vienna, and Kaiser Franz Josef
and his wife Elizabeth’s visit in 1869.
In recalling the dark moments of the Holocaust, Minister Shasha Biton expressed appreciation for efforts undertaken by the government of Austria to combat anti-semitism and warn of the dangers, including recently erecting a Holocaust memorial in the center of Vienna, adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism in the European Union, and educating about the Holocaust and anti-semitism in Austrian schools.
Looking ahead, the minister noted the strong and thriving ties between the two countries, including a recent visit by the chairperson of Yad Vashem to Austria to sign bilateral agreements. Minister Shasha Biton then raised a toast to the success of Austria.
The distinguished guests in attendance included the Israeli Minister of Education, Mrs. Yifat Shasha-Biton; Mr. Gil Haskel, Chief of State Protocol at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affair; Israeli actress Einat Weizman; honorary consul of Spain, Mr. Wadie Abu Nassar; Father Rafic Nahra, Nazareth representative of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem; Dr. Noah Wolfson, President of Meteo-tech; Esther Mor, World WIZO president; former Israeli ambassador to Austria, Aviv Shiron, Geraldine Beideck, Senior Sales Manager, Interalpen Hotel Tyrol, and Rebecca Speidel, Tourism and Sales Manager at D. Swarovski Tourism Services; Dr. Laurence Weinbaum, Director General of WJC Israel and of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, and Mrs. Rebecca Kirchbaumer from the Austrian Jewish community, as well as ambassadors and members of the diplomatic community in Israel, and leaders of the Austrian Jewish community in Israel and in Austria.
Diplomacy.co.il offers congratulations to the Austrian Government, Embassy and people on its National Day, and best wishes for success and strong bilateral relations between the nations
Steven Aiello Founder--DebateforPeace
https://debateforpeace.
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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