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Written by Silvia G. Golan & Stella Szpira

Published: 25 August 2023

On Thursday, August 24, the Embassy of Uruguay commemorated in Israel the 198th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with a reception that took place at the Sourasky Central Library of Tel Aviv University. The Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Mr. Manuel Etchevarren, and his wife Mrs. Ana Solivellas, Mrs. Ifigenia Xifre Consul, Mr. Abraham Aman Honorary Consul, and Mr. Julio Lieberman Honorary Consul, received the guests and compatriots.

The evening opened with the hymns of Israel and Uruguay.

Ambassador Etchevarren began his speech by welcoming the Minister of Intelligence Mrs. Gila Gamliel, the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other institutions, diplomats accredited in Israel, the Members of the Foundation for the Promotion of Uruguayan Culture in Israel – who organized the exhibition that accompanied this celebration of the 198th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, to compatriots and other guests. He expressed : “I consider myself very lucky to be here again, since I began my career as consul at the Embassy in Israel a little over three decades ago, and I had the honor and pleasure of being at the first of the national holidays celebrated in this University, which today opens its doors for us again...” He highlighted the opportunity to be participating in key moments, such as the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the State of Israel, and the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between Israel and Uruguay, which are much older than those three-quarters of a century, because Uruguay was an important factor in the entire movement that led to the creation of this State, such as the decisive vote in the United Nations, which led to the birth of the modern State of Israel, as you all know. The Head of the Uruguayan Delegation at that time, Enrique Rodríguez Fabregat, has some streets that honor him in Israel (Ramat Gan, Holón) and was described as "a natural friend of our cause"  by Menahem Begin. I was also fortunate to participate in various commemorations such as the inauguration at the end of May of a mural in Zichron Yaakov - the culmination of a process initiated by my predecessor Bernardo Graiver and the aforementioned friends and team - that commemorates the friendship between both countries and called La Radio, because the aforementioned vote was followed by many listeners, especially here in the territory of what was to be the State of Israel, precisely through that means, the radio.» …». By the way, recently, the President of Israel, Mr. Itzhak Herzog, a friend from Uruguay, visited and was able to appreciate the work, as well as I hope the Uruguayan wines from the Garzón winery.”

The ambassador highlighted the recent and very successful visit to Uruguay by Minister Eli Cohen, accompanied by an important delegation, which included Ambassador Jonathan Peled, confirming the excellent state of bilateral relations. And to finish, he mentioned the value of the exhibition, which reflects the experience and experiences of those who made “Aliyah” from Uruguay, expressed from very different perspectives and artistic languages, in an exhibition that invites reflection, highly connected with feelings.

He stated how much there is in common, between the 198 years of the Independence of Uruguay declared on August 25, 1825 and the Independence of the modern State of Israel, expressed that" May 14, 1948, where between very different contexts we can extract a common experience: the awareness that this commitment that gave rise to each of the states can only be fully realized if it is constantly renewed, if beyond all gaps or differences we are capable as a society of feeling integrated into a superior body that contains and identifies, and in which we invest our creative energies and our renewing criticisms.” He expressed his appreciation to the University of Tel Aviv, to those previously mentioned, all that network of collaborators that is sometimes more visible and other times less visible, more or less formal or informal, Embassy staff, honorary consuls in Haifa and Ashdod, Garzón wine importer (AIBBLS) cooperators always very necessary and generous with their time and effort.

The Minister of Intelligence, Mrs. Gila Gamliel, representing the government of Israel expressed: “It is a great pleasure and honor for me to represent the government and the people of Israel, to congratulate the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, on the occasion of its National Holiday. Exactly one week ago, our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen, visited Uruguay and met with both President Louis Lacalle Pou and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francisco Bustillo Bonasso. This historic visit is proof of the deep and far-reaching relations that our two nations share. This is a historic moment as both countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. Israel and Uruguay share a long history of friendship. The leadership and participation of the Uruguayan diplomat, Enrique Rodríguez Fabregat, in 1947 in the Special Committee of the United Nations, and the subsequent vote of Uruguay in favor of the UN Partition Plan led to the establishment of the State of Israel. Uruguay was the fourth country to recognize Israel. This was a historic gesture of solidarity and support, and we will never forget it. We are also grateful for the open arms with which Uruguay welcomed Jewish refugees from World War II. The Jewish community in Uruguay today is vibrant, strong, and an integral element of Uruguayan society. Israel and Uruguay can work together to develop new technologies, promote peace and stability in the region, and fight terrorism and other forms of extremism. Dealing with Iran is a critical issue in the current battle against terrorism. The actions of the Ayatollah regime have created a dangerous environment that reaches far beyond the borders of the Middle East and casts a shadow across the world. In this sense, Uruguay has the opportunity to be together with Israel to confront the activities of the ayatollahs' regime, with solidarity and unwavering determination. This collaborative stance would not only serve to protect Uruguay's own interests, but would also contribute significantly to maintaining global security. In recent years, Israel and Uruguay have been working to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, which can be demonstrated by the decision to open an innovation office in Jerusalem. As everyone knows, Israel prides itself on its vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem and is happy to share its knowledge and experience with our friends. Ambassador, it will be an honor for us to receive an official visit from the President of Uruguay here in Israel in the coming months. I am sure that the future of our relationship will be bright."

After the formal part, while the guests toured the exhibition, the Ambassador spoke with the guests and I had the opportunity to ask him personally about the plans to open an Embassy office in Jerusalem. He told me "that a Technological, Commercial and Cultural office is going to be opened that will offer more possibilities to the excellent relations between the two countries."

Among the guests were: Ambassador Gil Haskel, Head of State Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel; Jonathan Peled – Deputy Director General for Latin America of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ariel Goldstein – Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office; Leo Vinovezky, Leo Vinovezky – Director of the Economic Division Department for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean; Ms. Sharon Shaviv (Kabalo), Director of the South America Department; Daniel Saban, former Israeli Ambassador to various South American countries; Gabriel Hayon – President of the Diplomatic Institute; Lawyer and notary Leon Amiras; Solomon Esterlis Director of Projects of the Mekorot Water Treatment Company (very active in South America); Perla Angelman Bawnik and many foreign ambassadors especially from South America, military, business leaders and members of the Uruguayan community in Israel.

The collective exhibition of paintings “#what I brought from Uruguay” was held from August 1 to 25, 2023, with the participation of 15 Uruguayan artists living in Israel at the Sourasky Central Library of Tel Aviv University.

The guests were delighted with excellent Uruguayan wines from the Garzón winery, the pleasant Uruguayan music in the background, and typical Uruguayan and South American foods, such as sandwiches de miga and Chajá made by the famous Mabel Jaitt’s catering.

The Staff of www.diplomacy.co.il congratulates the government, people and Embassy of Uruguay on the occasion of the 198th anniversary of its Independence.

Photos credit Silvia G. Golan 

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Written by Silvia G. Golan

Published: 25 July 2023

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Written by Silvia G. Golan

Published: 15 August 2023

India celebrate Independence Day on August 15 by engaging in many patriotic and cultural activities.

Embassy of India in Tel Aviv celebrated the 77th Independence Day today at the Ambassador's residence in Hertzliya Pituach.

 

H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sanjeev Singla hoisted the National flag and read out the speech of the President of India H.E. Mrs. Droupadi Murmu.

 

The residence was adorned with flags and flowers in tricolors India’s national colors.

 

 

 

 

Guests enjoyed traditional indian food with the tastings of Indian snackes by the restauranter Mrs. Reena Pushkarna, who added flavors to the event .

 

More of the the presents were dressed in a traditional and colorful Indian wear

 

Among the distinguished guests were members of the Indian Community, friends of India and Senior officials of the Embassy.

 

 

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Written by Silvia G. Golan

Published: 17 July 2023

On Sunday evening , July 16 the Ambassador of Colombia, H.E. Mrs.Margarita Eliana Manjarrez Herrera, held a celebration of the 213th anniversary of Colombian Independence and the 66th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Colombia and Israel by hosted a cultural, culinary , music and dance event at " Zappa " in Herzliya Pituach

The cultural program offered an excellent opportunity to familiarize the Israeli public with the Colombian music and danse and starts with the presentation of the famous Colombian tenor Alejandro Escobar, tenor of phenomenal voice, capable of tenderness and great blouse showmanship.

Escobar’s is an excellent performer with tremendous voice. He is a tenor with great power and quality, and a wonderful stylist with a natural voice. He amazed audience with his fantastically Colombian worldwide known songs as songs: Colombia Pueblito Viejo, La Ruana (Bambuco) and Soy Colombiano, Pasillo Brisas Del Pamplonita, Cumbia La Piragua, Vallenato La Gota Fría and famous Cumbia La Pollera Colora, and his command of the lyrics was sensational. The Escobar’s magnetism made him irresistible. The Israeli Opera lovers will have opportunity to listen Alejandro Escobar as Alfredo Germont in famous Verdi’s opera La Traviata in Haifa on July 30 and 31, 2023.

 After the playing of the national anthems, Ambassador Margarita Manjarrez welcomed the guests then began her remarks. " this year we wanted to offer a cultural event. Today not only honoring our homeland and the country that hosts us with our national anthems, but mostly focusing on our beautiful Colombian music within a festive atmosphere" ... Building a nation is not an easy task. Colombia, despite its 213 years, continues to walk, with progress, with setbacks, with challenges and hopes like those of all societies that seek well-being, the guarantee of rights, happiness, and a good life for their citizens. In our country, one of the challenges we continue to work on is the objective of achieving true and definitive peace. This national purpose is based on the conviction that dialogue is the way to resolve conflicts. The second challenge is the task of continuing to develop while doing so in a sustainable way, because although we are a biodiverse nation rich in resources, we also suffer to a high degree from the effects of climate change and environmental deterioration.

These two challenges, the achievement of total peace and overcoming the environmental crisis, not only concern Colombia, but they also concern the entire world. For this reason, we should rejoice when progress is made anywhere on the planet in coexistence and democracy, as much as when technologies, means and actions that preserve and improve the environment are developed.
In this last aspect, we have made progress in cooperation with Israel, a country that is an example of the development of new technologies in crucial sectors such as agriculture and clean energy. This is very important because science and innovation should promote our societies, as well peace and culture. For this reason, this night of celebration of our independence is above all a cultural dialogue.
I am convinced that knowing the cultural richness of other societies and sharing ours is the basis for achieving understanding, good relations, agreements, and coexistence. Recognizing and valuing the other also allows us to do business, to invest, to visit, and to cooperate with one another. After various negotiations, this year we will sign a Film Co-Production Agreement with Israel and a Cooperation Program in Education, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth, because Colombia and Israel feed off each other. Tourists, investors, workers and students, officials, diplomats, scientists, all of us who weave relations between our two countries soak up each other's culture and are representatives of our own. Colombians in Israel also represent us, with their joy, their tenacity and their perseverance and each one is a bridge with Israel and its people.
For this reason, to delve a little deeper into this cultural knowledge, we welcomed you with a photographic exhibition about life in the Eastern Plains of Colombia by the artist Juanita Escobar, part of what we brought to the Photo Israel festival last year and we have had Colombian musical rhythms in the great voice the tenor Alejandro Escobar. Now we will offer a gastronomic test of Colombian empanadas and arepas and give way to the dance music segment with Gustavo Quiñonez, who I hope will encourage you to dance and to end this celebration of our national day with many smiles."

The joyful celebration continued with the Show of Gustavo Quiñones, Latin singer & composer from Colombia, living in Israel. He makes the Colombian Independence Day an extraordinary celebration of dance and festival of culture and friendship between Colombia and Israel

At the entrance we see an photographic exhibition about life in the Eastern Plains of Colombia by the artist Juanita Escobar, part of what we brought to the Photo Israel festival last year

Among the distinguished guests in attendance were :Jonathan Peled- Deputy Director General for Latin America Israel MFA ;Ariel Goldshtein - Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff at the Prime Minister Office; 
Amb.Irit Savion Waidergorn Director Training Department MASHAV; Matias Schapiro, President of the Israel-Spain Chamber of Commerce; Gabriel Hayon - President of the Diplomatic Institute; Mrs. Tony Levy, External relations ,President Office HIT Holon Institute of Technology; Tali Laufer Epstein CEO The Israel Association of Travel Agencies & Consultants; and many foreign Ambassadors, militars, business leaders and members of the Colombian community in Israel

The Staff of www.diplomacy.co.il  congratulates the government, people, and Embassy of Colombia on the occasion of the 213th anniversary of Colombian Independence and the 66d anniversary of diplomatic relations between Colombia and Israel.

Photos Silvia Golan

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