Henry Kissinger, Tony Blair, Russell Simmons, Google's Eric Schmidt, Cisco's John Chambers and Other Leaders in Industry, Government, Education, Science and Entertainment to Discuss Major Issues Facing Our World

JERUSALEM, Israel – June 18, 2012 – An All-Star list of speakers, including former United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers and Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, headlines Facing Tomorrow 2012, the fourth annual Conference under the auspices of the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday, June 19.
Also expected to speak at Facing Tomorrow 2012 will be President Peres himself, Ernst & Young Chairman James Turley, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and hip-hop music pioneer Russell Simmons, in the world's leading conference that tackles vital issues, initiatives and decisions that must be implemented to guarantee a better tomorrow for the world, the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

"The Presidential Conference attracts the world's greatest minds and personalities, all of whom come together in Jerusalem each year to discuss how we can make the most of tomorrow's opportunities," said Israel Maimon, Chairman of the Israeli Presidential Conference Steering Committee. "Given all the change the world has seen in the past 12 months, Facing Tomorrow 2012 is sure to be filled with fascinating, practical and inspirational subject matter for all walks of life."

Among the sessions planned for Facing Tomorrow 2012 are "Europe – Between Unity and Division," "Israel's Security in the Aftermath of the Arab Spring" and "The Brain – Can Machines Improve Humans?" with world experts and public figures alike debating these and other key issues.

Facing Tomorrow 2012 will kick off with its trademark "My Recipe for a Better Tomorrow" plenary session, in which Schmidt, world champion swimmer Keren Leibovitch, Israel's deputy prime minister and minister of defense Ehud Barak and Nobel Prize laureate Professor Daniel Kahneman each present their own unique ingredients for a "better tomorrow."

Netanyahu, along with Peres, Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, will close the event on Thursday with a plenary session entitled "Decisions at the Doorstep of Tomorrow."

Facing Tomorrow 2012 runs from June 19-21, 2012, and will take place at Jerusalem's International Convention Center. The conference is organized in partnership with Hebrew University.

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About Facing Tomorrow 2012

The Fourth Israel Presidential Conference 'Facing Tomorrow' will be held from June 19-21, 2012. The first presidential conference took place in May 2008, one week after Israel celebrated its 60th year of independence, and on the basis of its success became an annual event. The conference is centered around discussions, panels and plenary sessions aimed at answering one question: how can we foster a better tomorrow for the international community, Israel and the Jewish world. For more information, please visit www.presidentconf.org.il.