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ISRAEL in INDIA October 2011 - Israeli Missions Around The World

ISRAEL in INDIA October 2011 - Israeli Missions Around The World

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<strong>October</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />

Visit<strong>in</strong>g M<strong>in</strong>ister of Tourism:<br />

"Israel is an undiscovered gem to most Indians"<br />

Mr. Stas Misezhnikov, Israel’s M<strong>in</strong>ister of Tourism, visited India dur<strong>in</strong>g September <strong>2011</strong> to promote<br />

Indian tourism to Israel. This was the first visit ever of an <strong>Israeli</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister of Tourism to India.<br />

M<strong>in</strong>ister Misezhnikov met with<br />

his Indian counterpart, Mr.<br />

Subodh Kant Sahai, and with<br />

the M<strong>in</strong>ister of Civil Aviation,<br />

Mr. Vayalar Ravi. Accompanied<br />

by senior officials from his<br />

M<strong>in</strong>istry and a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

delegation, Mr. Misezhnikov<br />

also conducted meet<strong>in</strong>gs and<br />

sem<strong>in</strong>ars with bus<strong>in</strong>ess leaders<br />

of the tourism and aviation<br />

sectors <strong>in</strong> Delhi and Mumbai.<br />

<strong>The</strong> M<strong>in</strong>isters agreed on hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

follow-up discussions on<br />

aviation and establish<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

steer<strong>in</strong>g committee on tourism follow<strong>in</strong>g the agreement on tourism signed <strong>in</strong> 1993 by President<br />

Shimon Peres who was then M<strong>in</strong>ister of Foreign Affairs.<br />

<strong>The</strong> year 2010 saw India emerg<strong>in</strong>g as the number 1 source country of tourism from Asia to Israel.<br />

<strong>The</strong> number of Indian tourists to Israel almost doubled from the previous year’s figure and reached<br />

over 40,000. In addition, Israel was awarded “Most promis<strong>in</strong>g dest<strong>in</strong>ation” <strong>in</strong> Outbound Travel<br />

Mart Fair <strong>in</strong> Mumbai <strong>in</strong> February <strong>2011</strong>. See<strong>in</strong>g the huge potential of Indian tourists, the <strong>Israeli</strong><br />

M<strong>in</strong>istry of Tourism decided to put India at the forefront of its promotional activity <strong>in</strong> Asia, and is<br />

cooperat<strong>in</strong>g with lead<strong>in</strong>g tour companies <strong>in</strong> India to further promote Indian tourism to the country.


MASHAV Delegation visits India<br />

MASHAV- held a work<strong>in</strong>g visit to India. In the course of the visit, discussions were held with the<br />

Mr Yahel Vilan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Guest Speaker at the<br />

Agriculture Leadership Summit held <strong>in</strong> New Delhi.<br />

National Horticulture Mission Division, M<strong>in</strong>istry of<br />

Agriculture, and a new jo<strong>in</strong>t action plan was<br />

discussed for the next three years between the<br />

two countries. <strong>The</strong> delegation took part <strong>in</strong> an<br />

agribus<strong>in</strong>ess sem<strong>in</strong>ar (Grow-<strong>in</strong>) <strong>in</strong> Chandigarh<br />

and met with officials of the Punjab government.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y also participated <strong>in</strong> Agritech Mumbai, an<br />

<strong>Israeli</strong> exhibition and conference present<strong>in</strong>g<br />

state-of-the-art agricultural technologies, that was<br />

held for the first time <strong>in</strong> Asia.<br />

WATEC<br />

Tel-Aviv 15-17 November<br />

WATEC <strong>2011</strong>, the 6 th International Exhibition and the 3 rd International Conference on Water<br />

Technologies, Renewable Energy and Environmental Control, will be held on November 15-17, <strong>2011</strong><br />

at the Trade Fairs Center <strong>in</strong> Tel Aviv. WATEC is Israel’s prime event for showcas<strong>in</strong>g its technologies<br />

and achievements <strong>in</strong> the fields of water,<br />

environment and energy. With water,<br />

environment and energy challenges at the top<br />

of the global agenda, WATEC <strong>2011</strong> features<br />

compell<strong>in</strong>g solutions and proven, practical<br />

applications <strong>in</strong> areas such as water and energy<br />

efficiency, water quality, desal<strong>in</strong>ation, and<br />

water supply. Attract<strong>in</strong>g participants from the<br />

Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia the<br />

exhibition is a unique opportunity to discover<br />

the latest <strong>in</strong>novations from start-up<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>esses, established companies, and researchers that can help drive private and public <strong>in</strong>itiatives<br />

and accelerate results. WATEC <strong>2011</strong> will <strong>in</strong>troduce <strong>in</strong>ternational successes and promis<strong>in</strong>g<br />

advancements for susta<strong>in</strong>able development, focus<strong>in</strong>g on recent achievements and emerg<strong>in</strong>g solutions<br />

for the com<strong>in</strong>g years. Br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g together <strong>Israeli</strong> and <strong>in</strong>ternational bus<strong>in</strong>ess executives, political decisionmakers,<br />

and lead<strong>in</strong>g researchers, WATEC <strong>2011</strong> will also be a showcase for the most advanced<br />

environmental technologies from around the world. We expect massive participation of Indian private<br />

and governmental sectors. For more details, please go to www.watec-israel.com<br />

<strong>ISRAEL</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>INDIA</strong> 2 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2011</strong>


Ambassador Ushpiz visits Kolkata<br />

Ambassador Alon Ushpiz conducted his first official state-level visit to Kolkata, West<br />

Bengal last month, where he emphasized that Israel and West Bengal share deep<br />

sentiments of friendship and that West Bengal is a priority state for cooperation.<br />

Ambassador Ushpiz with Chief M<strong>in</strong>ister Ms.Mamta<br />

Banerjee and Mr. Harsh Vardhan Neotia.<br />

Ambassador Ushpiz address<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

gather<strong>in</strong>g of bus<strong>in</strong>essmen <strong>in</strong> Kolkata.<br />

Ambassador Ushpiz called upon the Chief M<strong>in</strong>ister, Ms. Mamta Banerjee, and<br />

discussed with her a number of fields for potential cooperation between Israel and the<br />

state of West Bengal, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g: agriculture, water technologies, hi-tech, alternative<br />

energy, R&D, Christian pilgrimage to Israel and more. In this context, it was agreed that<br />

a delegation of officials from West Bengal will participate <strong>in</strong> WATEC, an exhibition of<br />

water technologies which will take place <strong>in</strong> Israel <strong>in</strong> November <strong>2011</strong>.<br />

Ambassador Ushpiz also met the Governor of West Bengal, Mr. M.K. Narayanan,<br />

M<strong>in</strong>ister of F<strong>in</strong>ance and Excise Mr. Amit Mitra and Director General of Police Mr.<br />

Naparajit Mukherjee.<br />

To further strengthen trade relations between Israel and West Bengal, Ambassador<br />

Ushpiz, was hosted by the Honorary Consul of Israel <strong>in</strong> West Bengal Mr. Harshavardhan<br />

Neotia, at the <strong>in</strong>auguration of the Israel - West Bengal Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Promotion Centre <strong>in</strong><br />

Kolkata to facilitate connections between companies <strong>in</strong> the region and their <strong>Israeli</strong><br />

counterparts. In addition, he also <strong>in</strong>teracted with the members of the Indian Chambers of<br />

Commerce, media establishments and the Jewish community <strong>in</strong> the two synagogues<br />

Beth-El and Magen David .<br />

<strong>ISRAEL</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>INDIA</strong> 3 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2011</strong>


In the Dark<br />

Ch<strong>in</strong>gari <strong>The</strong>atre Group performs<br />

a mov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Israeli</strong> play<br />

Motti Lerner, an acclaimed <strong>Israeli</strong><br />

playwright and screenwriter, collaborated<br />

with Ch<strong>in</strong>gari theatre group from Jawaharlal<br />

Nehru University (JNU), to perform his play<br />

“In the Dark”, <strong>in</strong> Delhi.<br />

<strong>The</strong> play takes its audience through the<br />

journey of an acclaimed <strong>Israeli</strong> pianist, who<br />

returns to Tel Aviv after 18 years of a<br />

successful career <strong>in</strong> the US. He seeks<br />

reconciliation with his family with a dream to<br />

perform <strong>in</strong> his city for his parents, but soon<br />

discovers that they have not forgiven his<br />

betrayal and his success. Set <strong>in</strong> the 1970s<br />

<strong>in</strong> Tel Aviv, the play is about avidity <strong>in</strong> a<br />

material world where human be<strong>in</strong>gs lose<br />

their soul.<br />

<strong>The</strong> play was performed on September 21st and 22nd at Alliance Française de Delhi and was<br />

applauded by the audience and media.<br />

“Delhi has the potential to become a <strong>World</strong> Heritage City”<br />

Prof. Mike Turner, Vice-Chairman of the<br />

UNESCO <strong>World</strong> Heritage Committee, former<br />

Chairman of UNESCO Israel <strong>World</strong> Heritage<br />

Committee and Head of the UNESCO Chair <strong>in</strong><br />

Urban Design and Conservation Studies at the<br />

Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design <strong>in</strong><br />

Jerusalem, was <strong>in</strong> Delhi to participate <strong>in</strong> a<br />

workshop on preservation and adm<strong>in</strong>istration of<br />

historic urban areas <strong>in</strong> India. He also conducted<br />

an <strong>in</strong>teractive session at the School of Plann<strong>in</strong>g &<br />

Architecture (SPA) on "Historic Delhi - Explor<strong>in</strong>g<br />

its Deserv<strong>in</strong>g Future".<br />

Prof. Turner, who led many historical sites <strong>in</strong><br />

Israel to become recognized by UNESCO as<br />

world heritage sites (such as Masada and Tel Aviv’s white city), is currently work<strong>in</strong>g together with<br />

the Delhi authorities on a project to give Delhi the status of a UNESCO <strong>World</strong> Heritage City.<br />

Consider<strong>in</strong>g that both India and Israel were under British control until the late 1940s, Turner is also<br />

actively <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> plann<strong>in</strong>g a sem<strong>in</strong>ar <strong>in</strong> Israel on the British legacy <strong>in</strong> architecture & urban<br />

plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> India and Israel.<br />

<strong>ISRAEL</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>INDIA</strong> 4 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2011</strong>


Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year<br />

Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year, a time to beg<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>trospection,<br />

look<strong>in</strong>g back at the mistakes of the past year and plann<strong>in</strong>g the changes to make <strong>in</strong> the new year.<br />

One of the most important observances of this holiday is hear<strong>in</strong>g the sound<strong>in</strong>g of the shofar, a<br />

ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. A total of 100 notes are sounded throughout<br />

the day. <strong>The</strong> Bible gives no specific reason for this practice, but one that has been suggested is<br />

that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance.<br />

Another popular observance dur<strong>in</strong>g this holiday is eat<strong>in</strong>g apples dipped <strong>in</strong> honey, a symbol of our<br />

wish for a sweet new year. A common greet<strong>in</strong>g at this time is Shana Tova ("A good year").<br />

Rosh Hashanah is followed by “Yom Kippur” – Day of Atonement – the holiest day <strong>in</strong> the Jewish<br />

calendar. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy<br />

day with a 25-hour period of fast<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>tensive prayer, often spend<strong>in</strong>g most of the day <strong>in</strong><br />

synagogue services.<br />

Shana Tova!<br />

Embassy of Israel<br />

3 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi -110011<br />

Tel: 011-30414500 Fax: 011-30414555 Email: press@newdelhi.mfa.gov.il<br />

Website: http://delhi.mfa.gov.il<br />

<strong>ISRAEL</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>INDIA</strong> 5 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2011</strong>

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