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INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS

Seminars in Israel for International Leaders (In German)

Current Seminars
Recent Seminars
Seminars 2005-2006

Project Interchange designs and implements educational programs which provide international leaders an enhanced understanding of Israel’s culture, society, and democracy. Project Interchange participants include leaders and opinion makers from more than twenty nations and many sectors of society. Our 450 international alumni include members of Parliament, political advisors, print and broadcast journalists, clergy, diplomats, civic and policy leaders, academics, and youth organizers.

Each seminar reflects the unique approach of Project Interchange. Our educational goals are non partisan, and apolitical—we believe that Israel’s achievements, diversity, aspirations and challenges require no intermediary, and are best conveyed by Israeli policymakers, journalists and governmental officials themselves. Project Interchange seminars promote dialogue through presentation of multiple perspectives on complex issues. To this end, Project Interchange groups also meet with Israeli Arabs and Palestinians, confronting complex realities head-on.

Our seminars are challenging and broad minded, respectful of the values and divers experiences of our participants. Each program reflects the professional interests and national backgrounds of participants. This custom approach is facilitated by input from AJC’s 19 international field and partnership organizations.

Despite thematic differences, each seminar provides a thoughtful window into Israeli society, culture and politics. Together, participants discuss and debate key foreign policy questions with Israeli leaders and innovative thinkers. They hear a range of viewpoints on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel’s relationship with the EU and other international bodies—and exchange best practices in areas like immigration policy and counter-terrorism. Last but not least, PI brings individuals face to face with many of Israel’s most important historic, religious and archaeological sites.

Project Interchange takes pride in the quality and integrity of its program—and our alumni have responded to that commitment by remaining in touch, recommending our program to colleagues, and relying on PI for information on Israel related issues. Participants engage with their local Jewish and/or AJC office to hear and make presentations, publish articles, give interviews and develop historical depth and analytical skills which reflect their enhanced understanding of the policy debates.

Project Interchange brought its first group of international leaders to Israel in 2002. Since then, PI’s international program has expanded significantly.

Current Seminars

Current Seminars

PACIFIC ISLAND REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UNITED NATIONS
From January 4-12, Project Interchange sponsored a seminar for the Permanent Representatives from the Pacific Island states of Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. Representative Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) also accompanied this group in his capacity as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Global Environment. While Pacific Island leaders are regularly called upon to cast votes related to Israel's security and political needs of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, many lack significant personal experience with Israel. Through braod, high level, discussions with Israeli political, military and diplomatic leaders, Pacific Island leaders enhanced their understanding of Israel on many fronts. During their stay in Israel, delegates focused on issues and site visits relating to Israel's research and devleopment of water resource and alternative energy technologies.  They were received by Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Minister of Social Welfare, Members of Knesset from both Likud and Labor parties, former Supreme Court Justices and many other Israeli high ranking officials from within and outside the government.  Participants also traveled to Sderot, and stopped at a lookout point over Gaza where they met with an IDF spokesman. Israel's Channel 2 traveled with the group to Sderot and interviewed several participants. 

SCANDINAVIAN LEADERSHIP
In collaboration with AJC’s Thanks to Scandinavia, Scandinavian journalists, Parliamentarians, and government advisors who focus on the Middle East and foreign affairs will visit Israel for the first time. The delegation will discuss Israel’s foreign policy priorities, relations with Europe and international bodies--Israeli-Scandinavian relations specifically, Israeli-Palestinian relations and issues in the broader region. Participants will address Israel’s view of morality in war-time and will tour the country. The group will also meet with Palestinian leaders, academics and journalists.

ARGENTINEAN LEADERS
Latin America faces a critical moment in history, with powerful forces urging both democratization and authoritarianism. The 450,000 Jews of Latin America, representing Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Chile and Panama, feel increasingly uneasy as Hezbollah finds fertile ground amongst increasingly radicalized local Arab communities and their supporters on the far left.  This seminar will bring Argentinean foreign news editors and Members of Parliament, with special attention on those whose work involves Israel and Middle East policy questions. 

SINGAPOREAN JOURNALISTS AND POLICY MAKERS
Project Interchange and AIJAC (Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council) will host the first seminar to be tailored specifically for Singaporean policy-makers and journalists. Historically, Israel and Singapore have enjoyed a friendly relationship that is based on shared interests and cultural commonalities. Participants will meet with their Israeli counterparts to discuss opportunities for deepening and expanding current relationships in investment, trade, Information Technology and defense technologies. The group will consider possible innovations in the historic Singapore-Israel partnership and the mutual interests of small but dynamic countries. Finally, participants will gain insight into the specific regional and national, strategic concerns of Israel through high-level meetings with Jewish and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian leaders and scholars and site visits.

Recent Seminars

INDONESIAN JOURNALISTS- MEDIA COVERAGE
Indonesia's strategic, economic and political importance in Asia is unmistakable.  With the world's largest Muslim population, and a government committed to economic development and modernization, Indonesia has expanded legal and democratic institutions in recent years, and has expressed a desire to play a constructive role in conflict resolution.  While full diplomatic relations between Israel and Indonesia have yet to be established, important exchanges of are ongoing.   The overwhelmingly positive impressions taken away by Indonesia's top journalists both reflects and will enhance a fuller understanding of Israel amongst Indonesia's elites. From October 18-24 PI and AIJAC cosponsored a seminar for prominent Indonesian journalists, including the Editors of the Jakarta Post and influential Tempo Magazine.  The willingness of these journalists to travel to Israel expresses Indonesian goodwill toward Israel and an interest in playing a constructive role in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.  Participants were welcomed to Israel by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and spokeman Mark Regev.  President Shimon Peres expressed his hope that Indonesia could play a key role as the world's most populous Muslim nation and one with which Israel had no conflicts.  Following this visit, AIJAC's Executive Director was invited to speak at an interational political consultants conference in Bali in November, sharing the platform with the Palestinian Ambassador to Israel.  Meetings with Israeli industrialists active in Indonesia proved crucial and paved way for many concrete proposals in enhancing Israel-Indonesian business and economic ties. The Indonesian President and Foreign Minister invited participants for debriefing sessions upon their return to Jakarta. Since their return to Jakarta, participants have continued to write freely about their travel to Israel.
 

PHILIPPINE LEADERSHIP
While Israel and the Philippines enjoy full diplomatic relations, the Philippine's geostrategic importance, large Muslim population, and influence on the Arab and non-aligned movements argue for continued outreach from Project Interchange. From October 21-28, Project Interchange and the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) sponsored a seminar for a number of outstanding Filippino journalists, academics and NGO representatives from Muslim dominated areas of the South. This seminar came about after senior officials emphasized the need to expand understanding for Israel amongst a younger generation of Filipinos. In Israel, participants were hosted by the Philippine Charge for a diplomatic reception, viewed Israel from a helicopter, and traveled to Israel's northern border to gain sense of Israel's geostrategic concerns. The landing of Qassam rockets in the area brought a hasty end to the group's vist to Sderot, but also highlighted the constant threat under which civilians operate. Ms. Rina David, an award winning journalist and well known feminist political figure, several leading television producers, and Edgardo Castro, a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Philippine Speaker Jose de Venecia, attended this program. Upon his return, Mr. Castro began arrangements for a follow up visit for the Speaker to Israel. The Philippine's journalist/academic/Presidential Advisor  extraordinaire,  Alex Magno, as well as Ms. David and others, has published very positive articles about their travels to Israel.

EUROPEAN COUNTER TERRORISM EXPERTS
In September, thirteen professors, government advisors, university chairs and policy analysts of security and counter-terrorism affairs from Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain and Turkey took part in a unique Project Interchange Seminar in Israel for European Counter Terrorism Experts. While in Israel, they attended selected sessions at Terrorism’s Global Impact, the 7th International Conference of the Institute for Counter-Terrorism of the world-renowned Inter-Disciplinary Center in Herzliya. There, participants learned from fellow participants Dr. Paul Neumann, Director of the Center for Defense Studies at King’s College, who presented on the tension between military efficiency and democratic values. These experts explored Israel’s advances in counter-terrorism and exchanged best practices with their Israeli counterparts in security affairs. Seminar highlights included a visit to MABAT 2000, the Israel Police Force’s monitoring center in Jerusalem’s Old City, a review of Israel’s national security priorities and a chartered helicopter tour of Israel's central and southern borders, including a stopover at a lookout point above Gaza. Seminar participants also had the opportunity to discuss Palestinian society with Dr. Saeb Erakat, former chief of the PLO Steering and Monitoring Committee and Oslo Accords negotiator, among others. Jonathan Claridge, Head of the Political, Trade and Information Section of the Delegation of the European Commission, discussed EU relations with Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

INDIAN MUSLIM PEACE DELEGATION - MEDIA RESPONSE-MEDIA UPDATE
Next month, Project Interchange will sponsor a historic seminar for a distinguished delegation of Indian-Muslim leaders. These prominent individuals include Maulana Umair A. Ilyasi, the Head of the All India Organization of Imams and Mosques, a coordinating body whose members include over 500,000 local religious leaders. Other participants include university administrators, several newspaper editors, and Parliamentarians representing each of India's major parties.   

Co-sponsored with the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), this innovative program was facilitated by Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs and AJC's India Representative, Priya Tandon. Dr. Kwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Founder and President of the Interfaith Harmony Foundation of India and national political advisor to Prime Minister Vajpayee will accompany this delegation along with AJC's Priya Tandon. 

The program will expand upon previous efforts of religious leaders in Israel and India, efforts in which the AJC was deeply involved, to promote peace and enhance understanding between Muslims and Jews. Official interest and support in Israel has been exceptionally strong, with meetings scheduled with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and newly elected President Shimon Peres. Participants will also hold a joint Press Conference with the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger, and the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Shlomo Amar, at which time they expect to release a statement describing their findings and commitment to continued international and interreligious dialogue.  India's Ambassador to Israel has provided invaluable support, coordinating under Indian diplomatic auspices participant travel to Ramallah for meetings with Palestinian leaders.

GERMAN PARLIAMENTARIANS
Project Interchange hosted a diverse delegation of German Policy Advisors & Journalists. Participants include parliamentary staffers, state officials, journalists and civil society leaders who represent all of the major political parties in Germany: the Christian Democratic Union, the Young Christian Democrats and Alliance 90/The Greens. Participants were accompanied on their travels by Deidre Berger, the Director AJC’s Berlin Office. Participants discussed Israeli foreign policy with the Foreign Ministry’s Head of Middle Eastern Affairs Nimrod Barkan and Director of the Division for Multilateral European Institutions Sammy Ravel. Germany’s Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Harald Kindermann, hosted a reception and discussed the German-Israel relationship.

GREEK MUNICIPAL POLITICAL AND CIVIC LEADERS

Although geographically near, it is important to enable Greek local and national leadership to learn about Israel through a first-hand experience. In the spring of 2007, the Greek Jewish Community will collaborate with Project Interchange to introduce Greek municipal political and civic leaders to Israel. Briefings will be held on regional security and strategic concerns including the ascendance of Iran and the role of state-proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, as well as bilateral relations between Israel and Greece. Shared challenges of modern urbanization and lessons from immigrant integration, education and Israeli-Palestinian coexistence will be explored along with environmental issues that impact the region.This group will also travel in the northern and southern parts of Israel to better understand Israel’s rich diversity and challenges.

EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN LEADERS
Project Interchange and the AJC's Department of International Jewish Affairs will co-sponsor this unique seminar for members of the Diplomatic Corps and government officials from Eastern and Central Europe. Participants will include representatives from the EU's newest member-States, as well as from countries like Poland and Hungary, with whom Project Interchange and AJC have longstanding relationships. Sessions with a range of Israeli political commentators, academics, diplomats and military officials will provide these policy makers with an understanding of Israeli culture, society and people. Israel's role as a nation of immigrants, a diverse democracy and a refuge from anti-Semitism will be explored. Participants will also discuss methods of combating anti-Semitism and racism and will survey models of immigrant integration as well as coexistence among Israelis and Palestinians.

TURKISH JOURNALISTS AND POLICY ANALYSTS
In March, 2007, Project Interchange will sponsor a seminar for prominent Turkish journalists and policy analysts based in Europe, the US and Turkey.  Given the current political climate in Turkey, it is important to continue efforts to introduce Turkish media, political analysts and leading think tanks to Israel's political diversity, military-strategic challenges and melting pot of cultures.  Given the current political climate in Turkey, it is important to continue to introduce and expose the Turkish media to Israel, its complexity and rich melting pot of cultures. Participants will engage with top Israeli policy makersin this seminar that is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to Israel's economy, political system and society. Participants will meet with members of Israel's Turkish - Jewish community, visit Yad Vashem andotherhistorical and archaeologicalsites. Israel's ethnic, cultural and religious diversity will emerge from visits throughout Israel while important regional and strategic concerns will be addressed in briefings with Israeli legislators, diplomats and academics.

RECENT SEMINARS

CHILEAN JOURNALISTS AND PARLIAMENTARIANS
In January 2007, Chilean journalists and Parliamentarians will travel to Israel on a Project Interchange seminar co-sponsored with AJC's Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs and the Chilean-Jewish community organization, CREJ (Confederacion Representiva de Entitades Judias).  This seminar will focus on the role of the media in multi-ethnic societies, Israel's strategic concerns and the relationship between Israel's secular and religious institutions.  Ms. Irene Bronfman, Chile's Ambassador to Israel, will host an evening reception for Israeli and Latin diplomats, offering remarks on the future of Israeli-Latin American relations.  Participants will discuss Israel's approach to human rights, the inroads made by Hezbollah in Latin America, and discuss Israel's political and legislative structures with Members of Knesset.  Noted academician Professor Mario Snajder will discuss Israel's experience integrating the lessons of the Shoah in "The Power of the Remembered Past" with delegates, some of whom suffered under the rule of Augusto Pinochet.  Additional sessions will address the role of women in Israeli-mainstream and Arab-Israeli society, Israel's efforts to integrate new immigrants.  A panel including journalists from Israel's mainstream, Spanish and Russian language newspapers will examin the role of the media in Israeli society and democracy.  Ambassador Bronfman will also join participants and members of Israel's Latin-Israeli community for a Shabbat service and closing dinner.

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION/IMMIGRATION EXPERTS — NOVEMBER 2006
Project Interchange sponsored a group of Immigration and Integration Professionals from seven countries that showcased Israel’s public and private models for absorbing and integrating immigrants from diverse cultural, national and ethnic backgrounds. Organizational heads of the Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Agency, Gesher, The Israel Foundation, NISPED (Negev Initiatives for Peace and Economic Development) and the Ministries of Immigration and Education met with the group. Participants were also briefed by Israeli Minister for Immigration Affairs Ze’ev Boim. Members of Knesset; recent immigrants to Israel, Jewish journalists from the Ethiopian, mainstream and Russian newspapers explored the process of integration from their perspectives. Experts on the history of Jerusalem and anti-Semitism laid the framework which helped put in context their visits to holy sites, Yad Vashem and other locations. In addition, Palestinian leaders from Al Quds University and the Palestinian Legislative Council discussed the challenges that lay ahead for their society and government.

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SCANDINAVIAN LEADERSHIP DELEGATION — OCTOBER 2006
In collaboration with AJC’s Thanks to Scandinavia, Scandinavian journalists, Parliamentarians, academics and political party activists visited Israel for the first time. The delegation met with Vice-Premier Shimon Peres, who gave an overview of Israel’s foreign policy priorities, relations with Europe and international bodies, an update on Israeli-Palestinian relations and his prognosis for negotiations with Lebanon and Syria. The group discussed Israel-Scandinavian relations with foreign ministry officials and at a dinner hosted by Norway’s Ambassador to Israel Jakken Biorn Lian. They visited an immigrant absorption center, a service organization for victims of terror, and a center for at-risk youth. Participants discussed Israel’s view of morality in war-time and toured the northern border areas and a portion of the security fence around Jerusalem.The group also met with Palestinian leaders, academics and journalists.

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SPANISH PARLIAMENTARIANS/JOURNALISTS — SEPTEMBER 2006

Arriving on the heels of Israel’s war with Hezbollah, this group experienced Israel at a difficult time. The group discussed the implications of this war, including the rule of law and human rights during wartime (with the Founder and President of the Re’ut Institute, Moti Cristal; and former Air Force Commander Eitan Ben Eliayhu, for example). Participants visited Rambam Hospital in Haifa where they met injured patients and hospital staff. They toured Israeli and Arab towns that had been damaged by missile fire with Col. (res) Kobi Marom, Former IDF Commander of the Eastern Front in South Lebanon. The group met with Arab and Israeli mayors to discuss Israel’s response to the conflict, humanitarian needs and the war’s impact on economic development. In Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, participants met with former Ambassador to Spain, Herzl Inbar, visited Yad Vashem, and talked with recent immigrants. The group also met with Ziad Abu Ziyyad, the Chairman of the Law and Constitution Committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

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THAI MILITARY LEADERS AND POLICE CHIEFS — SEPTEMBER 2006

Project Interchange collaborated with AIJAC, the Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council, to provide a first-time educational visit to Israel to experts in counter-terrorism from Thailand. The group participated in the 6th Annual International Conference on Global Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. Israel’s military and strategic concerns dominated discussions with members of Knesset, journalists and officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense. Other site visits and briefings offered a comprehensive look at Israel’s ethnic diversity, religious pluralism, economic, immigrant absorption and development, and growing ties to Asia.

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dINDIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS AND JOURNALISTS — JULY 2006
Project Interchange and Australia’s AIJAC collaborated with AJC’s India Representative to develop this seminar for Indian Parliamentarians, journalists, and interfaith activists. Arriving in Israel following the capture by Hamas of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, participants explored the strategic elements of Israel’s conflict with both Hamas and Hezbollah and visited areas in the south hit by missile fire. Israel’s development of the Negev was highlighted through trips to a desalinization plant, an absorption center and centers of Arab-Jewish cooperation such as NISPED; the Negev Institute of Strategies of Peace and Development. The delegation visited the Indian-Jewish community and met with India’s Ambassador to Israel, Arun Singh, who hosted a reception in their honor. Briefings were held with representatives of Israel’s high tech and agriculture sectors in addition to discussions of bilateral and strategic relations at the Foreign Ministry. Delegates prepared a moving statement of their support for Israel and expressed desire to promote continued dialogue and exchanges.

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