Ever heard the expression ‘Man plans, G-d laughs’? Well, it turns out the same can be said of COVID-19. People and companies the world over have seen their plans, routines and aspirations put on pause and replaced by a, distinctly abnormal, “new normal”.
Unfortunately, we’ve been no exception. Whether it has been the launch of our ground breaking Israel-Africa Pioneer Program, progressing joint ventures with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, or hosting more delegations at Volcani’s fantastic brand new visitor centre, 2020 has been paved with exciting projects designed to make a real impact which we’ve had to reluctantly postpone. This has been painful to say the least. For all our qualities, patience is not our forte.
But we haven’t been standing idly by either. Undeterred, we’ve spent the last few months planning the path ahead and working on brand new initiatives and collaborations that we can roll out regardless of COVID-19. More on these soon: watch this space for some exciting news!
Of course, we’ve also continued our efforts to speak out for Israel: making the case that this small country – with its unique agricultural experiences, expertise and innovations – holds the key to solving some of the biggest challenges faced by the world today. Whether it be feeding a growing global population or managing and mitigating the ravaging effects of climate change, many promising solutions can be found in Israel’s farms, fields and faculties. Explaining the richness of what Israel has to offer and highlighting how Israeli expertise can be used for the benefit of both Israel and the world remains one of our key missions.
To this end, we’re excited to announce that our Executive Director, Danielle Abraham, will be speaking as part of some great upcoming virtual events. These are all free and promise to be fantastic. Join us to hear more and show your support!
Rwanda & Israel Connect – 7th to 10th December 2020
The Embassy of Israel to Rwanda in partnership with Impact Hub Kigali – an innovation hub in Rwanda – is launching a series of virtual sessions designed to explore the innovation ecosystems in both countries and to connect start-ups, hubs & key players.
Click here to register and see the full agenda.
“What makes agricultural innovation happen? Lessons from Israel and beyond” – an event by the Society for International Development, Washington Chapter – Wednesday 9 December 2020 – 9:00am to 10:30am (ET)
The agricultural sector depends on innovation to drive inclusive economic growth and improve food security in underdeveloped markets. Join us to hear more about the structural constraints to agricultural innovation and how they can be addressed through policy, investment and market opportunities. Panellists will look at the case of Israel and its remarkable success in overcoming the natural constraints to its agricultural and water sectors. Speakers will also consider how the private sector in Africa and Latin America can be harnessed to drive agricultural transformation.
A recording of this event is available via this link.
The DevTech Unconference - 20th to 24th December 2020
The DevTech conference is an unconventional and interactive virtual event, designed to bring together the key Israeli voices involved in technologies for international development. Over a week, this conference allows attendees to share their own ideas and knowledge, and receive advice from others who have experience in developing countries.
Click here to register and find out more.
