March 23, 2017 — Jerusalem, Israel
Israeli Ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama-Hacohen is escorting a delegation of ambassadors to UNESCO on a trip to Israel, organized by AJC Project Interchange.
"We appreciate and thank each ambassador for taking the time to experience first-hand Israel’s dynamism as well as the serious security challenges this small UN member state continues to confront in the tumultuous Middle East,” said AJC CEO David Harris."The more one knows about Israel, the more one understands, and that is why this five-day visit is so important.”
The visit is a first for UNESCO ambassadors and follows similar trips by UN ambassadors, organized by AJC Project Interchange with the Israeli Mission to the UN.
To provide a deeper understanding of the geopolitical and security challenges Israel faces, the UNESCO ambassadors are traveling throughout Israel, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the Gaza border.
In Jerusalem, the ambassadors toured the Old City of Jerusalem, visited the Temple Mount, met with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and learned about the city’s diversity, efforts to protect the Christian, Jewish and Muslim holy sites, and assure religious freedom. They met with Israeli officials and academic experts, as well as with Israelis representative of the country’s diverse population.
The delegation also traveled to Ramallah, met with Palestinian government officials and discussed co-existence opportunities, including a joint Japanese-Jordanian-Palestinian-Israeli industry park.
Both in Israel and in Ramallah, the ambassadors discussed with officials current challenges to advancing the peace process.
The first-ever visit of UNESCO ambassadors follows last December’s visit by a delegation of 14 ambassadors to the UN. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon escorted that group with AJC Project Interchange. It marked the fifth time that AJC (American Jewish Committee) brought a group of UN Ambassadors to Israel.
