Israel Active

Israel’s Innovation:Africa was awarded the UN Innovation award for bringing solar energy using Israeli technologies to African villages, medical clinics, orphanages and schools. 66 projects in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi have benefited 478,661 people.

The Israeli Ministry of Education announced the founding of a university in Nazareth to be called "Peace University" that aims to foster coexistence between Arabs and Jews. It will be an Israeli campus of Texas A&M University, and most of the funding for it comes from the US.

Yad Sarah’s mobile unit has been making a difference for senior citizens by showing them new devices and activities that can help them lead fuller, more comfortable lives.

Back in August I reported the speech of Jean Judes of Beit Issie Shapiro who advised the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) about Community Based Rehabilitation. Here now is Jean’s report on the CRPD conference.

Mashav (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation) is holding the 28th International Women Leaders’ Conference in Haifa in cooperation with the United Nations. The conference aims to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.

For the first time in the history of the Israeli Defense Force, an officer from Israel’s Druse community is to serve as the chief of the elite Golani Brigade. Colonel Ghassan Alian was previously deputy commander of the Golan Division.

Michael Freund writes a positive article detailing Israel’s International friends and recent state visits.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit is the first time in the history of Nigeria that a sitting President went on pilgrimage to Israel. The president was accompanied by ministers and state governors and signed the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and Israel.

The United Nations regularly turns to the Jewish state to solve issues of international concern. The UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has granted 13 Israeli NGOs ‘Special Consulative Status’ and is currently considering granting this status to a further two.

(Thanks to Hazel) A team of seven Tucson Arizona area firefighters is working for two weeks with Israel Fire and Rescue Services. Tucson Fire Capt. Kris Blume said that they wanted to “see what's not just common practice but the best practice."