THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION VISITS ISRAEL Print
Friday, 13 January 2012 13:29
Greek Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou visited Israel from 9th to 11th January 2012 at the invitation of the Minister for Education of Israel as part of the drive to improve relations between the two countries. Mrs Diamantopoulou was accompanied on her trip to Israel by Mr Victor Eliezer, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece and was representing Greek Jewry.
As the Press Release issued by the Ministry of Education says, “During their meeting the Minister and her Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar, agreed to work together on mechanisms designed to promote the evaluation of universities, the establishment of centres of excellence, and schools for the study of humanities.
The Minister for Education invited all eight schools in Israel that offer classical studies and ancient Greek to take part in the Ministry for Education’s new programme for the Plato Academy.
Furthermore, while the Minister was on her visit the agreement between the two countries on issues of Research and Innovation was set in motion with the signing of the first protocol on joint programmes involving research centres and private enterprise. The aim is to generate support for a pilot scheme to promote innovation within the context of Israel’s experience.
Finally, the Minister, Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou visited the Yad Vashem Museum, confirming international collaboration on keeping its memory and its message alive for the sake of humanity”.
The message that Mrs Diamantopoulou wrote in the visitors’ book at the museum typifies the attitude, as among other things it says, ‘A promise: as a Greek, as a politician, as a woman, and as a mother: Never Again! We are all responsible not to allow it again…’
Mrs Diamantopoulou also visited the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem.
The Minister also met pre-eminent Israeli author Amos Oz (photo, top)and invited him to make a return visit to Greece, suggesting an open discussion be held with intellectuals in Athens.