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The political relationship between Germany and Israel is clearly a success story. Political cooperation has developed since diplomatic relations were taken up in 1965 – most notably through high ranking political visits, parliamentary working groups and joint governmental sessions. The ‘Political Lab’ was a forum for exchanging visions and discussing strategic interests. Immigration is currently the hot topic. Both countries have been confronting this on their political agendas and have been developing different models of integration. The exchange of accumulated experiences promises mutual benefits for both countries. Furthermore, the Political Lab aimed be an oracle by giving experts and scholars from both countries space to predict the further development of their country's political relationship through the year 2025.
Program
14:00-15:05 Panel 1: Lived Diversity: How do D and IL handle the challenges of immigration?
• Mohammad Darawshe, Co-Chair, Abraham Fund Initiatives
• Anetta Kahane, Chairwoman of the Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
• Ophir Pines-Paz, Head of the Local Government Institute, Tel Aviv University, former Minister of the Interior
Moderation:
• Dr. Nir Boms, Member of the Board of The Center for Emerging Futures, Research Fellow at Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University
15:05-15:10 Break
15:10-16:20 Panel 2: Imagine Israel Germany in 2025 – what do the bilateral and societal relations look like?
• Philipp Mißfelder, Federal chairman of the “Junge Union” (Christian Democratic Party's youth movement) and foreign-policy speaker of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group
• Hildegard Müller, Former Minister of State, President of the German-Israeli Economy Union e.V. ( Deutsch-Israelische Wirtschaftsvereinigung e.V., D-I-W) Executive Director of the Federal Association for energy and water (Bundesverbands der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft)
• MK (Frm.) Yohanan Plesner, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS)
• MK David Tsur, Member of Knesset for Hatenua
Moderation:
• Dr. Kristina Eichhorst, Head of Domestic Programmes Division, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
16:20-16:25 Break
16:25-17:30 Panel 3: Germany's special responsibility toward Israel - more than a non-binding proclamation?
• Prof. Dr. Shlomo Avineri, Professor for Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Prof. Gert Weisskirchen, Former foreign policy spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Parliamentary Group and personal representative of the OSCE-chairman responsible for fighting antisemitism, Lecturer, Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, Erfurt University, Co-Chair Elnet Deutschland
• Ralf Fücks, Member of Board of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Senator of urban development and environmental preotection in Bremen, former mayor
Moderation:
• Dr. Sylke Tempel, Editor in chief of the magazine Internationale Politik (DGAP)
Israel is often referred to as the „start-up nation“ and Germany as a country of traditions, successful industries and enterprises. Especially in Berlin, a successful start-up scene has been growing. The 'Business Lab' focused on start-up synergies between Germany and Israel. Representatives from both countries had the opportunity to learn about each other's strengths. Furthermore, existing collaborative projects were introduced. The 'Lab Goal' was: Develop future cooperation and support models which young entrepreneurs can take with them to the other country.
Program
14:00 - 14:10 Opening Remarks
• Cornelia Yzer, Senator for Economy, Technology and Research
14:15 - 14:40 Keynote Speech "The high-tech branch and the success stories of German-Israeli ooperation in the start-up industry"
• Dr. Yossi Vardi, Entrepreneur
Moderation of the Business Labs:
• Björn Woltermann, Vice President, Emerging Technologies, Deutsche Telekom Products & Innovation
14:45 – 15:40 Panel 1: "Cultures of risk, investment and innovation"
• Uri Adoni , Partner, Jerusalem Venture Partners, JVP
• Eran Davidson, Founder, Hasso Plattner Venture Funds; Entrepreneur
• Jonathan Teklu, Co-founder und Managing Partner, Springstar
15:40 - 15:45 Break
15:45 – 16:40 Panel 2: "Dancing with the Elephants"
• Tom Bronfeld, Co-Founder, Elevatorfund
• Christoph Bornschein, Founder and CEO, TLGG (Torben, Lucie und die gelbe Gefahr GmbH)
• Mickey Steiner, Managing Director, SAP Labs Israel
16:40 – 16:45 Break
16:45-17:30 Lab Goal for 2015: Berlin / Tel Aviv as start-up partners
New platform for cooperation and exchange
• Melanie Bähr, CEO, Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie
• Lior Meyer, Director of Global Partnerships, Tel Aviv Global City
• Hemdat Sagi, Director, Israel Trade Center
• Nicolas Zimmer, Chairman of the Board, TSB Stiftung
• Dr. Jörg Zätzsch, Partner, CMS Hasche Sigle
Scholarship and Research. Cooperation between Germany and Israel has been nothing less than outstanding and continues to be on an expansion course, since the late 1950s. Over 90 partnerships between the universities of both countries are only one visible attest for this. German Chancellor Angela Merkel already underlined the significance of such cooperation in her speech before the Knesset, in 2008.
The German Israel Congress was able to enlist The Hebrew University of Jerusalem as cooperation partner. The Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation is German partner. The foundation's president, Prof. Dr. Drs. h.c. Helmut Schwarz, through his role as congress board member, advised the Congress on content. The 'Science Lab' looked at the present range of cooperation, new projects, and drew up proposals for other areas.
Program
14.00-14.30 Keynote Speech: "The Success Story of German-Israeli Scientific Cooepration"
• Prof. Dr. Helmut Schwarz, President, Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation
14:30 – 15.10 Showcase: “Max Planck-Hebrew University Center: Sensory Processing of the Brain in Action”
• Prof. Dr. Hanoch Gutfreund, President Emeritus, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Faculty Member, Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences
15:10-15:30 Break
15:30-16:45 Roundtable: "Science in the service of bilateral and international understanding"
• Prof. Dr. Hanoch Gutfreund, President Emeritus, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Faculty Member, Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences
• Atalia (Tali) Rosenbaum, General Director, German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development
• Christoph Mühlberg, Director, International Affairs, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Moderation:
• Shari Langemak, Editorial Journalist, Medicine & Science, Die Welt
16:45 – 17:00 Break
17:00 -17:20 Conclusion: "Looking back into the Future"
• Prof. Dr. Herbert Jäckle, Vice-Presdient, Max-Planck Society e.V.
People living in the countries of today’s Israel and Germany have a long shared history. Connecting the cultures of both countries implies new paths towards mutual understanding. The Israelcongress’ Culture Lab focused on models of joint cultural ventures and on connecting German and Israeli artists, cultural figures and cultural financing bodies.
Cultural creation and entrepreneurship are constantly growing together. Artists in fact have always been entrepreneurs, since they establish their own means of style, work and income. Some of the traditional arts have become extremely popular - music, performing arts, or game creation, for example, are today surrounded by entire industries of their own.
At the same time, artists continue to push the boundaries of the imaginable. The rapid technological advancements and changing cultural trends of the digital era have facilitated a change in basic premises of communication and (intercultural) exchange: art and media are continuously developing into a platform for user interaction, the artist has transformed from creator to enabler, the audience has morphed from public to user - to potential co-creator of value. In this lab we will connect Israeli and German artists, cultural figures and cultural financing bodies in order to foster future joint cultural entrepreneurship in Israel and Germany and thus to enhance the role of cultural cooperation as integral mosaic elements of German-Israeli friendship.
Program
14.00-14.30 Opening Remarks
• Tom Franz, Author: “So Schmeckt Israel”, winner of the TV Show ‘Masterchef’
14:30 – 15.15 Presentations and Panel discussions: “Cultural Trends, Frameworks, and Infrastructure in Israel and Germany”
• Dr. Andreas Eberhardt, Executive Director, German-Israeli Future Forum Foundation
• Ran Jaakoby, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of the State of Israel in Berlin
• Stephan Scherzer, Executive Director, Verband Deutscher Zeitschriftenverleger (VDZ)
• Tami Warshavski, Head of Innovation and Industrial Development Center, Shenkar College
Moderation:
• Julia von La Chevallerie, Head of PR, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
15:15-15:30 Break
15:30-16:30 Pecha Kucha style artists and cultural figures presentations: “What I do and how we could bring Israel and Germany Closer Together”
• Nicole Srock.Stanley, CEO and Founder, Dan Pearlman
• Ilan Goren, Author: „Wo bist du, Motek?“
• Omer Golan, Contemporary interdisciplinary artists: “Plant a Comment”
• Koby Maluk, CEO and Founder, Livinggrid
• Susa Pop, Director and Manager of Public Art Lab
• Lila Chitayat, New Media Artist, Taxilink Project
Moderation:
• Itay Mautner, Media Artist
16:30 – 16.45 Break
16.45 -17.30 Lab Goal Roundtable
• Nicole Srock.Stanley, CEO and Founder, DanPearlman
• Ilan Goren, Author of:“ Wo bist du, Motek?“
• Omer Golan, Contemporary interdisciplinary artist: “Plant a Comment”
• Koby Maluk, CEO and Founder, Livinggrid
• Susa Pop, Director and Manager, Public Art Lab
• Lila Chitayat, Media Artist (Taxilink)
Moderation:
• Julia von La Chevallerie, Head of PR, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Itay Mautner, Media Artist
Which role does Religion play in the context of German-Israeli relations? The 'Religion Lab' acted as a platform where noteworthy specialists of this theme came together to exchange their expertise. They included the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ), Christians on the Side of Israel as well as representatives of the German Coordinating-Council for Christian-Jewish Cooperation Organisations, Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, the Bahais, Muslims and other groups. The “Jewish State” is home to many world-faiths. The Religion Lab analyzed the interactions between the Israeli state and these religions by looking at, for example, how their world-views are reflected in Israeli society today – with particular focus on the Christian-Jewish relationship. The Lab also used religious perspectives in discussing the influence of emotions, historically justified guilt-feelings, and a future-oriented understanding between Germany and Israel.
Program
14.00 – 14.25 Opening Remarks
• George Deek, Deputy Chief of Mission in the Israeli Embassy in Oslo, Norway
• Rabbi Noam Marans, Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations at the American Jewish Committee
14.25 – 14.30 Break
14.30 – 15.55 Showcase und Panel 1: Looking in to the future of the interreligious dialogue
14.30 – 14.45 Showcase 1 Israel - Home of many religions
14.45 – 15.55 Panel 1
• Peter Amsler, Advisor for Human Rights questions of the Nationaler Geistiger Rat der Bahai in Deutschland e.V.
• Mordechay Lewy, former Israeli embassador at the Holy See
• Jutta Weduwen, Executive Direcotor of Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste e.V.
• Dr. Heinrich Kreft, Ambassador and Special Commissioner for the Dialogue between Cultures at the Federal Foreign Office
• Prof. Dr. Majid Al-Haj, Vice President of Haifa University, Head of the Center for Multiculturalism and Educational Research University of Haifa
Moderation:
• Maya Zehden, German-Israeli Society Berlin and Potsdam
15.55 – 16.00 Break
16.00 – 17.30 Showcase and Panel 2: Christian-Jewish Exchange between Israel and Germany
15.55 – 16.05 Opening Remarks Panel 2
• Rabbi Ari Abramovitz, Director „Friends of Israel“, Keren Hayesod
• Uwe Becker, Treasurer oft he City of Frankfurt (Christian Democratic Union, CDU), Head of Department for Finances and ecclesiastical affairs
16.05 – 16.15 Showcase 2: Approach between Israel and Gemrand through religious journeys (Israel Connect)
16.15 – 17.30 Panel 2: „The Holy Land“ – Relgion connecting people. Looking into the future of the interreligious dialogue
• Gottfried Bühler, Chairman of the International Christian Embassy in Israel (ICEJ) in Germany
• Philip Kiril Prinz von Preußen, Protestant referend Pfarrer, elementary and secondary school educator, theologist, great-great-grandson oft he last German emperor Wilhelm II
• Rudolf Sirsch, Secretary General, German Coordinating Council of the Societies for Christian-Jewish Coomperatio. (DKR e.V.)
• Rabbi Andy Steiman, Rabbi at the Budge-Stiftung in Frankfurt/Main
Moderation:
• Harald Eckert, Member of Board of the European Coalition for Israel, member of the executive team of the Christian Forum for Israel e.V., chairman of Christen an der Seite Israels e.V.