An extraordinary humanitarian action has been highlighted in an exhibition that took place at the town hall of District III in Paris, organized by the Ben Gourion Lodge and the Mayor of the District, Pierre Aidenbaum.

To take only one example, Israel has multiplied its agricultural production by twelve in 40 years. An “Israeli miracle” due to the elaboration of a sophisticated methodology such as a revolutionary technology in the field of irrigation, better water management, more performing and resistant seeds. All these are taking place often in semi-arid and arid conditions that go together with the struggle against desertification, culture strategies and marketing for small farms.

Among other fields of Israeli expertise is the medical field and as we all know, high technology.
In Israel a lot of work is also put into development of companies and to favour integration of women.

Briefly, all this expertise has been acquired during years of highly developed research. Israel has made this expertise available to developing countries, over 100 countries in the last 50 years, with many partners among them NGOs, and organizations such as the UN or the World Bank.

Israeli teams work with locals in Africa, in the Ivory Coast, or in Latin America such as Peru, in Eastern Europe such as in Romania or in Bulgaria as well as in Asia like in Vietnam where medical centres have been established by MASHAV

Other MASHAV teams train nationals from developing countries in Israeli centres or locally, and then continue to assist them when they start working in their own country.

Doctors or nurses receive further training in public health, emergency or pediatrics in the Medical Faculty in Tel Aviv. There are also medical centres specialized in eye problems, namely in Kazakhstan, Soudan, Micronesia or in Mauritania. Over 200,000 people have been trained so far and contact is maintained thanks to 70 Shalom Clubs scattered all over the world.

The Town Hall of District iii of Paris organized this exhibition to promote the work of this Centre for International Cooperation of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.  Thanks are due to the Mayor, Pierre Aidenbaum and the B’nai B’rith Ben Gourion Lodge for the success of this event. The exhibition was open until  18th September

MASHAV – When Israel helps Development

MASHAV is an exceptional Israeli programme to help emerging countries.

Little is known about the help that has been given by Israel for the past 50 years,. In spite of the many difficulties Israel was facing, she has given expertise to emerging countries.

108 countries and thousands of participants have had the benefit of this help on a long term basis in fields of productivity, agricultural diversity, purification of water, prevention of desertification, integration of women, commercial initiatives or the use of micro credits. MASHAV, Centre for International Cooperation by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also provided aid to many health centres and arranged medical missions.

The Mayor Pierre Aidenbaum and the Ben Gourion Lodge displayed all these achievements in the exhibition. Many Ambassadors from the countries concerned attended the opening of the exhibition.