BGU President Rivka Carmi M.D. Invited to White House Medal of Freedom Ceremony for Israel President Shimon Peres
BGU President Rivka Carmi M.D. Invited to White House Medal of Freedom Ceremony for Israel President Shimon Peres
June 11, 2012
NEW YORK, June 11, 2012 — Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) President Prof. Rivka Carmi M.D. will be attending the White House Medal of Freedom Award Ceremony for Israel President Shimon Peres on Wednesday, June 13.
President Barak Obama will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Peres followed by a White House Dinner. Among those expected to attend are former United States presidents and secretaries of state, as well as international prime ministers, Hollywood luminaries and business executives.
President Carmi will represent BGU accompanied by the University’s Board of Governors Chairman Alexander M. Goren, who is also president of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev based in New York City. President Peres has been an ardent advocate for the sustainable development of the Negev region where the University is located.
Peres, in a Forward editorial has said, “Promoting excellence and leadership qualities among the student population — including the Bedouin community — is an absolute must for developing the Negev. The region’s educational infrastructure already has an anchor in Ben-Gurion University, a vibrant hub of student activity with academic credentials recognized worldwide. The government’s commitment to provide a stimulating professional niche for postgraduate students in the Negev will surely serve as a major influence on their decision to establish roots in the region and to raise their families in an environment where quality of life is a primary goal.”
“It is such an incredible honor to be included in this momentous event to pay tribute to this important statesman,” Carmi says.
“President Peres is an honorary member of our Board of Governors in recognition of the leadership role he has played in implementing David Ben-Gurion’s vision for the Negev region and for the State of Israel.”
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
For all press inquiries, please contact:
James Fattal, J Cubed Communications
516.289.1496
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