Israel to send innovation delegation to UN

This event is part of the presentation of national reviews by more than 40 countries on their activity to implement the United Nations’ sustainable development goals adopted in 2015

By STEPHANIE WASSERMAN
Rashi foundation CEO Michal Cohen (photo credit: NIV AHRONSON)
Rashi foundation CEO Michal Cohen
(photo credit: NIV AHRONSON)
Israel will be among the few countries participating in the United Nations’ High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) next week, where Israeli businesses and organizations will present initiatives that aim to advance sustainable development.
This event is part of the presentation of national reviews by more than 40 countries on their activity to implement the United Nations’ sustainable development goals adopted in 2015. Israel's first review will be presented on July 17 by Ze'ev Elkin, Minister of Environmental Protection, in the presence of the Israeli delegation to the UN and Ambassador Danny Danon.
In accordance with a resolution, UN member states must act to implement the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, known as Agenda 2030, which are intended to be incorporated into their national policies and legislation. These goals include dealing with gender equality, education, eradication of poverty and hunger and climate change.
Russia, Thailand, Mexico and Lebanon are expected to send representatives, as well. HFLP is the second largest event that the United Nations hosts, both in size and scope. The only larger event is the General Assembly, which is held in September.
The highlights of Israel’s presentation will be its revolutionary patents that promote cooperative opportunities between Israeli industry and countries around the world. The companies that will present focus on the areas of water technologies, agriculture, social issues and more.
The Rashi Foundation, one of Israel’s leading foundations in the area of social sustainability, has been working for 35 years to reduce social inequality, is one of six Israeli organizations presenting.
"As an organization that specializes in developing social pilot programs and scaling them into sustainable solutions, we believe in sharing our knowledge and learning from others' experience,” CEO Michal Cohen told The Jerusalem Post. "Building capacity, pooling resources and managing knowledge are essential elements of our strategy for sustainability in closing social gaps and advancing equality of opportunity."
The foundation will present at the UN two of its recent social initiatives that are based on capacity-building models and can be duplicated in other countries to promote social sustainability.
Cohen also hopes that this opportunity for her company will change the meaning of “Start-up Nation,” by showing that there are other aspects to Israel’s innovation aside from technology.
“The opportunity presented to us by an important organization such as the United Nations can certainly help explain Israel differently than what is often presented in the media: a young state that works extensively in the social field and promotes innovative initiatives on topics other than technology and cyber,” Cohen said. “For the first time, the State of Israel, the start up nation, which is accustomed to introducing hi-tech at the forefront, is also putting innovative social initiatives on the international stage.”
The other organizations that will present include Smart Water Group, NUFiltration, Social Finance Israel (SFI), SupPlant and Hilico.
“Israel is the nation of innovation and development, and is meeting the UN goals,” Danon said. “The United Nations recognizes this fact, and the international community is greatly interested in the Israeli innovation that makes the world a better and more advanced place."