City Notes: Global cannabis summit paints Tel Aviv green

A round up of news from around the nation.

By COMPILEDJULIE STEIGERWALD
Updated: MARCH 13, 2016 10:20
Cannabis (photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
Cannabis
(photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
CENTER
Israel’s first international summit for accelerating cannabis innovation took place this week in Tel Aviv.
Industry leaders and experts in the fields of medicine, science, patient care, regulation, investment and entrepreneurship were among those who gathered for the CannaTech 2016 conference.
The Israeli pioneer in the field of medical cannabis, Hebrew University professor of medicinal chemistry Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, gave the keynote address at the summit.
Lecturers and attendees sought to define the foundation of the emerging cannabis industry as well as explore the regulatory and legal issues surrounding the new market.
Israeli cannabis research and innovation were also highlighted by local experts and industry players. Wednesday’s events culminated with the CannaTech Pitch Event, in which a number of contestants pitched innovative ideas related to the cannabis industry to a panel of experts.
Israeli drag queen promotes TA Pride in Berlin
In a move to reach out to Germany’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and promote Tel Aviv’s Gay Pride Parade in June, an Israeli drag queen, Arieh Oshri, was a central fixture at the Tourism Ministry’s stand at a travel trade show in Berlin this week.
For the first time, Israel’s exhibition stand at the ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin featured the vibrant entertainer, who attended the five-day event that began Wednesday in the German capital. Some 180 Israelis participated in the event and operated the country’s exhibition booth, which spanned over 690 square meters. More than 11,000 r epresentatives from some 180 countries took part in the trade show, which catered to around 180,000 visitors.
“Tourism to Israel has become cheaper and more attractive. This year at the show we will display the range of possibilities for today’s tourist who wants to take a break from the snow in Europe,” said ministry directory-general Amir Halevi.
SOUTH
22 residents on Gaza periphery join MDA
Twenty-two residents of southern communities in the Gaza periphery have recently completed an emergency medical technician course and become Magen David Adom ambulance drivers, MDA announced last week.
The volunteer paramedics will operate ambulances in the Netivot, Beersheba and Zohar areas.
The trainees from the Eshkol Regional Council came mostly from the local agriculture and poultry industry. Many graduates of the course noted the recurrent flare-ups of violence emanating from the Gaza Strip as a reason for joining the national rescue organization.
“In such a sensitive area the task of saving lives is much more complex and intense than in other parts of the country,” said MDA Negev regional director Itzik Alfasi at the volunteers’ graduation ceremony.
“It is exciting to see so many residents who want to take part in the mission of saving lives and helping MDA in the region during routine times and emergencies.”
Fishermen nabbed in prohibited waters off Ashkelon coast
Four fisherman who entered waters prohibited for security reasons off the coast of Ashkelon were arrested last Thursday in a joint operation by police, IDF forces, the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company and the Agriculture Ministry.
The four were allegedly retrieving fishing nets cast days before in the vicinity and failed to heed calls by security personnel when they began to flee with their boats.
Following a chase, the fishermen were arrested and taken in for questioning. The boats belonging to the four were subsequently confiscated for a term of six months.
“These days, when the security situation is so sensitive, their irresponsible actions could have ended in disaster,” police said.
NORTH
Downtown Haifa heralds International Women’s Day
Hundreds of women attended events in downtown Haifa on Tuesday in a show of empowerment to mark International Women’s Day.
The event featured lectures by female leaders in various fields, workshops, performances and giveaways in honor of the day that marks the achievements of women. Attendees were welcome to enjoy various beauty, styling and health treatments. A workshop lead by Noff Otmana Ismail, the winner of Israel’s fourth season of the reality cooking show Master Chef, was among the featured culinary presenters.
The free event, held at the initiative of the Haifa Municipality, featured some seven presenters. Popular entertainer Orna Banai took the stage for a stand-up performance in a comedic end to the evening.
Galilee artists to show wares at Acre museum
A gathering of female artists and designers from the Galilee region is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday at Acre’s Treasures in the Walls Museum.
The fourth annual event taking place in honor of this week’s International Women’s Day is due to feature a range of artists from varying fields of expertise, among them ceramics, wovens, textiles and mosaics.
During the weekend’s “Women Creating Between the Walls” fair, each artist will be assigned to a designated stand where they can display their goods and place them on sale.