Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) recently hosted the major seminar “30 under 30,” dedicated to the 30th anniversary of independence for the Republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan - and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and these countries.
The auditorium overflowed with diplomats, students and 30 influential delegates under 30 who are making an indelible imprint in the arenas of business, entrepreneurship, travel, education, art, finance, and government in their respective countries.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs chose HIT to host the Seminar in recognition of the Institute’s extensive academic activities in the region. HIT’s engagement with Euro-Asian countries represents not only its own vision of serving as a bridge between cultures and peoples, but also a strategic interest of the State of Israel, which wishes to enhance its relations with these moderate Muslim countries, which provided a welcome and safe refuge for Jews fleeing the horrors of the Holocaust.
HIT’s President, Prof. Eduard Yakubov noted that “the establishment of relations between Israel and the Euro-Asian countries is vital to Israel, not only diplomatically, but even more so, in areas of collaboration representing the academy – industry – society connection, which is HIT’s institutional hallmark."
In his keynote lecture on “The Role of The Central Asian Countries in the Current Geopolitical Reality”, H.E. Mr. Satybaldy Burshakov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Israel, noted that the cooperation between Israel and Kazakhstan is of a unique and significant nature.” He went on to speak of the fruitful cooperation between the two countries, and especially the role of HIT in helping to develop the Euro-Asia region through shared knowledge and engagement.
Academic potential of Central Asia
Mr. Shukur Raupov, Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Israel, remarked on the huge academic potential of the Central Asian region, as well as the collaboration currently taking place on the HIT campus. He referred to a landmark program launched by HIT in which 50 students from top universities in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are currently completing their B.Sc. degrees in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at HIT.
Accompanying the seminar was a photo exhibition demonstrating the touristic potential of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the screening of a documentary film about the countries and a showcase of HIT’s STEMM’s conferences and participation in Global Entrepreneur Weeks, which took place in Uzbekistan.