His Excellency George Weah took part in a formal planting ceremony in Jerusalem, according to a report by Keren Kayemet L’Israel-Jewish National Fund. The planting was part of his official presidential visit. Weah is the 112th leader from around the world to plant a tree in Jerusalem as a symbol of peace, friendship and continuity.
“On behalf of our government, we are very honored to be in Israel today,” said Weah. “We have seen so much during our time here, and what we saw today is so amazing. I hope Israel will have the peace that they are yearning for.”
The tradition of planting a tree dates back to Jewish values from scriptures that are still held today in Israel, which is one of the only countries in the world with more trees today than it had 100 years ago, according to KKL-JNF. The organization has helped plant more than 240 million trees in Israel over the years.