President of Austria plants tree in Grove of Nations

Austrian President Van der Bellen arrived with a delegation of over 50 members, including his wife, H.E. Ms. Doris Schmidauer.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: FEBRUARY 5, 2019 06:06
President of Austria, H.E. Dr. Alexander Van Der Bellen and his wife H.E. Ms. Doris Schmidauer planting a tree at the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem (photo credit: AVI HAYUN/KKL-JNF)
President of Austria, H.E. Dr. Alexander Van Der Bellen and his wife H.E. Ms. Doris Schmidauer planting a tree at the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem
(photo credit: AVI HAYUN/KKL-JNF)
Austrian President Van der Bellen arrived with a delegation of over 50 members, including his wife, H.E. Ms. Doris Schmidaue to Jeruslem on Monday to a formal planting ceremony hosted by Keren Kayemet LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF). The event took place at the Grove of Nations where over 100 past and present leaders from around the world have planted a tree throughout the years as a symbol of friendship, peace and continuity.
The Austrian delegation included the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research; the Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs; the Ambassador of Austria to the state of Israel; Israel’s Ambassador to Austria; and the President of the Jewish Community in Vienna, Mr. Oskar Deutsch.
President Van der Bellen spoke of the symbolic meaning of planting a tree and an Olive tree especially, “I am honored to be the 109th leader to plant a tree in the Grove of Nations and become part of this tradition. Planting a tree provides future generations with something that will succeed us when we are gone; may this tree I plant in the state of Israel grow in peace and serenity.”