Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is scheduled to give the closing address to the Jerusalem International Conference 2010, featuring a delegation of over sixty Latin American lawmakers and other public figures.  The AMISRAEL organization is hosting the annual event, providing a forum in Jerusalem in which leaders from across Latin America can come to show support for Israel and engage in practical discussions with their Israeli counterparts.

Barkat’s speech follows four days of Knesset meetings and panel discussions, which have included several government ministers, Knesset Members representing parties across the political spectrum, media professionals, and other public figures such as Noam Shalit and Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger Shlita.  This year’s conference, taking place June 7th-10th, focused on the Iranian nuclear program, captive soldier Gilad Shalit, and more than any other topic, the controversy over last week’s flotilla and the Gaza blockade.

AMISRAEL established the Jerusalem International Conference as a key annual event bringing government ministers, legislative and judicial officials, and academic leaders from across the continent together to mobilize support for peace and general humanitarian values.  While the annual conference has been known in recent years as the largest gathering of Latin American politicians in Israel, the event this year is distinguished by attracting the participation of several European delegates as well.

AMISRAEL has drawn broad and high-profile support for the 2010 Jerusalem International Conference as well as its year-round activities in Latin America, providing a venue for political and public debate on the growing threats to peace on the Middle East, in particular Iran’s progressing nuclear program and hostile rhetoric directed against Israel.  As Latin America has been perceived as a pro-Iranian bloc on this divisive issue, AMISRAEL and the delegates have come to demonstrate to the world that this is not the case.

“We are truly grateful to see the growing regional and global support demonstrated this year at the 2010 Jerusalem International Conference,” said Dr. William Soto, International Director and Founder of AMISRAEL.  “It is reassuring to see that so many world leaders have come together to address these very important issues, based on a spirit of cooperation and on our shared values.”

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)