Last Thursday, the Foreign Ambassadors Club in Israel held its "Diplomat of the Year" ceremony in which the "Ambassador of the Year" and "Honorary Consul of the Year" annual awards for excellence were given. This year, for the first time, an award for excellence was given in a new category - promoting international business foreign relations for Israel. The award was given to Israeli businessman Teddy Sagi.
The award ceremony, which is traditionally held at the Herzliya Marina, in the "ambassadors' city," was sponsored by the Herzliya Municipal Company for Tourist Development and was attended by Herzliya Mayor Moshe Fadlon, Herzliya Municipal Company for Tourist Development Chairman Ofra Bell, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely and dozens of foreign ambassadors, diplomats and businesspeople.
EU Ambassador to Israel Emanuele Giaufret received the "Ambassador of the Year" award for excellence. Ambassador Giaufret was appointed EU Ambassador to Israel 18 months ago and is considered to be a very dominant ambassador who is highly involved in Israeli public life. Ambassador Giaufret thanked the Ambassadors Club in Israel and the Club's President Ambassador Yitzhak Eldan: "I praise this organization for everything that it gives us diplomats in feeling at home in Israel and for their work as ambassadors of good will for their countries. This prize is significant for me in that it reflects the reality of the deep and important relations between the EU and Israel. The difference of options that exist on certain issues cannot and do not need to overshadow our overall relationship on many subjects that are so productive for the EU and for Israel. In my day-to-day work, I see how much appreciation and cooperation there is, and a desire among Israelis to move even closer to the EU and to Europe. This prize is an encouragement to all those who want to see closer and warmer relations between us."
The "Honorary Consul of the Year" award was won by the Honorary Consul of Lithuania and President of the Industry and Trade Club, Amnon Dotan. 75 year-old Dotan has an impressive record in developing the Israeli economy. He has served as Chairman of the Federation of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce in Israel, Chairman of the Israel-Britain Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of Readymix and Chairman of Nesher Cement. Dotan has been the Honorary Consul for Lithuania in Israel since 2008 and for him the appointment by the Lithuanian government has very special significance due to the fact that all his parents' families, on both sides, were born in Lithuania, and perished in the Holocaust.
International businessman Teddy Sagi took the first-ever award of excellence for promoting international business foreign relations for Israel. Sagi said in his address that the British economy and the EU economy were dependent on each other and expressed his hope for a solution on the issue of Brexit and that both sides would be a little more flexible. The Deputy UK Ambassador described Sagi as a living legend in Britain.
The Ambassadors Club in Israel is a non-political, not-for-profit, and independent organization for foreign ambassadors serving in Israel, dozens of honorary consuls and honorary members. The aim of the organization is to promote links between the members of the diplomatic community and Israeli society. Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 21, 2019
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