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Conference of Presidents Pays First Official Vist to South Africa
Presidents Conference and Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Leadership Delegations to Hold Strategic Meetings With South African Leadership and Jewish Community Leaders
Johannesburg, February 8, 2010 … A delegation of leaders from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the umbrella group for 52 national Jewish organizations, will pay its first official visit to South Africa beginning Monday, February 8th, announced Chairman Alan Solow and Executive Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein, who will lead the U.S. delegation. The 50 American participants representing the Conference’s member organizations will be joined by leaders of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), led by President Alexander Mashkevich and Secretary-General Mikhail Chlenov. The EAJC is the representative body of Jewish communities in the Euro-Asian region and maintains close ties to government leaders and national organizations.
The joint delegation will meet with South African government and African National Congress officials, civic and business leaders, in order to advance diplomatic and economic cooperation, as well as deepen the ties between the American Jewish community and South Africa, and with the local Jewish community. The program in South Africa is being coordinated by the South African Board of Jewish Deputies, led by Zev Krengel, Chairman, and Wendy Kahn, National Director.
The Jewish leaders expressed their eagerness to explore vital issues and mutual interests of South Africa and the Jewish communities. “We are confident that this important visit is a unique opportunity for meaningful high-level dialogues and look forward to an exchange of perspectives on important issues, including global and local terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, abuse of the United Nations and international courts for partisan political purposes as well as efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel, and advancing human rights, building democratic institutions and political stability.”
Each year for about two decades, prior to visiting Israel, the Conference of Presidents leadership has visited a region of special significance, including NATO and European Union headquarters in Brussels, and were guests of the leaders of Russia, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, and other nations.
From South Africa, the American leaders will fly to Jerusalem, for the 36th annual Conference of Presidents Israel Leadership Mission from February 16th to February 20th.
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