Ambassador of the State of Israel at Catholic University of Lublin: meetings of Israelis and Poles are very much needed

Dialogue and meetings between young people from Israel and Poland are the key to building understanding between our nations, stressed Yacov Livne, Ambassador of Israel to Poland, who met with the students and faculty of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin on June 21. We are called to build bridges of mutual understanding and close the communication gap, emphasized the diplomat.

At the beginning of the meeting, Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski said he was looking forward to the forthcoming cooperation with the Embassy of the State of Israel in Poland and academic centres in Israel. He announced the creation of The Abraham Joshua Heschel Centre at the Catholic University of Lublin. – The Centre seeks to build bridges and develop Polish-Israeli research and cultural cooperation – stressed Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski.

Ambassador Yacov Livne highlighted Poland’s significant role in the history of the Jewish people: A thousand years of living together on Polish soil is the cornerstone of our present and future cooperation (...) We should work together to solve the problems that Poland, Israel and all of Europe are currently facing. Challenges open up new opportunities. Responding to these challenges is our task.

– A lack of respect between parties who do not understand each other is the root of many conflicts. My people have experienced this very strongly. Our main task is to build bridges - bridges of mutual understanding, bridges of communication. This is the answer to the challenges we are going to face in the future – added the ambassador.

– It is much easier to distort history when we do not know our own past and that of our neighbours. It is therefore our responsibility to conduct thorough research and to learn from history based on facts – indicated Yacov Livne, highlighting the value of academic collaboration.

– Meetings of young Poles and Israelis constitute an investment in our common future. The future of our mutual relations is in their hands – he pointed out.

The visit of the Ambassador of the State of Israel to Poland to the Catholic University of Lublin is a stepping stone of an ongoing cooperation. The Catholic University of Lublin plans to open The Abraham Joshua Heschel Centre, which will carry out joint educational and cultural projects addressed to Jewish and Polish youth. The first meeting between the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski and Ambasador Yacov Livne took place on 13 May 2022 in the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw. Yacov Livne has served as the Israeli Ambassador to Poland since 28 February 2022.