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19/12/2006
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Argov Fellows Program in Diplomacy for Students Launched
Named after the late ambassador, Shlomo Argov. Son, Gideon, founder of the program, on hand for opening ceremony
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They are the cream of the crop at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya's Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy & Strategy. Now those students are learning about the challenges of representing Israel both at home and abroad.
That's all thanks to "The Argov Fellows Program", a new initiative launched by IDC Herzliya this year. The program, named after the late Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Argov, who was shot and critically wounded by terrorists in London in 1982. The assassination attempt was one of the key triggers to the first Lebanese war. Argov's son, Gideon, founded the program and flew in from the U.S. for the opening ceremony which took place in Monday night at the IDC campus.
Several active dignitaries to Israel, including the ambassadors from Poland, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ethiopia and Moldova and the council from Kenya were on hand for the event. Former Israeli ambassadors were also in attendance, including Ambassador Avi Primor, the Director of the Center for European Studies at IDC Herzliya who moderated the event's panel.
IDC Herzliya's President, Prof. Amnon Rubinstein called the program "An important step to help refute the constant lies being told about the state of Israel abroad."
IDC's Founding President Prof. Uriel Reichman said of the program: "This is a perfect example of people taking responsibility to keep the Jewish state alive. This group of students will help strengthen Israel's diplomatic ties". The Dean of the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy & Strategy, Prof. Rafi Melnick, called the program "the essence of IDC Herzliya a flower that will continue to grow."
Gideon Argov asked the students to imagine they are in a relay race and that his father, Shlomo, has given them the first baton in that race. He assured them his father would be proud of all of them. Jacco Levits, one of the fellows soon after assured him, that they would not drop that baton along the way.
The Argov Fellows consists of 19 outstanding seniors at IDC Herzliya's Lauder School of Government and is run by its Academic Director, Dr. Alisa Rubin Peled. In addition to trips abroad which will allow them to interact with dignitaries in Europe and the U.S., special classes have been designed to train them in the ways of diplomacy.
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