"There is no comparison between the terrorists and those who seek to protect themselves from terrorism. Anyone who calls for the destruction of Israel is committing a crime against humanity," said Magdi Alam, acting editor of the Corriere de la Serra, who defines himself as a secular Muslim
Magdi Alam
The Dan David Prize will now be awarded alternately in Paris and Tel Aviv. This was announced at an event held this evening (Sunday) at Tel Aviv University. So far, in its five years of existence, the prestigious award has been handed out in Tel Aviv. The prize, donated by the Dan David Foundation, is awarded to winners in three dimensions of time: past, present and future - one million dollars per dimension. This is because the French government entered as a partner in the management of the award committee. However, the president of Tel Aviv University said that the prize will be administered from Israel, but every two years it will be distributed in France. "It is very good for Persia and also good for the university and also for relations between Israel and France. In recent years there has been an improvement in relations and the possibility of holding the ceremony in Paris will be a new step in relations between Israel and France." The founder of the award, Dan David, also said similar things.
State President Moshe Katsav, who was the guest of honor at the ceremony, said that he wishes to once again praise Oni Tha and Dan David, who have succeeded in making the Dan David Awards one of the main awards in the science community and the international community in just a few years, because the recipients of the award are reputable people who have gained international resonance and the reason The second - the awards are given in original and unique fields. And therefore Dan David deserves to be praised for his mobilization for the preservation of the past, the stability of the present and the development of a better future for humanity. We in Israel connect the three periods in human history and there is no other nation that can talk in such a close connection about a glorious heritage from the past and expectations and hope for the future.
"You, the recipients of the award, receive certificates of recognition for the expression you gave to the legacy of the past, for improving the present and for the attitude towards the future. In the hands of the people of science, spirit, art, journalists, they have the key to quality of life, they have the key to ensure that the members of the human race live according to the universal human values in freedom and without fear. Unfortunately, the last few years have been difficult years for the human race. The key to a better future is in the hands of the recipients of the award. I am especially proud of the recipients of the award in the field of the fight against cancer. Humanity invests inexhaustible resources in this field and humanity has succeeded in the last hundred years and also in the last decade in a wide variety of fields, especially infectious diseases, to eradicate those diseases and bring a balm to humanity. I hope that the two recipients of the award will be able to convey good news to humanity. Each of the recipients of the award speaks a different language and they come from a different corner of the world and each in their own special style can ensure world peace.
Dan David: "As I recall, we announced the distribution of the prize here on the campus of Tel Aviv University in May 2001. Today we celebrate the fifth year of the awarding of the prize - the first two in the future tense won the Nobel Prize six months later. And there have been many exciting moments since then" (and here he listed some of the winners who brought special exhibits or who had something happen to them after receiving the award). "The central idea of the award is the dimension of time. Also this year, the prize winners continue to present the maximum achievements reached by humanity in understanding the past, building the present and dreaming about the future. Prof. Mendelsohn and Schlesinger dream of a future where medicine will finally defeat cancer. Journalists built democracy day by day in their countries. Yoyo Ma - connects 20 countries along the Silk Road.
I can't do without the past, the present and the future. "
"One of the signs of globalization is the agreement signed in February between the Dan David Foundation and the French government. In March 2007 - the ceremony will take place in Paris. This sharing will be the first step in relations between Israel and France. Conferences and exhibitions will be organized in Tel Aviv and at the same time. The award winners will dedicate 10% of the award and we will also offer high school students along with 600 articles they wrote about their favorite hero or their favorite field. In 50 years and in 500 years, a person will stand up who will address the audience and remind them of what humanity has achieved and how the award encouraged and promoted these achievements year after year."
The French ambassador in Tel Aviv brought the words of Jean Dawsonville, advisor for cultural affairs in the French government: "It is an honor for the French Republic to receive the ceremony of awarding the Dan David Prize every second year with Tel Aviv University. The Minister of Culture and Communications wanted to come himself to this ceremony but was prevented from doing so because of the Cannes Film Festival, which is one of the most important moments in cultural life in France. I would like to tell you on his behalf how much the authorities in France and the world of culture and the scientific community in France see the honor bestowed upon them. At the same time with the responsibility falling on the shoulders of France, Israel and Uni' TA we will be able to increase the importance of the Do David Prize. The first ceremony will take place on March 08, 2007 at the Opera Garnier. As those who were in Tel Aviv this week know, France has started a French season in Israel. Although the event created the biggest traffic jams in Israel's history. This is not France's responsibility. In any case, the opening of the season was completed with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France. There is evidence in this from those responsible in France to improve the relations between France and Israel, the improvement of the political dialogue and also the improvement of the relations between the two societies in the field of culture, in the field of universities and especially in the field that concerns us which we appreciate the importance of. We also put our hearts into the organization of this ceremony. We know about the prestige of this ceremony and we know that the ceremonies in Paris will also be done in the same form of friendship and competition."
The recipient of the award for the dimension of the past is the cellist Yoyo, which, according to the award committee, built bridges of appreciation between cultures. I learned that in music one of the most important things is that we always go towards something, go to the past to see the way to go towards the future to know it and live in the present of which we know so much but there is still much to know. "
"I think that music is extremely important in the world. The economy is an important thing, but the engine of culture is also a very important thing because you can actually go through the tunnel of time. To some extent when people say East, West, Persia, Greece, Britain - it means there is a barrier. I don't think western or non-western but listen to music - a sound, a note and even more than that - an expression so I try to think what I'm trying to express. We must create a system that comes from the heart that will be permanent and stable."
"It is an honor for me to receive the award and I am proud to share it with the musicians, team members and members of the board of trustees of the Silk Road project. And kudos to Anbal for bridging the generations. Cultural heritage is never the property of a single person or a single people. The part that I played the Servant from Bach's Suite No. 5 - the melody originated in North Africa, in Spain it became a dance full of lust, and in France it was changed and became a dance in the royal court. It does not belong to one particular culture. The sarband became part of the heritage in Israel. Rabbi Pablo Kezeltz chose to play for Golda Meir in the documentary - Music in Jerusalem. Kezeltz - a Catalan musician presented to the Prime Minister of Israel a piece by a German composer based on a tune that came from North Africa to Europe."
"Through the Silk Road project, we not only learn about new traditions but also know better about our own traditions. When the International Fair was held in Paris in 1889, composers Debussy and Rovel were exposed to the Prita Miawa instrument. This morning the members of the project and myself arrived in Tel Aviv from Baku. Our trip to Baku was for a similar purpose to that of Debussy and Ravel. We met the actor Elim Kazimov, one of the greatest artists of Mojam - the classical music of Azerbaijan. With his help we got to know this music.
There is no better place to hold this event than in Israel. A society with ancient traditions and modern ideas and people from all cultures.. Israel is an expression of the Silk Road and shows that the more we enrich the experience of the past, the more we enrich the future. Today, many cities around the world contain populations from different origins. I am required thanks to the foundation - we can teach the world heritage of the Silk Road - in Chicago. I would like to thank Mr. David and the Foundation for the award."
In the area of the present time, four journalists from different parts of the world who fought for democracy in their countries and around the world won the award jointly: Magdi Alam, acting editor of "Corriere de la Serra" from Italy, Monica Gonzalez, journalist and writer from Chile, Adam Michnik - editor of "Gazetta Vibrosa" in Poland, and Gounon Muhammad, founder and editor of the newspaper "Tempo" from Indonesia.
Magdi Alam spoke on behalf of the winners in a speech that surprised even the most patriots in the hall: "I am honored to receive the award as an Italian of Egyptian origin, a Muslim but with a secular outlook and way of life. "The nihilistic ideology that denies Israel its right is exactly the same ideology that murdered Jews, Christians, and Muslims all over the world. The value of life is for all or none. The recent events in the Middle East have taught us that people start attacking Jews and then Christians and then secular Muslims who are accused of treason. Until the terrorists justify the murder of any Muslim who does not accept the ideology of extreme Islam."
"Even if all the killers are Muslim, most of the victims are Muslim. Terrorism is unjust and always violent and not reactive. We must say in Rish Gali that terrorism, because it prevents the lives of others, cannot stand side by side with the victims of terrorism who defend their right to live. It is time for the world community to consider Muslim terrorism as a crime against humanity"
"Every country should see the negation of Israel's right and the threat to destroy Israel as a crime against humanity.
We must understand that there is a war going on between the global Muslim terrorism which denies our right to live and be sons of Horim, there is no time to compromise on the values of life, there is no time to make concessions on the right of the State of Israel to exist, only if we stand for the right of the State of Israel to exist can we stand for the right of every Another person for life. This is the reason why Israel today is divided between civilization and barbarism, between the culture of life and the culture of death, between good and evil. Today more than in the past. All those who want a Palestinian state must first of all strengthen Israel's right to exist. Today more than ever those people who sincerely want a state - the western civilized world must affirm Israel's right to exist. All those who want a unified global civilization must affirm Israel's right to exist."
"We, the recipients of the present time award in 2006, say thank you Israel. We love Israel. We are all Israelis. We say, Long live Israel," and he chose to end his words with the Hebrew phrase 'Am Yisrael Hai'.
