Bavaria’s Dr. Herrmann in Israel

The journey’s focus laid upon innovation and start-ups. Dr. Herrmann held talks with important representatives from the fields of business and technology and paid a visit the “Start Up Nation Central”. Minister of State Dr. Florian Herrmann as per statement below: “A highly innovative start-up scene makes Tel Aviv one of the leading and most vibrant high-tech cities in the world. Especially in the areas of Digital Health, Fintech, Cybersecurity and Industry 4.0, Israel is one of the driving forces of the digital future. We would like to intensify the exchange in this area and mutually benefit from our experience. With our offices in the heart of downtown Tel Aviv in the co-working space “Mindspace” the office of the Free State of Bavaria is located in the heart of the lively start-up scene of the city.”

During the trip Dr. Herrmann encountered participants of the “New Kibbutz Programme”. In the latter programme, young students from Bavaria and other federal states can complete internships lasting several months in Israeli companies or start-ups in the fields of high-tech, IT or life sciences. The Free State of Bavaria supports this offer of the German-Israeli Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

As part of a political salon in Tel Aviv, the Minister of State partook in a panel discussion on “Bavaria and Israel: Common values, common challenges”. Minister of State Dr. Florian Herrmann: “Bavaria and Israel have many things in common. We live the essential values of a democratic society. Israel and Bavaria are highly innovative countries which, despite their modernity, also live their traditions and customs. We are therefore ideal partners.” Other discussion participants include Dan Shaham (former Consul General of the State of Israel in Munich) as well as Julia Obermeier (representative of the Hanns Seidl Foundation in Israel and the Palestinian Autonomous Territories).

In Jerusalem, Minister of State Dr. Herrmann commemorated the victims of the Holocaust in Yad Vashem and lay a wreath on behalf of the Free State of Bavaria. In his words: “It is a special, personal concern of mine to visit Yad Vashem. The terrible crimes of the Nazi era must never be forgotten, or relativised – that is our responsibility. We must do everything we can to ensure that such forces can never grow again in Germany. As a believing Christian it is incomprehensible for me when other people are hostile, persecuted or even murdered because of their faith”.