70 Trees honour 70 Years of Friendship Between Israel & Thailand
On the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and Thailand, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) holds a ceremony to plant 70 trees in Ben Shemen Forest, in the presence of the Thai Ambassador and Israeli government representatives.
In Ben-Shemen Forest, KKL-JNF held a festive tree-planting ceremony marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Thailand on Tuesday.
Participating in the event were the Thai Ambassador to Israel, Pannabha Chandraramya; Israeli Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Avi Dichter; The KKL-JNF Chairwoman, Ifat Ovadia-Lusky; additional dignitaries from the Thai embassy; representatives from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and KKL-JNF officials.
Each of the 70 honoured guests planted a tree to symbolize the 70 years of friendship between the two countries.
The event was held in KKL-JNF’s Ben Shemen Forest in central Israel, next to the Thai Pagoda, a gift to the people of Israel from the people of Thailand in celebration of Israel's 50th Independence Day and the 50th anniversary of the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej’s ascension to the throne.
This pagoda is one of three in Israel and is designed as a traditional Thai temple, fashioned of wood and marble in shades of gold, red, and white.
A long-standing positive relationship exists between the Thai embassy and the KKL-JNF, which includes the maintenance of the pagoda and many joint events, such as a traditional Thai cooking competition held in Ben Shemen Forest, tree plantings on the Queen of Thailand's birthday, and tree plantings by official delegations, among other activities.
The KKL-JNF Chairwoman, Ifat Ovadia-Lusky, who spoke at the ceremony, said: "A warm and genuine friendship exists between the two nations and Thailand's loyalty to Israel is appreciated and welcomed. Today, we are proud to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Thailand. Together with Ambassador Chandraramya, we planted 70 trees to celebrate this festive occasion and to symbolize a further flourishing of relations in the future.
Minister of Agriculture Avi Dichter: "70 years of diplomatic relations between the State of Israel and Thailand symbolize the deep-rooted ties of friendship that have become an integral part of the lives of both peoples. As the Minister of Agriculture of the State of Israel, I am delighted by the strong bond between the countries. The contribution of Thai foreign workers to Israeli agriculture cannot be overstated. Their dedication and multitude of skills have played a vital role in promoting the growth and prosperity of Israeli agriculture. Over the years, these workers have become an inseparable part of us. With the outbreak of war, foreign workers were murdered, injured, and abducted. The enemy made no distinction between our blood and theirs, and our fate was tied to the fate of the Thai workers."
The Thai Ambassador, Pannabha Chandraramya, said of her choice to mark the occasion with the planting of trees together with KKL-JNF: "I know how significant for the Jewish people the connection between Man and soil is, which is most beautifully expressed by planting a tree. I felt that the planting of 70 trees to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations would be the most meaningful and moving way to commemorate this historical event."
The tree plantings took place on a hill overlooking the Ben Shemen Forest and the surrounding hills, in an area that had sustained fire damage about six years ago. To this day, KKL-JNF has been working to restore the forest, combat invasive species, encourage natural regeneration, and now, is also planting new trees.
