On June 28, 2022,
Professor David Harel, President of The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and Professor Gerald Haug, President of
the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, signed a renewed agreement for the strategic partnership between the two national academies. The signing ceremony took place at the opening of
7th symposium on Neuroscience in Jerusalem, which is organized jointly since 2009. Mr. Jörg Walendy, Deputy German Ambassador to the State of Israel, also attended the signing ceremony.
“The unique ties between the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and Leopoldina are special and outstanding in character, and are of special significance, both on personal and scientific-professional levels”, said Professor Harel in his opening greeting. “We are happy that the interdisciplinary combination existing in our Academy is expressed in this joint series of symposia as well”.
Professor Haug emphasized in his greeting that “The Leopoldina believes in the wonderful partnership with the Israel Academy, and we will continue to work relentlessly to deepen it into a true strategic partnership. One that is based on shared values, principles and ideals, on excellence and freedom of research and innovation, and on trust.”
During Professor Haug’s stay in Israel, he visited the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center together with Professor Harel and laid a wreath at the Tent of Remembrance. The two presidents lit the memorial flame jointly, and signed Yad Vashem’s guestbook.
From L-R: Professor Gerald Haug, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Professor David Harel, President of The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Mr. Jörg Walendy, Deputy German Ambassador to the State of Israel
From L-R: Professor Haug and Professor Harel in Yad Vashem
From L-R: Professor Harel and Professor Haug in Yad Vashem
Professor Haug was interested in hearing about the activities carried out by the Israel Academy concerning climate change, and so met with members of
the Academy’s Climate Committee and members of
the Israel Young Academy. Additional meetings were also held at the Weizmann Institute of Science with President Professor Alon Chen and at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology with President Professor Uri Sivan, discussing a variety of topics, including basic and applied research, science policy, scientific advice, climate, energy and others. Professor Haug also visited the Leon H. Charney School for Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa, where he learned about geosciences and marine research in Israel, an area close to his own professional focus.