Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) was celebrated with flair in Vancouver, thanks in large part to an Israeli band called Mozaica. The group performed songs in Hebrew and kept the crowd moving. In addition, the night had all the fixings of an Independence Day ceremony; speeches, a moment of silence, and Hatikva, Israel’s national anthem.
All of that I expected. But I was surprised by two guests who were in attendance to show their support. Before the event began, it was announced that both Christy Clark (the Premier of British Columbia) and Gregor Robertson (the mayor of Vancouver) were in the audience. Not only did they sit and watch, both actually made a few short remarks. Clark said some nice words, hitting the standard Israel-is-an-amazing-country talking points and saying she was proud to be one of Israel’s “friends.”
But I was much more impressed with Robertson, who strayed from the cookie cutter words of support and delivered a thoughtful speech on the three things Vancouver could learn from Israel:
1) Multiculturalism can work: Israel is a country made up of and built by immigrants. This is notable because Vancouver shares a similar diversity, with many cultures living side by side.
2) Innovation is key: Israel’s heavy investment in research and development has been a driving force for its economy. Robertson said he would like to see more R&D in Vancouver, and that Israeli success is proof that innovation is paramount in this technological world.
3) Remember to celebrate: Robertson admired Israel’s constant celebration of its history and cultural pride. He felt Vancouverites should also be proud of their achievements and not hesitate to celebrate when necessary.
