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By Itzhak Rabihiya

President Reuven Rivlin met today, (Tuesday 18 June), with the winners of Moona’s 2019 A Space for Change competition. Moona is a regional initiative which gives practical experience in advanced technology and promotes social and economic advancement in northern Israel through cooperation between people of different cultural backgrounds. The end of the annual learning process is marked by an annual competition between participants from all over the country - Jewish, Arab, Druze and Bedouin students. The event was attended by Moona’s founder Asaf Brimer, chair of the organization Avrum Burg and its representatives.

"When I was your age, the word ‘drone’ meant something very different. We didn’t even dream about them, or perhaps they were in sci-fi movies. I suspect that people had told me about 'escape rooms,' I would certainly have run away from them," the president began and told the young people who won the competition for the year 2019 that he was very excited to meet them.

Moona’s chairman, Avrum Burg, told the president that in the word Moona contains the Arabic words "moon and wish". Together, they are the essence of the program that enables each participant to dream and fulfill, no matter where they come from. "Here in this room you are representatives of schoolchildren and teachers from all over Israel who close their eyes to every detail of their identity apart from being human beings. There are many dreams here in the room, and there is nothing more natural and exciting for us than to meet you, the man who dreams and does every day. Thank you for receiving us in the month of mourning for Nechama," said Burg, and the President replied with a sad smile," She would kill me if I even thought of canceling. "

The president also said: "Today, drones and escape rooms are ways for you to better understand STEM subjects - mathematics, science, engineering, and technology. I am very excited to hear that there are a thousand students involved in a program that creates space, whether you are from the north or south of the country, Jews or Arabs, boys or girls - a space that has no preconceptions, does not look at differences, where what that matters are your skills, your efforts and your ability to work together."

The team that won first place in the drone category was a group of girls from the Hashmonaim School in Bat Yam, who entered the project with great apprehension. The group is part of a program called "Breaking the glass ceiling - all Israel are friends".

Asaf Brimer, CEO and founder of Moona said: "This morning we gathered at Beit HaNasi together with the teachers and students of Moona educational programs who were winners of the Moona Challenge national competition and the Moona Quest national escape room competition. Moona’s team of instructors who developed the ‘Blue-White’ educational program and run throughout the year is a multicultural team from Majd al-Krum, who believed that innovation and technology can bridge gaps and empower future generations. The talented students have come from all over the country - Yeruham and Daburia, Tel Aviv and Sheikh Dadon, Arabs and Jews together. This is proof that together with knowledge, skills and technological capabilities, we can create a common future.

Attached photo credit: Mark Neiman (GPO)