Organizations, individuals honored for promoting principles of Abraham Accords

Dozens of ambassadors and diplomats attended an Ambassadors’ Club of Israel event on Saturday night marking six years of the Abraham Accords, where organizations and individuals were honored for promoting civilian cooperation across the region, according to the organizers.

The event, titled “Voices from the Field,” was held in partnership with the Israel–Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ViaCity – The Center for City Diplomacy. It focused on initiatives connecting communities, local authorities, businesses, and religious leaders.

The US-brokered Abraham Accords established diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in September 2020. Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel later that year.

Ambassador Yitzhak Eldan, the club’s president and founder, said civilian initiatives were essential to sustaining the relationships the agreements opened.

“Thanks to the contribution of the organizations the club honored this evening, and many other civilian and private initiatives, the Abraham Accords are taking tangible form on the ground, and the ties created through them continue to strengthen and deepen,” he said.

Implementing the spirit of the Abraham Accords in their daily work

Among those honored were Moran Burstein and Einat Levi, co-founders of ViaCity, which helps local authorities develop international partnerships, including links between Israeli and Moroccan municipalities.

Prof. Daniel Rouach, vice president of the Israel–Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was recognized for the chamber’s work connecting the two countries’ business sectors.

The recipients also included Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen and Rabbi Dr. Aharon Ariel Lavi, president and CEO, respectively, of the Jerusalem Interfaith Center. The center brings together religious leaders, researchers, educators and civil society figures from Israel, the Middle East and elsewhere to develop interfaith cooperation.

Tom Vizel, founder and executive director of WeAreMENA, was honored for the network’s work connecting young people and community leaders across the Middle East and North Africa. Stav Bar Shany, co-creator of Women Champions for Change, was recognized for the initiative’s work bringing together women leading social change across the region.

Itsik Kamilian, the club’s CEO, said this year’s event sought to draw diplomats’ attention to the people implementing the agreements through their daily work.

“This year, under the title ‘Voices from the Field,’ we chose to put the spotlight on the organizations and people working every day to translate the peace agreements into tangible connections between people, communities and nations,” he said.

The evening also featured a joint performance by Moroccan musician Anas Belhachmi, who traveled to Israel for the event, and Israeli musician Eilon Berger.

Levi said the gathering highlighted cooperation that had continued despite the regional crisis.

“Many people are unaware of the extensive work that has continued in recent years, even amid the regional crisis,” she said. “The event brought a message of hope: that the future of our region continues to be written by people who choose, day after day, to keep building bridges.”