Caravan for Democracy Visit to Colorado State Promotes Dialogue on Mid-East

Note to Editors: Mark Regev will be available from 3-4 p.m. March 24 for media interviews. Call June Greist at (970) 491-1194 to set up an interview or to receive an electronic photo of Regev.

Mark Regev, chief spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., will speak at Colorado State University at 7 p.m. March 24 in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center. Regev will discuss the shared values of freedom and democracy that connect Israel and the United States as well as the challenges Israel faces as the only democracy in the Middle East.

The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is recommended. To register, visit www.caravanfordemocracy.org. Registration also will be taken at the door beginning at 6:30 p.m. Participants should bring a photo ID to the event. As follow-up to the event, students and community members will have access to information through the Web site as well as mailings and position papers by leading policy makers and analysts.

The talk is part of Caravan for Democracy, an initiative of Jewish National Fund, or JNF; Media Watch International, or MWI; and Hamagshimim to bring speakers representing a wide spectrum of political and philosophical thought from Israel to college campuses throughout the United States. Colorado State is one of 24 campuses selected this semester.

Combining the knowledge and resources of these three leading organizations concerned with Israel, Caravan for Democracy encourages critical thinking about the issues affecting Israel, how Israel is covered in the media and Israel’s unique role in the region. Initial funding for the project was provided by MWI board member Jay Schottenstein and JNF President Ronald S. Lauder.

"It is important for students in the United States to understand that Israel and the United States have a unique bond based on their shared values of democracy and freedom, and that both countries face the continued threat of terrorism and must be unified in protecting the rights of their citizens," said Lauder. "Like the United States, Israel is a democracy, and its citizens enjoy the same rights, protections and responsibilities as Americans."

"By providing information and analysis, we are enabling American college students to contextualize and understand Israel from a democratic perspective and thereby hope to create a movement of support for Israel as a democracy," said Schottenstein.

Regev served in various positions at the Foreign Ministry beginning in 1991, including deputy chief of mission at the consulate general in Hong Kong, spokesman at the embassy in Beijing and at the Foreign Ministry’s Jordan division. Prior to joining the Foreign Ministry, Regev taught international relations and strategy at the Israel Defense Forces’ Staff College. Regev received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science at Melbourne University, Australia. Regev holds a master’s degree in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as well as a master of science in management from Boston University.

Caravan for Democracy is working with student leaders on each campus to help run and organize the events. At Colorado State, Students for C.H.A.I., or Cultural and Historical Awareness of Israel, and Hillel are organizing Regev’s visit.

"Mark Regev will be able to provide students here with a perspective of how they are connected to students in Israel by demonstrating our shared democratic ideals," said Rachel Raizen, student president of C.H.A.I.

For more information about this and other Caravan for Democracy events, visit www.caravanfordemocracy.org, e-mail caravan@jnf.org or call 800-969-5585 x247. For information about the lecture at Colorado State, contact Hillel at (970) 491-2080.