Theme: re:THINK

When confronting world problems, creative expression and personal challenges it is vital to approach life with new perspectives that both build on past experience and imagine innovative possibilities for the future. How does a willingness to rethink, revisit, and reimagine enable us to be innovative members of a global community.

Sonnenfeldt Auditorium (Buidling 73)
Ben Gurion University
Be'er Sheba, 84105
Israel

Tomer Barzide

29 years old, Bachelors in Film and Communications from Middlesex University in Australia and England. He began his professional career seven years ago as a video reports editor. Later tried animation before turning to directing and writing commercials, viral and musical clips. When Tomer came up with the idea for Pini, he was inspired by his own personal experience while studying and working abroad. Today Tomer divides his time between London and Tel Aviv.

Martin Weyl

Dr. Martin Weyl is an author and museum administrator with a background in fine art. His book “On Stench and Beauty: The Greening of Israel’s Largest Dump” highlights his involvement with Park Ariel Sharon, a waste refuge turned ecological attraction in Tel Aviv. Originally from Holland, he graduated from Hebrew University with a PhD in Museum Management and has served as Israel Museum’s director as well as Art Advisor for the mayor of Jerusalem. Dr. Weyl is currently the director of the Beracha Foundation.

Hagit Damri

Hagit Damri is the Executive Director of Hagar: Jewish-Arab Education for Equality and officially joined the Hagar Community as a parent in 2007. Almost ten years prior, she moved to Beer Sheva to study at Ben Gurion University. With a B.A. in Behavioral Science and an M.A. in Organizational Sociology, Hagit is now completing her Ph.D. in Gender Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. With professional training as an organizational advisor, she has previously served as an academic advisor and lecturer at the Open University. In addition, Hagit takes part in various artistic projects, serving as a curator and as the author of texts for exhibitions and art catalogues. Hagit and her husband Amir are parents to Iftah and Ozi.

Michael Ben Eli

Dr. Michael Ben-Eli is founder of the Sustainability Laboratory, established in order to develop and demonstrate breakthrough approaches to sustainability practices, expanding prospects and producing positive, life affirming impacts on people and ecosystems in all parts of the world. As an international management consultant, Michael pioneered applications of Systems Thinking and Cybernetics in management and organization. Over the years he worked on synthesizing strategy issues in many parts of the world and in diverse institutional settings. In recent years, he has focused primarily on issues related to sustainability and sustainable development, and has been working to help inspire leaders in business, government, community, and youth accelerate a peaceful transition to a sustainable future. Michael is author of the widely acclaimed five core sustainability principles.

Michael Alkan

Dr. Michael L. Alkan is the former head of the Infectious Diseases Institute at Soroka University Medical Center and a Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Since 1998 Prof. Alkan has been active in MASHAV (Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs branch for international collaboration) projects in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America. In 1999, Dr. Alkan headed the Internal Medicine Clinic at an Israeli field hospital for Kosovo refugees in Macedonia. Michael spent time in China and in several African countries where he was invited to participate in a government initiative to fight the war on AIDS. He has been also known to be among the first on the scene providing medical relief to disaster areas including to victims of Katrina in Louisiana and the Far East after the Tsunami. He participated in the foundation of medical schools in Kenya, Nepal and Ecuador. At Ben Gurion University, Michael played a significant role in planning the curriculum for the MD Program in International Health in Collaboration with Columbia University and is presently teaching in the school. Currently he is involved in developing a trek of international social work at Sapir College in Sderot.

Abbass Abbass

Adv. Abbass Abbass is the founder and director of Al-Manarah (Lighthouse) Association, established in 2005 to improve the lives and status of Arab persons with disabilities in Israel. Abbass’s concept for Al-Manarah is unique in its global approach to the rights of the blind and people with disabilities. As the only organization working for the advancement of Arabs with disabilities within Israel, Al-Manarah is committed not just to revolutionizing disability rights and social inclusion in Israel, but also throughout the Arab world. Al-Manarah fosters systemic social change through projects aimed at inclusion and access, as well as self-change through empowerment, community-building and professional training.

Nadav Embon

In the prime of a military career in IDF and the military industries following, Embon completely changed his life directions. Driven by passion, he went on to graduate from Bezalel academy of art in Jerusalem, Screen-Based Arts Department. For his thesis, he made an animation about the story of Samson with a powerful argument of how we should re:THINK the hero. He is a member and co-founder of the “ZIKARON BASALON” initiative and a board member of “Flow” the Israeli Frisbee Association. He also plays for the Israeli National Team and will be playing at Windmill Windup, Europe’s biggest grass ultimate frisbee tournament. Today, he works as a 3D animator at “JCS post production” and he lives in Hod Hasharon with his wife, Adi Altschuler.

Rachel Bergstein

Rachel Bergstein is a Tel Aviv-based social-political activist. She is passionate about human rights, third wave feminism, and public health promotion. Since moving to Israel/Palestine from Washington DC in 2009, Rachel has worked at numerous social change organizations, most recently Physicians for Human Rights-Israel. She also volunteers as a sexual health counselor for teenagers at Open Door, a project of the Israel Family Planning Association. Rachel is a DIY project enthusiast and an avid vegetarian foodie.

Mark Cohen

Mark Cohen is a Founder, Member of the Executive Committee, and Chair of the Life Science Practice Group at Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer. He is admitted to the New York, New Jersey; and Israel bars. He is a registered patent attorney in the United States. He is well versed in various aspects of patent prosecution, intellectual property management, licensing matters infringement and validity opinions; and enforcement matters. He represents clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Mark is also the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Celsus Therapeutics (OTCQB: MRRBY) a clinical stage company focused on the development of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Seema Biswas

Seema Biswas is a General Surgeon at Ziv Hospital and lectures in Global Health at the Medical School for International Health, Ben Gurion University. Her undergraduate training was in the UK and she trained as a surgeon in the UK, South Africa and Israel. Her research interests include Surgery, Trauma, Global Health and Medical Education. She is a Red Cross Health Delegate and works as a volunteer surgeon on overseas missions for a number of humanitarian organisations.

Nadav Ben Yehuda

Ben Yehuda, a skilled ice climber and social activist, was attempting to scale Mount Everest back in May 2012, when he found his Turkish friend, Aydin Irmak, lying unconscious inside a crack in the ice. Though less than 1,000 feet from the peak of Everest, Ben Yehuda turned his back on the prize to rescue his fellow climber, forsaking the opportunity to become the youngest Israeli ever to conquer Everest, the world’s highest summit. Nadav got severely injured during the rescue, and still struggles towards recovery. For these actions he was awarded a Presidential Medal of Honor from Israel President Shimon Peres.

Daniel Yuval

Daniel Yuval stepped on a mine that blew off his leg and shot shrapnels at his sister on a family trip to the Golan. He was 11. Instead of mourning his loss, he got the Israeli government to clear the mines so that no one else would be hurt by land mines.