Shanghai International Studies/Fudan
The Dr. Naim Dangoor Program for Universal Monotheism held unique "Israel Studies in China" and "Future History" conferences in Shanghai, commemorating the 20th jubilee of the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Israel and the establishment of Israel Studies at universities across China. The conferences were organized together with the Shanghai International Studies University, the Fudan Institute in Shanghai, and SIGNAL, the Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership, and with the support of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Israeli consulate in Shanghai. These historic conferences included presentations by leading Israel scholars on Jewish heritage, culture, and tradition, on the establishment of the State of Israel, and on contemporary Israel’s economy, military, and legal system.
Nearly 50 leading Israeli and Chinese scholars, as well as 14 Israeli and Chinese business executives and energy experts, presented at the conference. Among the Bar-Ilan University participants were: Dr. Danielle Gurevitch, the initiator and Director of the event, Dr. Alon Levkowitz, Coordinator, South and East Asian Program in the Faculty of Humanities; Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Department of Arabic, Director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam and Research Associate at the Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies; and Dr. Nir Kedar and Dr. Haim Shapira, of the Faculty of Law; as well as leading scholars from other Israeli Universities including Prof. Meron Medzini of Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Prof. Fred Lazin, of Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
These significant academic conferences included presentations by leading Israel scholars on Jewish Heritage; Culture and Tradition; the Establishment of the State of Israel; Contemporary Israel including economy, military and the correlation between the Israeli law and Halacha.
Conference sessions focused on two main topics: "Introducing One Ancient Civilization to Another" and "Future History: Civil Society vs. State from a Traditional and Modern Perspective" – aimed at explaining and exploring how Jewish and Chinese Civilization inform policy and relations of modern nation states. Moreover, three special panels were held, in which Israeli businesspeople and their Chinese counterparts took part. The three special panels discussed the Place of Innovation in Sino-Israeli Business, The Strategic Importance of Oil Alternatives, and a closed session on Energy Security. These special panels were sponsored by Signal, organization advancing Israeli-China business affairs.
Participants of the Fudan Conference. To my left: Dr. Moti Kedar, to my right, Mr. Jacky Eldan, The consul General, Prof. Lin Shangli, Fudan Vice President, Prof. Deng Zhenglai, Dean of Fudan IAS. Third row, second on right, Prof. Xu Xin
