The forest, which covers an area of 300 dunams in Yatir Forest in the Negev, was rededicated last Thursday (June 24, 2016) at a gala ceremony attended by Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food & Forestry Maurizio Martina and Italian Ambassador to Israel Francesco Maria Talò, among other distinguished guests. The ceremony also included a symbolic tree planting.
“I am so very pleased about the opportunity to plant a tree, which symbolizes our commitment to the community and to the world, and to translate these values into action,” said Minister Maurizio Martina. “The Israel pavilion in Milan gave visitors an opportunity to get a sense of the Israeli experience, and I see great value in this for the education of the younger generation.”
The Israel pavilion, which included a KKL-JNF installation, stole the show at the international Expo exhibition, whose theme was “Feeding the World – Energy for Life.” Around two million people visited the expo over six months, from May to October 2015, and the Israel pavilion, which was produced jointly by KKL-JNF, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Ministry of Tourism, with support from KKL Italy, presented Israel as a diverse and innovative society, with special emphasis on state-of-the-art agricultural and water technologies.
The highlight of the pavilion was the “Fields of Tomorrow” wall, 68 meters long and 12 meters high, on which assorted agricultural products were growing vertically. A column with large video screens featured interactive content for visitors in KKL-JNF’s main fields of activity -water, soil and afforestation -with a focus on agriculture. In the course of the exhibition, KKL-JNF organized seminars and presentations for both professionals and the general public, from all over the world, on various topics related to the environment, desert agriculture, soil preservation and water.
“The theme of the Expo was 'made to order' for Israel,” said Francesco Maria Talo, the Ambassador to Israel from Italy. “We shall continue working together, sharing knowledge and ideas. We are, after all, part of the same world.”
Expo 2015 provided a wonderful opportunity to present another view of Israel, different than what people see in the news,” said Shariel Gun, the KKL-JNF envoy in Italy.
The rehabilitation of Expo Forest in southern Israel includes planting trees with edible fruit, in the spirit of the expo’s theme promoting food security, including carob, fig, mulberry and almond trees. The project also includes the restoration of agricultural terraces for harvesting runoff and pooling the water, which will enable the forest to flourish in the arid region by utilizing every precious drop of rain. Drainage in the forest will be improved, and the forest roads will be repaired for the benefit of the many travelers that visit the region. A program for expanding biodiversity will also be undertaken.
Of the new trees planted in Expo Forest, 120 were donated for the purpose of balancing the carbon footprint effected by the reception at the residence of the Italian Ambassador in Israel celebrating Italy’s National Day in 2015, which was devoted to the topic of the Expo. KKL-JNF will be planting 300 additional fruit trees in the forest within the coming year.
“KKL-JNF cooperates extensively with Italy,” noted Meir Spiegler, the KKL-JNF Director General. “We have many similarities in our cultures and societies. If everyone would be planting trees like us, we would have a better environment for our own benefit and, above all, for the future generations.”
“Beyond the contribution of trees to the environment, a forest provides enriched soil for agriculture in the valleys and pasture for livestock, and it is a means for eco-tourism, all of which is in the spirit of the Milan Expo,” said Karine Bolton-Laor, Director of the KKL-JNF International Relations & Conferences Department. “The Israel pavilion was a great success and it has enabled KKL-JNF to create many new collaborations with international organizations.”
Visitors at the KKL-JNF installation in the Israel pavilion were invited to take part in a lottery for winning a trip to Israel. More than 60,000 people signed up, and the winners were Marta and Paolo Frittella from the city of Terni, who attended the inauguration ceremony of Expo Forest last week.
“This is our first time in Israel, and it is truly a wonderful and special country,” said Marta. "I didn’t think we would ever get here. There used to be a desert here, and now there’s a forest. It’s so exciting to help plant this forest.”
Andy Michelson, KKL-JNF Chief of Protocol, who emceed the ceremony, also spoke about the desert becoming green. “You traveled here through a desert,” he said to the guests, “and you arrived at the oasis we planted here. With your help, we are now enlarging this forest.”
Elazar Cohen, Israel’s Commissioner for the Milan Expo, read the Planter’s Prayer in Hebrew and in Italian, which meant the speeches had concluded, and it was time to get to work. The distinguished guests rolled up their sleeves and started planting the trees in the dusty earth of the Negev. They watered them afterwards - after all, it was a dry and hot desert. On some of the young planted trees you could see fruit ripening, mainly mulberries and almonds.
“Please come back soon to enjoy the shade of the trees you’ve planted,” said Meir Spiegler to the guests. “What do you mean?” replied Ambassador Talo with a smile. “I’m planning to return much sooner.” Spiegler promised that KKL-JNF foresters would take good care of the forest and make sure the trees grow quickly.
After the ceremony, there was wine tasting from the vineyards of Yatir Forest, an additional reminder of the main message of Expo 2015; to promote sustainability and food security - values that KKL-JNF upholds in all its endeavors.