Council advancing Vaughan-Ramla-Israel Cultural Partnership Action Plan

Building off the success of the City of Vaughan's 2019 Business Mission to Israel, Vaughan Council approved the 2021 Vaughan-Ramla Summit: Developing a Cultural Partnership Action Plan during the Feb. 15 Council meeting. City of Vaughan staff are working with the Israeli Consul General's Office and the City of Ramla, Israel, to develop this first-ever plan for presentation and approval in 2023.

Many important factors position Israel as an essential cultural and economic development city-building partner and a logical choice to engage in international missions and partnerships. In 2010, Israel was identified by the City's Economic Development department as a priority area in Vaughan's 10-year Economic Development Strategy. Vaughan's Jewish and Israeli population makes up 23 per cent of the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area's (CMA) entire Jewish and Israeli communities). Vaughan also has the highest percentage of Hebrew-speaking residents in the Toronto CMA, as home to 36 per cent of all individuals in the Toronto CMA with a working knowledge of the Hebrew language (source: 2016 Census of Canada, Statistics Canada).

In partnership with the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, the City undertook a business mission to Israel In Nov. 2019. The mission's mandate is to strengthen Vaughan's economic and cultural connections with Jewish and Israeli communities – particularly with the people and community leaders of the City of Ramla, Israel. Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua led the City's delegation, joined by Local and Regional Councillor Linda Jackson, Ward 4 Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, Ward 5 Councillor Alan Shefman and City staff. Delegates included representatives from the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct project representing York University, Mackenzie Health and ventureLAB. Niagara University, which expanded to Vaughan in Jan. 2019, also took part.

Meetings were held in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa on subjects such as foreign direct investment, research and innovation, and Smart City technologies. The delegation met with Dr. Rafael Bayer from the world-class Rambam Medical Center – one of the largest medical centres in Israel, located in Haifa. Dr. Bayer discussed his country's extensive efforts to bring together startups and academic institutions to create medical breakthroughs and enhance front-line health services. The presentation was followed by a study tour of the Rambam Medical Center and The Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital, located on the same site. The delegation saw first-hand the cutting-edge technologies that are improving patient care.

Since 1993, Vaughan and Ramla have maintained a proud international partnership. On Nov. 24, 2019, during the Israel Business Mission, Mayor Bevilacqua and Ramla Mayor Michael Vidal signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance shared cultural opportunities and experiences between both cities. The MOU initiated the process to:

• Reaffirm, champion and modernize the Vaughan-Ramla relationship under Vaughan's new Cultural and Economic Partnerships Policy;
• Develop a comprehensive four-year action plan that advances cultural opportunities between the two cities with a robust framework to maintain this renewed partnership;
• Ensure that this action plan has clearly stated identified goals and objectives; and
• That annual public reporting on the deliverables outlined in the action plan takes place to both the City Councils of Vaughan and Ramla, respectively. 

As part of the ongoing efforts to develop the Cultural Action Plan and mark the business mission's second anniversary, on Nov. 23, 2021, Mayor Bevilacqua chaired the inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit in partnership with Mayor Vidal. Participants included elected representatives and stakeholders who discussed and outlined principles to form a strategy. The virtual summit focused on five key pillars to help develop ideas, objectives and deliverables to make up the Cultural Partnership Action Plan. These include:

1. Combatting Antisemitism, Racism, and Encouraging Interfaith Dialogue;
2. Tourism;
3. Education and Thought Leadership;
4. Economic and Cultural Development; and
5. Intergovernmental Relations.

The Vaughan-Ramla-Israel Cultural Partnership Action Plan is an opportunity to engage further relevant stakeholders and contribute to the quality of life and well-being of individuals and organizations in Vaughan and beyond. The anticipated approval and implementation of the Action Plan align with the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan mandate, and it will inform the work undertaken by the Office of Communications and Economic Development during the 2022-2026 Term of Council.

In 2023, the cities of Vaughan and Ramla mark the 30th anniversary of their formal partnership.

QUOTE

"For nearly three decades, the City of Vaughan has maintained an enduring relationship with the City of Ramla, Israel. As home to one of the largest Jewish communities outside of Israel, celebrating Israel's history and identity is fundamental to Vaughan. We continue to build upon the foundation laid during the 2019 Israel business mission and the 2021 Vaughan-Ramla Summit to realize the full potential of our international partnership. I want to thank Mayor Michael Vidal for demonstrating a strong and genuine commitment to modernize and continue the Vaughan-Ramla relationship. Working alongside Mayor Vidal and our community partners, I look forward to developing a Cultural Partnership Action Plan that will continue to deliver on the mandate of the partnership between our cities. This step represents yet another milestone in our shared journey to elevate the quality of life and standard of living in our city, and forge global connections that will contribute to Vaughan's continued success."

-        Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

"I am pleased to support the objectives and principles of the Vaughan-Ramla-Israel Cultural Partnership Action Plan and to have participated in the 2021 inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit. The State of Israel and Canada have a unique friendship based on shared democratic principles and strategic interests seen at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. We are specifically proud of our special bond with the City of Vaughan and the ongoing cooperation between the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and the dedicated staff of the City of Vaughan. The Consulate General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada offered its full endorsement of the principles set in the Vaughan Ramla Action Plan during the City's Committee of the Whole meeting and welcomed this new chapter in Vaughan-Ramla relations as an important step in the growing partnership between the State of Israel and the City of Vaughan."

-        Idit Shamir, Consul General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada

"The inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit was an overwhelming success. Mayor Bevilacqua and the City of Vaughan's commitment to developing a cultural action plan is a testament to our mutual desire to build upon the strong relationship between Vaughan and the City of Ramla. Since 1993, our cities have maintained an important friendship. I am pleased to continue making meaningful progress on the memorandum of understanding that Mayor Bevilacqua and I signed during the City of Vaughan's business mission to Israel in 2019. Together, we share an ultimate objective to advance cultural opportunities and promote joint projects that benefit our two cities. We look forward to continuing our work to advance ideas and initiatives to strengthen our partnership further."

-        Mayor Michael Vidal, Ramla

LEARN MORE

• Staff Report: 2021 Vaughan-Ramla Summit: Developing a Cultural Partnership Action Plan
• Staff Report: Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct – Enabling Next Steps
• Staff report: 2019 Business Mission to Israel
• Nov. 22, 2019 news release: Mayor Bevilacqua leads trade mission to Israel
• Vaughan and Ramla Renew Global Partnership: Statement
• 2019 Israel Post-Mission Report
• City of Vaughan's 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan webpage 
• Mayor Bevilacqua Welcome Incoming Consul General Idit Shamir Statement

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