Mayor Bevilacqua hosts inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit

Today, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua hosted the inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit in partnership with Mayor Michael Vidal from the City of Ramla, Israel. The virtual summit marks the two-year anniversary since the City of Vaughan led a business mission to Israel in 2019.

The Vaughan-Ramla Summit focused on five key pillars, including Combatting Antisemitism, Racism, and Encouraging Interfaith Dialogue; Tourism; Education and Thought Leadership; Economic and Cultural Development; and Intergovernmental Relations. Participants and speakers included diplomats, subject matter experts, municipal stakeholders and senior staff from the cities of Vaughan and Ramla. During the meeting, Mayor Bevilacqua announced he will serve as Chair of the Ontario Municipal Leaders’ Summit on Antisemitism being hosted by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) on Jan. 21, 2022.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Bevilacqua reflected on the enduring relationship between Vaughan and Israel. For more than 25 years, Vaughan and Ramla have maintained an important international partnership. During the 2019 trade mission to Israel, Mayor Bevilacqua and Mayor Vidal took a significant step forward to renew this global partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance shared cultural opportunities and experiences by focusing on initiatives to share best practices and new approaches to cultural development. The MOU commits the two municipalities to develop a comprehensive action plan to advance opportunities to elevate the quality of life for citizens and visitors.

The Vaughan-Ramla Summit is a direct outcome of the MOU's call to establish a new, robust and accountable framework to advance the municipalities' common interests. As an objective of the MOU, the Vaughan-Ramla Summit will help contribute to developing a Council-approved Vaughan-Israel action plan for 2023, which will mark the 30th anniversary of the Vaughan-Ramla partnership.

As home to one of the largest Jewish communities outside of Israel, celebrating Israel's history and identity is fundamental to Vaughan. Each May, the City of Vaughan proudly marks Jewish Heritage Month and raises the flag of Israel at Vaughan City Hall to recognize Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. Celebrations like Vaughan's annual menorah lighting ceremonies to welcome Chanukah have become much-anticipated traditions enjoyed by people of all faiths. These observances provide an opportunity to acknowledge the strength, resiliency and sense of mission embodied by the Jewish people whose contributions continue to make a lasting and positive impact in Vaughan and beyond.

Strengthening the Vaughan-Ramla relationship signifies the importance of Vaughan's local Israel and Jewish diaspora and the City's unwavering commitment to advancing opportunities that will benefit both municipalities for generations to come.

QUOTES

"The inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit represents a significant milestone for the long and enduring relationship between the cities of Vaughan and Ramla. In June 2019, I wrote to Mayor Michael Vidal outlining my desire to continue, reaffirm and modernize the Vaughan-Ramla relationship. During the City of Vaughan-led business mission to Israel in 2019, we made meaningful progress by signing a memorandum of understanding. Since then, the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced municipal priorities to shift, but now is the time to refocus our efforts to advance shared cultural opportunities and experiences. In August, I met virtually with Mayor Vidal and members of his administration to express my support and solidarity with the people of Israel in response to the violence taking place in the Middle East during the summer months. We reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening relations between our cities. I want to thank Mayor Vidal and all today’s Summit participants for their thoughtful and tangible ideas that will help develop a comprehensive strategy. I look forward to further developing the principles outlined in the MOU into an action plan that will deliver real results for the citizens of Vaughan and Ramla. Vaughan is a city that is truly blessed with multicultural diversity and economic strength that continues to attract foreign-direct-investment. The inaugural Vaughan-Ramla Summit demonstrates our long-standing commitment to working with our global partners to ensure Vaughan's continued success. Working closely with Mayor Vidal, we will continue to deliver on the mandate of the partnership between our cities."

-        Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

"I am pleased that we continue renewing and deepening the relationship between the City of Vaughan and the City of Ramla. The Vaughan-Ramla Summit was a success. We value the opportunity to work on advancing ideas and initiatives to strengthen our partnership. I would like to thank our friends in Vaughan, especially Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, for their mutual desire to promote joint projects that benefit our cities. By working together, we will create successful outcomes for our communities."

-        Mayor Michael Vidal

QUICK FACTS

·       Since 1993, Vaughan has maintained an international partnership with the Israeli City of Ramla.

LEARN MORE

• Staff report: 2019 Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Business Mission to Israel
• November 22, 2019 news release: Mayor Bevilacqua leads trade mission to Israel
• Vaughan and Ramla Renew Global Partnership: Statement
• 2019 Israel Post-Mission Report
• November 25, 2020 keynote address: Working together to combat racism
• Jan. 28, 2020 news release: City reaffirms commitment to foster an inclusive community
• 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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