Perth man organises Peres’s Conference
A Perth man was among the six full time employees who organized the star studded Presidential Conference that took place in Jerusalem last week which marked President Shimon Peres’ 90th birthday.
Jarryd Kleviansky with Shimon Peres Photo: Chen Gallilli
23-yr-old Jarryd Kleviansky was a member of the team behind The Conference which ran between June 18th – 20th at the International Conference Center, the biggest venue in the capital was attended by political big hitters Bill Clinton and Tony Blair as well as guests from the world of entertainment such as Barbara Streisand, Robert De Niro and actress Sharon Stone who joined President Peres on stage for a one-to-one conversation about their lives.
Among the Israeli guests who headlined the Conference were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, Finance Ministef Yair Lapid, Outgoing Head of the Bank of Israel Stanley Fischer as well a host of singers and entertainers. Around five thousand visitors attended the event.
Jarryd is one of 21 Diaspora graduates accepted this year to the elite Israel Government Fellows program which screens suitable candidates aged 22-30 for professional work experience in key ministries, government authorities and projects.
Jarryd said: “The conference was absolutely fantastic; I really had a tremendous experience. After spending ten months researching and sending emails back and forward with speakers all over the world, it was great to finally put faces to names.
“On the final night after closing off the conference I was called to join a private drinks event with the President at which he called me up to wish me a happy birthday. It was a really memorable moment.”
In total there were 15 members of the committee chaired by former Cabinet Secretary Israel Maimon and including trusted Peres advisor, Ambassador Avi Gill. Aside from the six full time staff members, there were ten committee advisors with Jarryd the only non-Israeli on the team.
Following the IGF program and in June, Jarryd plans to start an MA in Project Management in Sydney Australia. He added: “This experience has been excellent for my professional development; I’ve learned how an Israeli workplace functions as well as picking up some useful diplomatic skills needed when corresponding with different cultures and professions.”
