On 7 October 2009 Counsellor of the Embassy Irena Skardžiuvienė participated at Gilboa award for co-existance and tolerance granted to the President of Israel Shimon Peres ceremony. In Madrid the youth of Gilboa region granted the same award to the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Angel Moratinos.
Population of Gilboa region is composed of 40% Arab Israelis and 60% Jewish Israelis living side by side in piece and friendship. Both populations are represented in the Gilboa regional Council, they are together engaged in educational programmes, sports and cultural events. In 2004 Gilboa Regional Council seeking to extend this successful model of coexistance started to implement cooperation projects in the spheres of economics and tourism with Jenin in the West Bank. As the President of Israel noted in his speech after receiving the award, Gilboa region is living in the reality of future peace agreement between Israel and Palestinians, Gilboa people “are painting the picture the frame for which will have to be made by politicians”.
