The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation marked the 100th birthday of the late Israeli president Shimon Peres on Wednesday, with representatives of the organization taking part in the unveiling of a monument in Vishneva, Belarus, where the Nobel laureate was born.
The ceremony was the first of a number of events planned in conjunction with the Peres Center over the next year.
The monument, which stands in the courtyard of the house where Shimon Peres was born, features inscriptions in three languages, symbolizing the universal impact of his life’s work.
Peres, who passed away in 2016, was born Szymon Perski, on Aug. 2, 1923, to Yitzhak and Sara Perski. Throughout his life, he held prominent positions in Israeli politics, serving twice as the nation’s prime minister and subsequently as president from 2007 to 2014.
The establishment of a monument at the site of Peres’s birth was made possible through a joint effort between the Jewish communities in Belarus, the Israeli Embassy in Minsk, and the support and participation of the Governor of the Minsk Region. Ambassadors from various countries attended the unveiling along with Rabbi Shaul Chababo, Chabad’s envoy in Bobruisk.
Peres was instrumental in forging the 1993 Oslo Accords with the Palestinians and earlier played a crucial role in strengthening Israel’s defense and security, overseeing the establishment of significant military and strategic assets.
