Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel former Ambassador to UAE and Israel President Ambassador’s Forum

Memory and Imagination

Israel – a friend of Sri Lanka – leader on innovations agriculture and a world Power though a tiny nuclear nation

Sri Lanka is a friend of the State of Israel maintaining friendly relations since the birth of Israel in 1948 after having suffered over 4000 years and struggle over 2000 years to each the Promised Land with blood sweat and hard work of the Jews ill-treated persecuted and gone through difficulties for generations. The developments since the inception is miraculous in – deed. Country produces 90% of food and self-sufficient in many main areas exporting fresh and products to the world except the immediate neighbours due the ongoing conflicts carrying on normal lives regardless of impending threats taking necessary precautions with modern innovative methods. Israel developed to what it is today as a result of hardships undergone for generations and memories they were carrying on for generations with the ultimate of grouping as a country in the dream land based on bitter memories they have imagined and learnt from. When Israel was established by a group led by  ‘Ben Gurian’- the father of Israel, it has been a barren land full of desert with no water except the water in river of ‘Galali’ they had to share with neighbours where the disputes were settled by a subsequent agreement on sharing  water. Jews were a persecuted group living various parts of the world looking for a country of their own. Their aspirations were to reign the loss promised land controlled by the ‘’Otaman’’ Empire with some Jews were living in this area. Jews were enterprising and wealthy and who continued to maintain the dialog with the community. During the decolonization process British gave independence to establish the State of Israel with no resources whatever leaving only the human resource.

Memory and Innovations

Memory deals with familiar things, imagination deals with the unknown. Jews imagined based on bitter and unpleasant memories and determined to develop based on innovations and technology in their country with no natural resources other than manpower. Imagination requires risking and departure from the familiar. Remembering is common and easier, Imagination is different and difficult and connected to innovations. Imagination are thoughts compelled due to unforeseen circumstances and unexpected needs of an individual or/and a group of people. They had to be hard working and innovative to meet the hard life hardships and to succeed in life fighting with the nature and neighbours. They started the struggle with agriculture with most difficult circumstances and succeeded on innovations and imaginations. Memory an innovations combined has made Israel what it is today. They had no state for thousands of years spread worldwide as refugees, but never gave up the imagination determination and to make the God’s predictions a reality on a state of Israel. Today is is a tiny but a strong and powerful nuclear nation fully backed by USA mainly due to the pressure of the richest Jews in USA and West realities helpful to us.

Sri Lankans to imagine innovate and leap frog in our own way and style

 Time has come to Sri Lankans to imagine the future as has been done by Israelis suffered over 2000 years uprooting and chasing away from countries and areas they were living and making a life difficult for themselves.  Visionaries in Malaysia, Dubai, and Singapore brought the country to the path of success when Seeds of new Israel grew from the imagination of an exiled people determined for thousands of years keeping identities intact wherever they are worldwide. With the establishment of the State of Israel in a small land environment when soil was hostile and the Israelis had to create themselves anew with human resources will power and directions of vision and visionaries. The only capital at the dispersal was human capital with no natural resources in the barren land which is mostly desert. It is different in Sri Lanka with proud history of over 30,000 thousand and written history of 2600 years with inheritance of most advanced irrigation systems and traditional agriculture  and other developments that is known to the world over. Sri Lanka has been a developed nation self-sufficient country wide as leaders of agriculture with irrigations systems the world has full praise for. The miraculous success of Israel was said by the first Prime Minister and the father of the nation David Ben-Gurion that Are experts on what was. There is no expert on what will be. Ben –Gurion foresaw what will be for the people congregated in the Promised Land from all over arrived with no future in the horizon. To become an expert on the future vision must replace experience. He is one of many who voyaged the unknown but determined promised land from various parts of the world to create the Israel for  what it is today with minimum resources except human resources mainly  with vision and determination.

 Sri Lanka to regain lost glory in Agriculture and Water Technology

What is needed for Sri Lanka to regain the lost glory of thousands of years with a new vision with visionary or visionaries? Shimon Peres once President Prime Minister of Israel and a soldier started life in a Kibbutz” invited CEOs of world’s five car makers to discuss on the future of the vehicle industry invent an electric car for the tiny nation sandwiched among large and oil rich Arab enemy’s right round with eternal fighting with each other and want of energy and oil for survival and development. Israel had to invent new ways of living, Kibbutzim, Moshvim, development towns, communities where not existed. They drilled and laboured and demanded much from themselves by all with drams and innovations by the ordinary and the visionaries so much so even today average Israel is an innovator in his own way.

Challenges and setting of innovative Start-up Companies and SME’s

 When they discovered the land is infertile they  turned into inventions and technology thereby majority was compelled to think new innovators and knowledgeable on technology until they reached the position of the leader of start-up companies with over 60,00 start-up companies superseding any average country in the west including USA naming Israel a start-up nation. The Kibbutz became an incubator, and the farmer scientist. High Tec in Israel began with Agriculture. Even with little land with less water Israel became an became a leader in agricultural transforming technology 95% agriculture.  Technology was 95% of the secrete of Israel s prodigious agriculture productivity they now share with the world including major powers turned on them for advice and directions with innovations and entrepreneurship to reach the leader on earth on agriculture and technology in a country heterogeneous country with seventy different nationalities a monotheists melting point of that bought with it the culture language and culture of the four corners of the earth.

Military success and weapon trade to the world

Another commonly cited factor in Israel’s success is the country’s military and defence industry which has produced successful spin of companies when other countries have conscription and large militaries do not see a similar impact may be due to leadership determination and a vision in those countries.

Water Companies in Israel and Advancements of Historical water technology

Lanka has a great history over thousands of years by visions and visionary leaders developed the nation on world standards mainly on agriculture with room for reactivation the great systems in place then with the network of water canals in line with rivers and water resources in abundance. Sri Lanka has the following major rivers in addition to minor rivers and canals spread length and breadth of the country. They are ‘’Mahavali’’, ‘’Malwatta’’ ,’’KalaOya’’ ,’’Kelani’’ ,’’Yang Oya’’ ‘’Daduru Oya’’, ‘’Walawa River’’, ‘’Maduru Oya’’, ‘’MhaOya’’, ‘’Kelani Ganga’’, ‘’Kirindi Oya’’,’’ Kumbakan Oya’’, ‘’Menik Ganga’’, ‘’Gin Ganga’’ ‘’Ma Oya’’ and ‘’Gal Oya’’ are some of the major rivers in addition to the network of medium and mediam sized water seems in abundance. Secret of success of Israel is due to many reasons and it is time to mention few today when we are in the door steps of a major calamity due to the Corona Pandemic the   world powers too have been major victims and helpless loosing thousands of lives untreated.

Leader in Agriculture and general situation

Today small Israel is a nuclear world power and a leading exporter of Fruits vegetables and arms to the world advising world powers on innovations agriculture and technology due to achievements as a result of hard work and innovations. It was natural that Israel’s had to embrace  the internet software computer the telecomm nations arenas  In these industries borders distances and shipping costs are practically irrelevant As Israel venture capital ‘’Orna Berry’’ told  High Telecom nations  became national sport to help us defend  against the claustrophobia  that is life in a small country surrounded by enemies which is a necessity rather that mere preference or convenience. In Sri Lanka mobile phone has penetrated into the deep country of 110% with a fair majority of the citizen-many young is using internet for day to day life education and business which is a progressive sign. But it is doubtful whether we make use of the income consumed for data and other expenditure for innovators and agriculture to the expected and required amount. They used Kibbutz’s as incubators at the initial stages in the nation converting the farmer to a scientist transforming 95% Israel Agriculture to   technology and innovations. High Tec in Israel began with agriculture and innovations. Even with little land and less water, Israel became a leader on agritculture. It is a highly advanced free market primarily knowledge based economy higher developed enjoying higher standards than many western countries. It has second largest number of start-up companies after US and China. Intel Microsoft, Apple built their first overseas research and development facilities in Israel when IBM Google HP Cisco Systems and other Centres in the country. They reached the highest position in the world with hard work, determination, and moreover the innovations they are experts of as a result of sheer necessity. When they attained independence in 1948 they were inherited with a barren land covered with deserts with no water except the Galilei River in an extremes corner of the country which is the only large pond available in place of rivers and large and small scale waves in Sri Lanka with planned irrigation schemes inherited by great kings who made Sri Lanka self-sufficient and powerful in all respects.

Kibbuthz  and Moshavism as Incubators

Having realized the need for water they prepared a pipeline to the nearby Ares of Galilei and invested heavily on water companies on desalination of sea water which is an expensive and complicated process which is commercially used today for agriculture and industry with potential to sell to the neighbours. When they realised water was scarce they invented new ways of living in Kibbutzim, Moshavim”, development towns while dreaming and aiming at innovations as the only alternative. They were intellectuals – yet chose to till the land with their own hands when they discovered the land was infertile and water insufficient they turned to inventions and technology. Kibbutz became an incubator, the farmer scientist Hi -Tec in Israel began with agriculture with little as only a protein of land could be used the rest being the desert land and less water to become an agriculture leader transferring 95% agriculture based on technology despite attacked by enemies seven times during the initial stages of the nation building. Israel today is far ahead of western standards in every respect but went through most difficult periods with coupon books of one egg a week, how then did this  start up state not only survived  but morph from a besieged back water to a hi-tech powerhouse that has achieved hundred  fold economic growth in seventy years! One explanation is that adversity, like necessity, breeds inventiveness Other small  and threatened countries such as Korea Singapore and Taiwan can also boast growth records that are as impressive as Israel’s But none of them have array of start-ups that compares with Israel’s Where does Sri Lanka stand in this challenging maize of competition? Is Sri Lanka needs to find an answer today sandwiched and thrashed to the wall with other nations on Corona issue which does not appear to be having an end soon. Israel’s tiny population is made of some seventy different nationalities, do not share language, education of culture but a monotheists tic melting pot  of a diaspora that brought back with the culture language and customs of the four corners of the earth. Israel has a victim of Corona but immediate steps have taken in prevention and introducing new drugs and technology with the inherent innovativeness and promptness in facing challenges. Israel is a unique nation with a mixture of aging population and emerging young generation, marrying at early ages compulsory army service and high percentage of University Education on innovations science technology It most of whom are potential innovators and initiators of start-up and SME unites in abundance. This proves that in the midst of confusion there has to be brain wash and brainstorming sessions aiming at Sri Lankan identity and vision for all the ethnic Sri Lankans will be possible as a sheer necessity in the forthcoming economic, social, diplomatic, health challenges in all other areas which is inevitable.

Continent	Asia
Region	Levant
Coordinates	31°N 35°ECoordinates: 31°N 35°E
Area	Ranked 150th
• Total	20,770[1][2] km2 (8,020 sq mi)
• Land	97.88%
• Water	2.12%
Coastline	273[1] km (170 mi)
Borders	Egypt: 208 km[1]Jordan: 307 km[1]Lebanon: 81 km[1]Syria: 83 km[1]West Bank: 330 km[1]Gaza Strip: 59 km[1]Coastlines: 273 km[1]
Highest point	Mount Meron
Lowest point	Dead Sea
Longest river	Jordan River
Largest lake	Sea of Galilee
Climate	Mediterranean
Natural Resources	Offshore gas fields, Dead Sea minerals (potash, magnesium)
Exclusive economic zone

WHY NOT US? IF USA, CHINA, INDA AND MANY OTHER NATIONS JOIN WITH ISRAEL ON AGRITCUTURE AND INNOVATIONS

Israel is linked with many countries in many sectors mainly on agriculture, technology, and innovations. They are prepared to work with us and it is our opportunity to partner with them despite some concerns on political issues common to many including us in Geneva. This paper is prepared by me and open to discussions to improve and implement. My memories in UAE and Israel are enclosed. Open to discussions.

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel and President Ambassador’s Forum sarathdw28@gmail.com. 00447401756756 UK/094777880166 active in UK and worldwide.