Businessman and philanthropist Sylvan Adams, Israel’s “self-appointed ambassador-at-large,” announced his upcoming plans to strengthen the country’s global image at The Jerusalem Post Conference in New York.
In a one-on-one interview with Post editor-in-chief Avi Mayer, Adams disclosed four new projects that will be introduced in the coming months.
This fall, Israel will host TIME100, an event of Time Magazine that will feature all aspects of the country including innovation, economy, culture, history, cuisine and sites of interest. There will also be a TIME100 Gala in Jerusalem that will bring A-list celebrities to celebrate Israel’s achievements.
Later this year, the second edition of the Middle East Regional Ironman championships will return to Israel. The Ironman is the marquee brand of the sport of triathlon, consisting of a 3.9 km. (2.4-mile) swim, a 180.2 km. (112-mile) bicycle ride and a marathon 42.2 km. (26.2 mile) run.
At the end of 2023, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the worldwide governing body for cycling, will sponsor the first edition of what Adams calls the “Peace Tour,” a cycling race that will pass through three of the Abraham Accord countries– Israel, Bahrain and the United Emirates.
In addition, the UCI will hold its season-ending gala on a rotating basis in the three countries.
Finally, Adams announced that Israel-Premier Tech, the cycling team he co-owns and which has competed in cycling’s biggest races, including the Tour de France, will participate in the Tour of Saudi Arabia in February 2024.
How Sylvan Adams advocates for Israel
Adams explained to Mayer that his efforts bypass the traditional media, reaching billions of people around the world.
“Instead of trying to give them a lecture on why Israel is virtuous, we show the country to them. We reach them in their hearts – through activities they like to watch, like sports or music or any other kind of cultural activity, and show them the virtuous, normal Israel that we experience every day.”
He also discussed the importance of Jewish education, noting that “I’m a big believer in Jewish education, beginning from primary school to high school.” Adams stressed the importance of learning about the Jewish journey through history and pointed out that “you cannot love what you don’t know.”