Monrovia – Liberian president George Weah, who is currently on a four day visit to Israel, planted a tree of peace and friendship in the Grove of Nations located in the Israeli capital, Jerusalem on Wednesday.
President Weah took part in a formal planting ceremony in Jerusalem, according to a report by Keren Kayemet L’Israel-Jewish National Fund.
The planting was part of his official presidential visit. Weah is the 112th leader from around the world to plant a tree in Jerusalem as a symbol of peace, friendship and continuity.
“On behalf of our government, we are very honored to be in Israel today,” said Weah.
“We have seen so much during our time here, and what we saw today is so amazing. I hope Israel will have the peace that they are yearning for,” the Liberian president stressed.
The tradition of planting a tree dates back to Jewish values from scriptures that are still held today in Israel, which is one of the only countries in the world with more trees today than it had 100 years ago, according to KKL-JNF. The organization has helped plant more than 240 million trees in Israel over the years.
The Grove of Nations, which was first established by KKL in 2005, is found in the Jerusalem Forest and makes up a part of the Olive Tree Route, a part of the initiative led by UNESCO and the Council of Europe to establish an Olive Tree Route around the entire Mediterranean basin expressing the common desire for peace and co-existence.
To a great extent the Grove was founded by the Foreign Ministry’s Chief of Protocol Yitzhak Eldan, who spoke of the concept saying that “Planting an olive tree in Jerusalem is a symbolic act which creates a deep-rooted bond between visiting statesmen and the State of Israel. A joint concern for nature and the environment forms a basis for partnership between countries.”
The Grove is a home to dozens of trees planted by heads of state from around the world. It is usually attended by the dignitaries following a visit to the Yad VaShem holocaust museum and memorial which is located in close proximity.
Tree planting ceremonies at the Grove of Nations include speeches by the visiting head of state and senior executives of KKL-JNF. The ambassadors accompanying the head of state usually recite the Planter’s Prayer. As in all KKL-JNF tree plantings, the planter is rewarded with a special certificate testifying to his having planted an olive tree in the Forest Grove of the Nations.
Source: THE JERUSALEM POST
