i24News’ Natasha Kirtchuk Tapped to Host A4BGU Event
i24News’ Natasha Kirtchuk Tapped to Host A4BGU Event
March 13, 2024
i24News’ Natasha Raquel Kirtchuk Hosts “Remarkable Resilience. Leading the Way Forward”
New York, N.Y., March 13, 2024 — Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) today announced its signature annual virtual event, “Remarkable Resilience. Leading the Way Forward,” a webinar showcasing how Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is leading the way forward for Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks.
Attendees of the May 8 event will learn how BGU serves as the anchor institution and engine for growth in the Negev, and how the University stands as a beacon of hope for the future of Israel and a vital part of Israel’s rebuilding and recovery efforts.
The event will be hosted by Tel Aviv-based digital and television journalist Natasha Raquel Kirtchuk, lead anchor and content creator for i24 News’ “Global Eye with Natasha Kirtchuk.” She is the former head of content at ILTV, where she produced and hosted the weekly hit culture show “Insight to Israel;” freelances as a sports reporter for Sport5 Israel; is the travel segment host for Israel’s leading Reshet Channel 13 show “Soger Inyan;” and is a social media host for Walla! News.
“Our event will powerfully demonstrate the reality that we at A4BGU already understood long before October 7, but is now clearer than ever to a growing number of Americans — that Ben-Gurion University is the centerpiece of the future of the South and all of Israel,” said Doug Seserman, CEO of A4BGU. “As a vital part of Israel’s rebuilding and recovery efforts, the University’s response to the Hamas atrocities is showing just how vital the institution is to the remarkable resilience of the entire nation.”
For its first three years, A4BGU’s annual virtual event, “Celebrating the Remarkable,” had spotlighted BGU’s latest innovative breakthroughs in science and technology fields. This year, the “Remarkable Resilience. Leading the Way Forward” event reflects the University’s new directive in a post-October 7 world. Long known for its academic and research excellence, BGU is the key to the economic vitality of southern Israel and is now playing a pivotal role in rebuilding the Negev and propelling it forward.
BGU’s community has been disproportionately impacted by the October 7 atrocities compared to other universities in Israel, in terms of the number of students, faculty, and staff who were killed, wounded, kidnapped, and called to reserve duty with the Israel Defense Forces. And yet, the University is simultaneously rising to the challenges of this moment by driving the remarkable resilience of the Negev and the entire nation.
Following the attacks, thousands of BGU students volunteered in hospitals throughout Israel, providing medical and psychological assistance to wounded Israelis and their families. Students and faculty members supported the families of IDF soldiers called up for reserve duty by looking after their children and maintaining their homes. University dormitories opened to families of casualties, evacuees, and army reservists, while evacuated families were also being hosted at the homes of BGU faculty and staff. Dozens of students and staff members supported a massive logistical operation for sorting and preparing food and supplies contributions.
At the same time, A4BGU’s 2024 virtual event will also continue to demonstrate how A4BGU builds a movement of Americans who are committed to improving the world through a new 21st century unifying vision for Israel. This mission is rooted in the pioneering spirit of David Ben-Gurion, who envisioned that Israel’s future would emerge from the Negev. Today, that vision is manifested in the cutting-edge research carried out at BGU, resulting in scalable solutions for all of humanity in water conservation, environmental science, medical research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more.
“Remarkable Resilience. Leading the Way Forward” takes place on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET. Register to attend the webinar at: https://americansforbgu.org/events/rr4/
For more information or questions about sponsorship, contact Maya Spector at [email protected]
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
For all press inquiries, please contact:
James Fattal, J Cubed Communications
516.289.1496
Stories Like This
