Shimon Peres is one of Israel's most prominent political figures. Throughout his political career, Mr Peres held numerous ministerial positions, including Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, and Prime Minister. He played a vital role in the Oslo Accords, which led to the historic peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1993. For his efforts in promoting peace, Peres, along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.  

In 2007, Peres was elected as the ninth President of Israel, serving in that role until 2014. As President, he focused on bridging divides within Israeli society, promoting social justice, and advocating for innovation and technology as drivers of economic growth. He died at the age of 93 in 2016 after working until his very last days.

In 1996, Peres established the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation with a vision to promote peace, dialogue, and technological advancement in the Middle East and beyond. Peres himself dedicated his life to fostering cooperation, dialogue, and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. The Center serves as a non-profit, non-governmental organization that focuses on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship as a means to create positive change and, ultimately, peace in the region. The center is located in Jaffa, a vibrant city on the coast of Israel with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.

The center offers diverse expositions showcasing different aspects of their work. Examples include an Innovation Showcase featuring 40 different startups and technologies or Virtual Reality experiences providing insights into conflict perspectives. Overall, the center deeply embodies its founder’s mission of inspiring generations upon generations of people into building innovative solutions to the most complex problems around us.

Many thanks to the entire Peres Center team for this immersive and enlightening experience.

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