Contact B'nai B'rith

1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N Washington, D.C. 20036

info@bnaibrith.org

202-857-6600

Echinope and S chneider with Energy Global co-founder and CEO Yosef Abramowitz

Prof. Virginia Echinope, Head of the Electric Energy Department in the National Directorate of Energy at Uruguay’s Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining, and winner of the B’nai B’rith Uruguay “Light and Truth Award” for 2011, visited Israel on March 13-22 as a guest of B’nai B’rith Uruguay. The “Light and Truth Award” is presented bi-annually to outstanding Uruguayan experts in the sciences and hi-tech and carries an all-expenses paid trip to Israel.

Like past winners, Prof. Echinope was hosted in Israel by the B’nai B’rith World Center. The B’nai B’rith Uruguay has been presenting awards to outstanding artists and scientists for over 25 years to recognize excellence in various artistic and scientific disciplines in Uruguay. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel where the B’nai B’rith World Center is responsible for preparing and implementing an intensive itinerary combining tourism with professional interchange, site visits and high-level briefings geared to fostering ongoing professional ties between the two countries.

During her visit, Prof. Echinope, who also serves as an associate professor of electrical engineering at the Universidad de la Republica, met with a broad range of Israeli academic institutions, government officials, professional associations and industry trend-setters. These included: “Yissum” Research and Development Company of the Hebrew University, Energiya Global, Renewable Energy Association of Israel, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour, Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute, Nation-E, Redivivus Energy and others. She also toured the country extensively including the Old City of Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Masada, the Baha’i Gardens in Haifa and the historic hydroelectric power plant at Naharayim.

B’nai B’rith World Center director Alan Schneider said that the visit itinerary showcased Israel’s status as a scientific and innovation powerhouse, strongly anchored in ancient tradition, openness and democracy.

Pictured:  Prof. Echinope and Schneider with Energy Global co-founder and CEO Yosef Abramowitz