Since many years ELNET-Germany has chosen the approach to work in German State Parliaments. One of the key states is North Rhine-Westphalia. With 18 million residents and a domestic gross product of over 800 billion dollars, this one single state of Germany is larger and economically stronger than many European countries.
In September 2018, ELNET-Germany was asked by the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia to prepare specific program points to the state visit of Minister- President Armin Laschet MdL to Israel. Armin Laschet’s visit was considered one of the most important ones in the jubilee year 2018 for Israel, Germany and ELNET-Germany as well.
ELNET offered the Minister-President and his high-ranking delegation, including his Minister for Europe and International Issues, Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner and Dr. Mark Speich, State Secretary for Europe and International Issues as well as 12 journalists a breathtaking briefing on the top of the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. Here, current and future security challenges for Israel were discussed. This was followed by a meeting with ELBIT Systems, an Israeli high-tech company specialized in cyber security. The German delegation discussed with Yohai Korem, head of Cyberbit at ELBIT Systems, the cyber threats to private firms and state infrastructure, and also were briefed on how to set up teaching systems and facilities of their own to prevent the eminent danger of cyber-attacks.
The custom-made program points delivered by the ELNET teams in Israel and Germany were received very well by politicians and press and were depicted as one of the “highlights” of the program of Minister President Laschet.